Nicole Santamaría is a 39-year-old Colombian actress best known for starring in La promesa and Klass 95. Born in New Jersey and raised in Bogotá, she has worked steadily in Colombian television since 2005, with roles in Alias J.J., El Cartel de los Sapos: el origen and Perfil falso. She now joins the cast of Netflix’s Under Siege, premiering November 6, 2026, as Ángela María Buitrago.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Nicole Santamaría Pérez |
| Known For | Seleni Aristizábal in La promesa; Shaio Domínguez in Klass 95; Ángela María Buitrago in Under Siege |
| Age | 39 years old (born March 7, 1987) |
| Hometown | Born in New Jersey, USA; raised in Bogotá, Colombia |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Partner | Not publicly known |
| Status | Active — Under Siege (Netflix, 2026) |
Who Is Nicole Santamaría?
Nicole Santamaría is a Colombian actress born on March 7, 1987, in New Jersey, United States. She is 39 years old. Although she was born in the United States, she is of Colombian origin and was raised in Bogotá, where she studied at the Marymount School. She now lives in Los Angeles, California, and is 1.63 m (5 ft 4 in) tall.
Santamaría is best known for leading the Caracol series La promesa (2013) as Seleni Aristizábal and for playing Shaio Domínguez Restrepo in Klass 95 (2024). She began her screen career as a television presenter, hosting the game show Ring 13 and the music programme La Tapa on Canal Trece, before moving into acting. She has also appeared in the American series Covert Affairs and in the Netflix series El Cartel de los Sapos: el origen.
Early Life & Background
Santamaría was born in New Jersey on March 7, 1987, to a Colombian family, and grew up in Bogotá. She attended the Marymount School in Bogotá and began her career in front of the camera as a presenter, fronting the Canal Trece game show Ring 13 and the channel’s music programme La Tapa. Presenting gave her the television experience she would soon carry into drama.
She made her acting debut in the series Juego limpio in 2005, playing Paola Salgado. Early roles followed in La dama de Troya (2008) as Betsy Grisales, La diosa coronada (2010) and Escobar, el patrón del mal (2012). Her first leading role came in 2013, when she starred as Seleni Aristizábal in La promesa, a Caracol and CMO Producciones series filmed in four countries that was a success in Mexico and Colombia.
Nicole Santamaría’s Career and La promesa
La promesa was the breakthrough of Santamaría’s career, earning her a nomination for Best Lead Actress at the 2014 India Catalina Awards. She followed it with roles in Mamá también (2013–2014), La hipocondríaca (2013) and Esmeraldas (2015), and co-starred as Isabel Contreras in Bloque de búsqueda (2016) alongside Rafael Novoa and Carolina Gómez. In 2017 she played María Alexandra Restrepo de Velásquez in Sobreviviendo a Escobar: Alias J.J., opposite Juan Pablo Urrego and Amparo Grisales.
Her recent work has reached international audiences. She played Mayerly Salcedo, known as “La Champusera”, in the Netflix series El Cartel de los Sapos: el origen (2021), Milenka in Perfil falso (2023), and appeared in Netflix’s Griselda (2024). In 2024 she starred as Shaio Domínguez Restrepo in Caracol’s Klass 95: El Poder de la Belleza, and in 2025 she appeared in La Vorágine and served as a judge on Miss Universe Colombia: El reality. Away from acting, she founded Búkuri vida y belleza in 2012, a company selling skin-care products for sun exposure.
In November 2026, Santamaría returns to Netflix in Under Siege, playing Ángela María Buitrago in the eight-episode drama about the 1985 Palace of Justice siege in Bogotá. The series premieres on November 6, 2026.
Facts About Nicole Santamaría
- Nicole Santamaría was born in New Jersey, USA, but was raised in Bogotá, Colombia, and holds both Colombian and American nationality.
- Before acting, she presented the Canal Trece programmes Ring 13 and La Tapa.
- Her breakthrough lead role was Seleni Aristizábal in La promesa (2013), which earned her an India Catalina nomination for Best Lead Actress.
- In 2012 she founded Búkuri vida y belleza, a company selling skin-care products for sun exposure.
- She has been nominated at the India Catalina Awards three times, including for La promesa and for Emma Reyes: La huella de la infancia in 2022.
How old is Nicole Santamaría?
Nicole Santamaría is 39 years old. She was born on March 7, 1987, in New Jersey, United States.
Where is Nicole Santamaría from?
Nicole Santamaría was born in New Jersey, United States, to a Colombian family and was raised in Bogotá, Colombia. She holds both Colombian and American nationality and now lives in Los Angeles, California.
What is Nicole Santamaría best known for?
Nicole Santamaría is best known for starring as Seleni Aristizábal in La promesa (2013) and as Shaio Domínguez Restrepo in Klass 95 (2024). She also played Mayerly Salcedo in the Netflix series El Cartel de los Sapos: el origen.
Who does Nicole Santamaría play in Under Siege?
In Netflix’s Under Siege (2026), Nicole Santamaría plays Ángela María Buitrago. The eight-episode series about the 1985 Palace of Justice siege premieres on November 6, 2026.
How tall is Nicole Santamaría?
Nicole Santamaría is 1.63 m tall (5 ft 4 in).
Nicole Santamaría plays Ángela María Buitrago in Under Siege. Meet the rest of the cast in our Under Siege 2026 Cast hub.
See also: Santiago Alarcón Age & Biography and Robinson Díaz Age & Biography.
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