Ana Brenda Contreras

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Contreras and the second or maternal family name is Pérez.

Ana Brenda Contreras Pérez^[2] (born 24 December 1986), also known as Ana Breco, is a Mexican actress.^[3][4][5]

Ana Brenda Contreras
Contreras in 2015
Born	(1986-12-24) 24 December 1986 (age 38) McAllen, Texas, U.S.
Nationality	Mexican[1] American
Other names	Ana Brenda
Occupations	Actress model businesswoman
Years active	2005–present
Spouse	Alejandro Amaya ​ ​ (m. 2013; div. 2014)​

From 2010 to 2011, she played Aurora Alcázar in the telenovela Teresa. From 2018 to 2019, Contreras starred as Cristal Jennings in The CW's series Dynasty, a reboot of the 1980s series of the same name.

Life and career

1986–2014: Early life and career

Contreras was born in McAllen, Texas, on 24 December 1986,^[6] to Mexican parents Blanca Pérez and Efrain Contreras Puente.^[7] She grew up in Río Bravo, Tamaulipas. She speaks both English and Spanish.^[8] She moved to Mexico City in 2002 at age 15 to join the reality show Pop Stars,^[9] in which she was a finalist and member of a group, T'detila, who released an album with the same name.^[10] In 2003, she took acting classes in the Televisa's Centro de Educación Artística (CEA) in Mexico City.^[11]

In 2005, Contreras portrayed Juanita Sánchez in her debut telenovela, Barrera de amor.^[9][12] In 2006, she participated in a production of Grease. That same year, Contreras played Claudia in the telenovela Duelo de Pasiones.^[9] In 2008, she starred in the film Divina Confusion, directed by Salvador Garcini.^[13] From 2008 to 2009, Ana also starred as Violeta Madrigal in the telenovela Juro que te amo.^[9] In 2009, she played Maura Albarrán in the telenovela Sortilegio.^[9] That same year, she appeared as Marcela Garrido in an episode of the TV series Mujeres asesinas and had a special participation in the original Fox series, Tiempo final.^[14]

From 2010 to 2011, Contreras played the lead role of Aurora Alcázar on Teresa.^[9][15] She also played Carol in the musical Timbiriche.^[16] Contreras later starred in the telenovela La que no podía amar as Ana Paula Carmona from 2011 to 2012.^[17]

In 2013, she portrayed Maricruz Olivarez in the telenovela Corazón indomable, a remake of Marimar which achieved international success.^[18][19] In 2014, Contreras appeared in the Mexican film Volando bajo, directed by Beto Gómez.^[20] That same year, she was host of the Premios Juventud.^[21] In 2015, Contreras played the lead role of Verónica Prado Castelo in the telenovela Lo imperdonable.^[22] She sang "Como perdonar", the telenovela's theme, on the soundtrack.^[23]

2015–present: Further acting

In 2015, she also starred in the movie Tunnel 19.^[24] Contreras starred as Goyita Vera in Blue Demon in 2016,^[25] and as Alejandra Ponce in Por amar sin ley in 2018.^[26]

From 2018 to 2019, Contreras starred as Cristal Jennings in the second season of The CW's prime time soap opera reboot, Dynasty, in her first English language role.^[27][28][29]

Personal life

Contreras married Alejandro Amaya in a civil ceremony in Las Vegas on April 4, 2013. On May 14, 2014, she sent a press release announcing the permanent separation from him.^[30][31]

Ana Brenda Contreras divides her time living between Mexico City and Los Angeles, where she develops her career as an actress.^[32]

Filmography

Film roles

Year	Title	Roles	Notes
2008	Divina confusión	Bibi
2009	Cabeza de buda	Guest 2
2009	Sombra de Luna	Isabel	Short film
2014	Volando bajo	Mariana Arredondo
2017	El que busca encuentra	Esperanza Medina
2019	Wingbeat	Mom	Short film and also director
2022	Reviviendo la Navidad	Daniela

Television roles

Year	Title	Roles	Notes
2005	Barrera de amor	Juana "Juanita" Sánchez	Series regular; 152 episodes
2006	Duelo de pasiones	Sonia	Series regular
2008–2009	Juro que te amo	Violeta Madrigal	Main role; 140 episodes
2009	Mujeres asesinas	Marcela Garrido	Episode: "Las Garrido, codiciosas"
2009	Tiempo final	Unknown role	Episode: "Diva"
2009	Sortilegio	Maura Albarrán	Series regular
2010–2011	Teresa	Aurora Alcázar	Main role; 152 episodes
2011–2012	La que no podía amar	Ana Paula Carmona	Main role; 167 episodes
2013	Corazón indomable	Maricruz Olivares	Main role; 162 episodes
2015	Lo imperdonable	Verónica	Main role; 118 episodes
2016–2017	Blue Demon	Goyita Vera	Main role (seasons 1–3); 65 episodes
2018–2019	Por amar sin ley	Alejandra Ponce	129 episodes
2018–2019	Dynasty	Cristal Jennings	Main role (season 2); 22 episodes
2020–2022	Tu cara me suena (American TV series)	Herself	Host
2020	Médicos, línea de vida	Alejandra Ponce	2 episodes
2022	Toda la sangre	Edith Mondragón	Main role[33]
2024	El Conde: Amor y honor	Mariana Zambrano	Main role[34]
	¿Quién es la máscara?	Ranastacia	Season 6 contestant[35]

Awards and nominations

Premios Diosas de Plata

Year	Category	Film	Result
2009	Female Revelation	Divina confusión	Won[36][37]
2015	Special Performance by an Actress	Volando bajo	Nominated[38]

Premios ACPT

Year	Category	Show	Result
2017	Best Musical Actress	El Hombre De La Mancha	Nominated

TVyNovelas Awards

Year	Category	Telenovela	Result
2011	Best Co-star Actress	Teresa	Nominated
2012	Best Actress	La que no podía amar
2014		Corazón indomable
	Favorite Couple with Daniel Arenas
	Favorite Slap with Elizabeth Álvarez
	The Most Beautiful Girl
	Best Actress
2017	Best Actress in Series	Blue Demon	Won
2019	Best Actress	Por amar sin ley	Nominated
2020	Best Actress	Por amar sin ley	Eliminated

Premios Juventud

Year	Category	Title of Work	Result
2012	Girl That Takes Your Sleep Away	La que no podía amar	Won
2014		Corazón Indomable	Nominated
	She's Got Style		Won[39]
2016	My Favourite Protagonist	Lo imperdonable	Nominated

People en Español

Year	Category	Telenovela	Result
2012	Best Actress	La que no podía amar	Nominated
	Best Couple with Jorge Salinas		Won[40]
2013	Best Actress	Corazón indomable	Nominated
	Best Couple with Daniel Arenas