18 Facts About Nelson Villagra

Nelson Villagra was born on 9 August 1937 and is a Chilean actor, writer and director of stage and screen.

Nelson Villagra is recognised as one of the most masterful actors in Chilean cinema and is widely known in Chile for his exceptional portrayal of a mentally retarded murderer in Miguel Littin's El Chacal de Nahueltoro.

Nelson Villagra collaborated with Raul Ruiz on Tres tristes tigres, La colonia penal and Nadie dijo nada.

In 1973, Villagra was exiled from Chile as a result of the military coup which led to the Pinochet dictatorship.

Nelson Garrido Villagra was born in Chillan in southern Chile on 9 August 1937.

Later in 1950, Nelson Villagra joined Chillan Cultural Broadcasting, a cultural group, who later founded the Teatro Experimental de Chillan, Chillan Choir, and the Institute of Cultural Extension of the city.

In early 1965, Nelson Villagra was hired by the Theatre ICTUS of Santiago, and moved to the capital with his family.

Nelson Villagra subsequently worked in various theatre groups in Santiago - including The council as well as on television and in seven Chilean films, most famously Three Sad Tigers and El Chacal de Nahueltoro.

Nelson Villagra spent periods in Rome and later in Havana from 1975 to 1986, where he actively participated in Cuban cinema.

Nelson Villagra worked in seven films in Cuba, the most prominent of these being The Last Supper by Gutierrez Alea, and Black River by Manuel Perez - in addition to several co-productions filmed in Cuba, Mexico, France and Venezuela.

Back in Montreal in 1989, Nelson Villagra was invited to shoot his first French-language film, taking a leading role in Corbeau, directed by Carlos Ferrand.

In 1992, Nelson Villagra decided to set up play in Montreal.

Nelson Villagra made a second trip to Chile in 1992 at the invitation of the Vina del Mar Film Festival, where he received a moving tribute.

However, the dubbing director in Rome judged that Nelson Villagra fully dominated in phonetics and accent required and left his voice in the film, unmodified.

In 1997 Nelson Villagra returned to Chile with his wife Begona, an actor, owing to various work commitments.

Nelson Villagra worked in Chilean television and film, extending his stay until 2003 inclusively.

Also in 1998, Nelson Villagra wrote a verse play The Farce of the Knight and Death which toured Nuble Province, his native land, and acted in all three television movies and three films.

In late 2003, Nelson Villagra returned to Montreal with his wife, only to return to Chile a few months later in early 2004 to join the cast of a new TV series with Canal 13.