Ana Villafañe to Play Daughter of Fidel Castro, Alina Fernandez, in Upcoming Biopic

Ana Villafaña has been tapped to star as Alina Fernandez, the daughter of Fidel Castro, in the upcoming biopic of the anti-communist activist's life.

Deadline reports that the film will be titled Alina of Cuba: La Hija Rebelde, and will follow the Cuban American immigrant and human rights advocate who was born to Castro and Natalia "Naty" Revuelta after their passionate love affair. Her mother was a Cuban socialite that sold her and her husband's belongings in an effort to help fund the revolution.

Once Fernandez turned 10, she learned about her relation to Castro, after years of him secretly visiting their home. After being left in Cuba with her mother by her former step-father and his sister, Fernandez became one of Castro's most outspoken critics and was arrested on multiple occasions for trying to leave Cuba. She eventually fled to Spain in 1993 before making Miami, Florida her permanent home.

The Miguel Bardem-helmed biopic will be filmed in Cartagena, Columbia this summer. The film was written by Jose Rivera and Nilo Cruz.

Recently seen as Roxie in the Broadway production of Chicago, Ana Villafañe originated the role of Gloria Estefan in the Broadway musical On Your Feet! and played Nina in the 2018 production of In the Heights at The Kennedy Center. Ana was also seen on the seventh and final season of the hit series Younger, starring Tony-winner Sutton Foster. Her other screen roles include stints on the NBC series NEW AMSTERDAM and Sunnyside.

Photo Credit: Jennifer Broski