Ivana Baquero Macías (born June 11, 1994), better known as Ivana Baquero, is a Spanish actress. At the age of 11, she was chosen by director Guillermo del Toro to star as Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth, for which she won critical acclaim and the Goya Award for Best New Actress.
Baquero started acting professionally at the tender age of 8, playing few small roles in a number of films before receiving great acclaim on Pan's Labyrinth. The most notable of these early films is Fragile, in which she played a minor role alongside Calista Flockhart and Richard Roxburgh. She was in a number of other films including Romasanta and Rottweiler. She has also appeared on Spanish television on a few occasions.
From about 1000 young actresses, Baquero was picked to play the role of Ofelia in Pan's Labyrinth in 2006. Guillermo Del Toro, the director of the film, said that when he first saw her with her curly hair and deep dark eyes, he knew instantly that she was perfect for the role. The role of Ofelia was originally intended for a girl of the age of 8, but the script was altered to accommodate Baquero, who was 11 at the time.
After Pan's Labyrinth, she worked in various projects while still attending school.
In 2009, she played the title role in John Connolly's horror film, The New Daughter, with Kevin Costner, marking her first American role.
In 2015, Baquero was cast in The Shannara Chronicles, an MTV television adaptation of the Shannara novel series by Terry Brooks, in which she plays the role of Eretria; the show premiered in January 2016.
She combines her acting career with Law studies, but states that acting is her priority.
