If you search for Amaia Aberasturi on Google, it’s likely that you arrived here just after seeing Oriol Cardona win the Olympic gold while she cried with emotion in the stands. The actress from Biscay has been much more than a familiar face on Netflix for some time, although the world has found out late. Here’s everything you need to know about her.
Who is Amaia Aberasturi
Amaia Aberasturi Franco was born on 28 April 1997 in Gautegiz de Arteaga, a small municipality in Bizkaia with fewer than 900 inhabitants. Yes, from a village of under a thousand souls to prime time on Netflix. Not bad for a girl who, as she has said herself, felt very small outside the stage.
A shy girl, a lover of horses and her parents' bar's tortilla de patata from the "Egala". That’s the Amaia before the spotlight. The one after, we will discover later.
Her studies and training
She is not someone who stumbled into acting by chance or just because she has a pretty face. Amaia has truly worked for it. She completed a Diploma in Film and Television at Central de Cine and a physical training course at the Clara Méndez-Leite School. Her training is complemented by various workshops in dramaturgy for choreographers, dancers, and stage creators, as well as training in contemporary dance.
She also studied a Degree in Early Childhood Education at the Complutense University of Madrid, just in case acting didn’t work out. A practical mindset that is not exactly abundant in the artistic sector.
Her career: from Basque villages to Netflix
The first steps
Her first film role came in 2010 with Los castigadores (Zigortzaileak), directed by Arantza Ibarra and Alfonso Arandia. She then worked in Los huérfanos (Umezurtzak) in 2015, directed by Ernesto del Río, and in Vitoria, 3 de marzo in 2018, directed by Víctor Cabaco.
On television, she also quietly accumulated experience: series like Víctor Ros, Cuéntame cómo pasó, and Hospital Valle Norte from TVE, and 45 revoluciones from Antena 3. Roles that don’t put your name in lights, but that build a real actress.
The role that changed everything: Akelarre
2020 was the year that changed her professional life forever. She starred in Akelarre, playing Ana under the direction of Pablo Agüero. The role involved portraying a young Basque woman from the 17th century accused of witchcraft, with all the physical and emotional weight that entails.
The film received excellent critical acclaim and garnered several nominations for the Goya Awards. Amaia was nominated for Best Leading Actress, a particularly significant recognition considering her youth. The production won five Goya awards in total. She also received nominations at the Feroz Awards and the Círculo de Escritores Cinematográficos as Best New Actress. Three different recognitions with the same message: this girl has something special.
From Bienvenidos a Edén to Beguinas
At the beginning of 2021, her casting for the new Netflix series Bienvenidos a Edén was announced, where she shares the screen with Ana Mena, Amaia Salamanca, Berta Vázquez, and Belinda. The series definitely put her on the international map.
That same year, she also joined the Atresplayer Premium series La edad de la ira, where she plays Sandra.
Among her most recent works is Beguinas (2024), a historical production that showcases another facet of her acting talent. The fiction, set in the 16th century in Segovia, tells the story of communities of women who defended an independent life from marriage and the Church. In other words, Amaia tends to star in stories where women refuse to do what they are supposed to do. Coincidence or not, it works.
Her partner: the story with Oriol Cardona
This is where many have discovered her. Oriol Cardona won the Olympic gold in mountain skiing, and his partner, Amaia Aberasturi, was filmed very emotionally cheering him on from the stands.
The connection between them became public in late 2023 when they shared their first image on social media. Oriol Cardona started following her on Instagram, but Amaia took two years to follow him back. It was she who took the next step by messaging him about a story of a landscape she found beautiful. No dramatic love at first sight: just a Basque girl and a Catalan skier meeting in the digital world like any 21st-century couple.
Amaia moved to Barcelona to live with him and, in the process, learned Catalan. In the documentary broadcast by TV3, she surprised everyone by speaking the language perfectly. Oriol himself, emotional after winning gold, was very clear: “Amaia has given me so much support, without her and all the team behind me, I wouldn’t be here.”
Far from glamorous events, this couple enjoys outdoor activities like mountain getaways, skiing, and cycling. Two people competing at a high level in their respective worlds who have found in each other someone who understands that demand. It makes a lot of sense.
Children and personal life
As of today, Amaia Aberasturi has no children. At 28 years old, with a career in full swing and a recent but solid relationship, that chapter, if it comes, is still to be written.
She maintains a presence on social media, especially on Instagram, where she shares moments from her professional and personal life, although her communication style is natural and unpretentious, steering clear of overly elaborate marketing strategies. What you see on her profile is what you get: an actress who enjoys the mountains, travels with her partner, and doesn’t need to pretend to have a life she doesn’t.
Quick facts about Amaia Aberasturi
Full name: Amaia Aberasturi Franco Date of birth: 28 April 1997 Place of birth: Gautegiz de Arteaga, Bizkaia Profession: Film and television actress Training: Diploma in Film and Television, dance and dramaturgy workshops Most known role: Ana in Akelarre (2020) Notable series: Bienvenidos a Edén (Netflix), Beguinas (Antena 3), La edad de la ira Partner: Oriol Cardona, Olympic champion in mountain skiing Children: None
Amaia Aberasturi is, in summary, one of the most solid actresses of her generation in Spain: someone who arrived without godfathers, trained rigorously, and built a career without shortcuts. That she is also the girlfriend of the new Spanish Olympic hero is, let’s say, a bonus that the algorithm appreciates.
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