Bio
Karla Souza is a Mexica-born American actress best known for her starring role as Laurel Castillo, an idealistic student who later has a relationship with Frank, in the legal thriller television series How to Get Away with Murder.
Souza lived in Aspen, Colorado until the age of eight where she got her first acting role as Kimberly in the movie Aspen Extreme opposite Peter Berg. She has also lived in Mexico, France and London.
During her four years in France, Karla was part of a professional Theatre Company and toured throughout France. She auditioned and was selected to participate in the French reality TV show, Star Academy, however, after getting an unconditional offer to join one of the best known acting schools in London (Central School of Speech and Drama), she declined the TV show opportunity and pursued her acting degree graduating in May 2008.
Near the end of her London studies, she received the CCP award in 2008, given to the most promising actress in London. She was selected to go to Moscow, Russia with Anatoly Smilianski for an acting intensive. Karla later traveled to present a showcase in New York and soon after was offered leading roles in Mexico City.
Films she has been in include The Jesuit - script by Paul Schrader with Oscar nominee actors Tim Roth, Tommy Flanagan, Paz Vega and Jose Maria Yazpik, From Prada To Nada produced by Lionsgate.
Karla has had leading roles in numerous box office hits including the festival indie film El Efecto Tequila which competed in Sao Paulo, Cairo, Havana and the San Diego Film Festivals. Suave Patria became one of the highest grossing films in 2012.
2013 releases include her performance in the Romantic Comedy of the year Me Late Chocolate, followed by her acclaimed lead performance in the Warner Bros. box office hit Nosotros Los Nobles which NPR, CNN and the Hollywood Reporter confirmed was the highest grossing film in Mexican film history.
Karla is also featured in the Pantelion comedy, Instructions Not Included, which was the highest grossing Spanish-language film to open in US history.
TV series include Persons Unknown (Fox Television Studio), Heroes del Norte (with unprecedented ratings both in Mexico and the USA), and the leading role in the controversial series Niño Santo (Gael Garcia and Diego Luna's production Company CANANA).
Theatre and Musical performances include Avenue Q and The Sound of Music (Leisl). She also produced and acted in a play by John Kolvenbach, Love Song.
Karla continues studying with internationally renowned acting coaches like Fernando Piernas.