Najwa Nimri

Her other films include Passages (1996), Open Your Eyes (1997), Blinded (1997), Lovers of the Arctic Circle (1998), Asfalto (2000), Sex and Lucia (2001), and Fausto 5.0 (2001), The Method (2005), Anything You Want (2010), Quién te cantará (2018), and The Red Virgin (2024). She became a prominent actor of 1990s and 2000s Spanish cinema. Her international profile increased in the streaming era for her work in the Spanish prison drama series Locked Up (2015–2020) and the heist series Money Heist (2019–2021). In 1996, Nimri formed the musical duo Najwajean with producer Carlos Jean, releasing No Blood, an early instance of a trip-hop album in Spain.

The recorded working language is Spanish, Basque and Arabic. The field of work recorded is acting, music and singing. Subjects and genres recorded for the work are trip hop. Works named in the authority record are Open Your Eyes, Lovers of the Arctic Circle, Sex and Lucia, The Tree of Blood, Money Heist and The Red Virgin. Distinctions recorded are Premios Ondas, Sitges Grand Honorary Award and Platino Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV series.

• Birth Name — Najwa Nimri Urrutikoetxea • Born — 14 February 1972 • Birthplace — Pamplona, Spain • Occupation — Actress, singer • Years Active — 1995–present

Nimri was born in Pamplona, Spain. Her mother is Spanish and her father is Jordanian. She has a brother, a half-brother and two half-sisters. When she was a child, her family moved to Bilbao, Spain, where she was raised. Her parents separated when she was 11, and at age 17 she moved to Madrid, where she pursued the performing arts, took acting classes and sang in a funk band.

Her first major film role was in Salto al vacío, the first movie by film director Daniel Calparsoro. Her career as a singer started with small groups. In 1996, she formed the band Najwajean with Carlos Jean. She has also released three solo albums. From 1995 to 2000, she was married to Daniel Calparsoro. Several of her film roles won her praise: as Ana in Lovers of the Arctic Circle, and as Elena in Sex and Lucia. Both films were directed by Julio Medem. She starred next to Eduardo Noriega in Abre los ojos, and El método. She was nominated to the Goya Award for Best Actress for her performance as amnesiac diva Lila Cassen in Quién te cantará (2018). • Illustration — Nimri as Zulema Zahir in Vis a vis In 2020, she returned as Zulema in the spin off Vis a vis: El Oasis, starring with Maggie Civantos. She played Alicia Sierra, a policewoman inspector in (Money Heist) La casa de papel. She voiced Kate Laswell in the 2019 video game Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. She joined season 2 of religious horror series 30 Coins to portray paranormal hunter and video podcaster Haruka. In 2024, she featured in the hospital-set drama series Breathless, portraying a right-wing President of the Valencian Community set on dismantling the public healthcare system. She also portrayed Aurora Rodríguez in The Red Virgin.

• Year — Title — Role — Notes — Reference(s) • 2015–2019 — Vis a Vis (Locked Up) — Zulema Zahir — Main cast; 40 episodes • 2019–2021 — La casa de papel (Money Heist) — Alicia Sierra — Main cast (season 3-5); 25 episodes • 2020 — Vis a vis: El Oasis — Zulema Zahir — Lead role; 8 episodes • 2021–2022 — Insiders — Host — 14 episodes • 2022–23 — Sagrada familia — Gloria Román / Julia Santos — Lead role; Seasons 1–2 • 2023 — 30 monedas — Haruka — Season 2 • 2023 — Berlin — Alicia Sierra Montes — 3 episodes • 2024 — Respira (Breathless) — Patricia Segura

• Year — Title — Role — Episodes • 2020 — Vis a vis: Cara B — Zulema Zahir — Voice role, 10 episodes

• No Blood (1998) – No. 80 • Asfalto (2001) (soundtrack) – No. 175 • Guerreros (2002) (soundtrack) – No. 88 • Najwajean Selection (2002) (compilation album) – No. 108 • Till It Breaks (2008) – No. 20 • Bonzo (2015)

• Carefully (2001) – No. 76 • Mayday (2003) – No. 48 • Walkabout (2006) – No. 10 (50,000 copies sold; Gold) • El ultimo primate (2010) • Donde rugen los volcanes (2012) • Rat Race (2014) • Viene de Largo (2020) • AMA (2021)

• Year — Award — Category — Work — Result — Ref. Reference • 1998 — 45th Ondas Awards — Best Actress — Lovers of the Arctic Circle & Open Your Eyes • 1999 — 13th Goya Awards — Best Actress — Lovers of the Arctic Circle • 2002 — 16th Goya Awards — Best Supporting Actress — Sex and Lucia • 2017 — 4th Feroz Awards — Best Main Actress in a Series — Locked Up • 2019 — 6th Feroz Awards — Best Main Actress in a Series • 74th CEC Awards — Best Actress — Quién te cantará • 33rd Goya Awards — Best Actress • 69th Fotogramas de Plata — Best Film Actress • Best TV Actress — Locked Up • 6th Platino Awards — Best Actress in a Miniseries or TV Series • 2021 — 8th Platino Awards — Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Series — Money Heist • 2022 — 72nd Fotogramas de Plata — Best TV Actress • 9th Platino Awards — Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV Series • 30th Forqué Awards — Best Actress in a Film — The Red Virgin • 80th CEC Medals — Best Actress • Best Main Actress in a Film • Best Film Actress in a Leading Role

Najwa Nimri is recorded as having received Premios Ondas, Sitges Grand Honorary Award and Platino Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or TV series.