She is fluent in English, Spanish, French and Italian. Formerly engaged to Billy Zane, her co-star from the miniseries Cleopatra (1999) (TV). Beat out 35 other actresses to play the title role in Cleopatra (1999) (TV). Appeared on the cover of thirteen separate editions of the Maxim magazine, each naming a different North American city as the greatest on Earth. Daughter of famous Chilean biologist and philosopher Francisco Varela (1946-2001). After graduating from the Ecole du Passage and the Conservatoire Superieur de Paris, she was ready for the big screen. Her family fled to Costa Rica, leaving behind the brutal dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet. As a child, she got to see her homeland another time when her family returned to Chile. Her stay in Chile was brief, and she soon found herself in Germany, then back in Chile, and finally in France in her late teens. She is half Chilean on her father's side and French on her mother's side. She lived in Paris from the age of 14. Has 3 siblings, Alejandra, Javier and Gabriel. Was featured as #11 in Maxim Magazine's "Hot 100 of 2002" supplement. (2002)
