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Francisca Estévez Is the Face of a New Generation of Latino Talent
The return of Eva Lasting is almost here, bringing the spotlight back on the young Colombian star at the heart of the story: Francisca Estévez. If you’ve been watching from the first season, you know her as Eva, the girl who shook things up by joining an all-boys school in 1970s Colombia. But behind Eva is an actress who has been carving her path since she was just a toddler.
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Who are Francisca Estévez parents?
Francisca was born in Bogotá on November 17, 2002. Her mom is actress Bibiana Navas, and her dad is Emilio Estévez, not the actor you’re thinking of, a different one. Her parents split when she was young, and she’s been open about the rough side of that story.
She’s talked publicly about her father’s addiction, the violence her mother experienced, and how those early years shaped her. In her words: “I was very young and didn’t understand much, but I was in the middle of it.” She says that growing up in that chaos made her realize she was often looking for male approval later in life, something she’s working through now with therapy.
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Even so, Francisca’s acting journey really began at a young age. Her mom would bring her to sets starting when she was just two, which led to her making small appearances on shows. One of her earliest roles was in Las noches de Luciana, where she was more of a set buddy than a core cast member. Still, it was enough to spark her interest.
The Heart of Eva Lasting and So Much More
She grew up between Los Angeles, Miami, and New York, attending some top-notch acting schools like the Beverly Hills Playhouse, the Stella Adler Academy, and North Hollywood, California. But even with all that, she didn’t dive into acting right away. She was shy. Really shy. For a while, she wasn’t even sure she wanted to pursue it. It was actually her mom who encouraged her to audition. At first, Francisca said no, but she later changed her mind. Once she started seriously training, she realized she was all in.
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Her first major screen appearance was in 2020 when she scored a role in the indie horror movie Diavlo, playing a girl named María. That same year, she appeared in the Oscar-winning film Promising Young Woman as a teenager named Amber.
In 2021, she landed her first lead role in the Colombian soap opera La nieta elegida on RCN, where she played Luisa Mayorga, a girl from a rough neighborhood whose life begins to change in significant ways. That show really put her on the map in Colombia, but Eva Lasting launched her onto the global stage.
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The Netflix series, originally titled The First Time, premiered in 2023 and quickly became a favorite across Latin America. Francisca’s character, Eva Samper, is a strong, smart, and no-nonsense girl who arrives at a conservative all-boys school and shakes things up: the students, the teachers, the culture.
She’s a mix of humor, boldness, and emotion, and Francisca captures it perfectly. Now, the show is returning for its third season on June 4, and the story is expanding beyond the walls of José María school. Eva and the crew are stepping into adulthood with college, romance, military service, and everything else the late ’70s has to offer.
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Off-screen, Francisca also made headlines for her role in Los Billis, a gritty Amazon Prime series from 2023. In it, she plays Andrea, a wealthy girl caught up in a Bogotá gang in the 1980s. She also joined the reality series MasterChef Celebrity Colombia, adding a new flavor (literally) to her growing resume.
And she’s also got a love story of her own. Her boyfriend is Carlos Báez, an actor she met on the set of La nieta elegida. At the time, they were both seeing other people and didn’t hang out much. But a few years later, they reconnected and things clicked. Now they post about each other on Instagram and seem genuinely happy. Carlos calls her “Kika,” and he’s said it’s a blessing to date someone who understands the long hours and travel that come with the job.
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Francisca’s journey is still unfolding. She’s only 21, but already showcasing the kind of versatility and authenticity that ensures a lasting career. Whether she’s portraying a revolutionary teen, a gang member, or a rising culinary star, she brings a genuine presence and she’s not afraid to reveal the messy parts of her life behind the scenes, either.
With a new season of Eva Lasting on the horizon and more roles coming her way, Francisca Estévez isn’t just one to keep an eye on. She’s already taking the lead.
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