Pilar Uribe reflects on three decades of storytelling
Actress Pilar Uribe has built a body of work defined by versatility and longevity. The bilingual performer has spent more than three decades navigating both English- and Spanish-language entertainment, steadily expanding her reach across network television, streaming platforms, animation, and gaming while maintaining a strong connection to her roots as a storyteller.
Pilar Uribe on set of Euphoria (courtesy HBO Max)
Most recently, audiences saw Uribe in HBO’s Euphoria, appearing in the series’ supersized Season 3 finale. Working under creator, writer, and director Sam Levinson, she joined one of television’s most talked-about dramas, adding another notable credit to an already diverse résumé. The experience left an impression, “I came into the scene with all my actor ideas,” Uribe recalled. “Then the director came on set. He was so calm and with just a few words, turned the scene around for me. It was wonderful.”
The appearance serves as the latest chapter in a career that has consistently crossed genres, formats, and international markets. Not long before Euphoria, Uribe guest starred on Law & Order: SVU, sharing scenes with series star and executive producer Mariska Hargitay. The opportunity came together quickly but became one of the most meaningful of her career. Watching Hargitay balance acting, producing, and collaboration with the creative team offered a firsthand look at the level of preparation and focus required to succeed.
LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT – Pictured: (l-r) Pilar Uribe as Commander Volpe, Jordan Mahome as Lt. Ford, Juliana Aidén Martinez as Det. Kate Silva — (photo by: Peter Kramer/NBC)
Uribe is connected to one of the most recognizable franchises in Spanish-language entertainment history. Audiences around the world know her for her work on Yo Soy Betty La Fea, the landmark telenovela that became a global phenomenon broadcast in over 180 countries in 25 different languages and inspiring over 30 international adaptations. More recently, she returned to that universe through Betty La Fea: The Story Continues, reconnecting with a property that helped introduce her work to international viewers.
Uribe’s professional journey began long before those high-profile projects. Born and raised in New York City to a Colombian family, she grew up speaking Spanish at home, an experience that would later become an asset as she built a bilingual career. Her interest in performance first emerged during high school while appearing in The Madwoman of Chaillot, and the possibility of pursuing acting professionally became clearer during college after portraying Hecuba in The Women of Troy.
A pivotal moment arrived with Eternamente Manuela, her first telenovela in Colombia. The project helped establish her career in Latin American television and earned her a nomination for the Colombian equivalent of a critics’ choice award for Best Newcomer. It also marked the beginning of a professional path that would take her from New York to Colombia, Miami, and eventually Los Angeles.
Pilar Uribe at Betty la fea – red carpet premiere
Uribe has successfully emerged in voice acting as well. She can be heard in projects ranging from animated features to major video game franchises, including Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, Genshin Impact, Second Extinction, Solar Ash, and Cookie Run: Kingdom. She is currently recording new scenes as the character Golden Cheese Cookie, continuing her involvement with the popular game. In addition, Uribe recorded and produced content for WLRN Miami-South Florida, further broadening her voice experience.
Uribe remains motivated by the same curiosity that first drew her to acting, explaining that inspiration often arrives in unexpected places. “Strangely enough, when I’m walking in nature, or in the shower,” she said. “Ideas always come to me in those two places.”
Looking ahead, Uribe plans to continue balancing television and voiceover opportunities while pursuing her own creative endeavors. In addition to upcoming work in gaming and animation, she is developing a writing project and hopes to complete a book in the coming years.
As the entertainment landscape continues to evolve, Uribe’s career reflects an ability to adapt. From international television dramas and network procedurals to animated films and video games, she continues to build on a professional journey shaped by experience, flexibility, and a lasting commitment to the craft.
