Laia Costa Reflects on Global Career and Evolution of Modern Acting

Laia Costa’s career is a perfect example of how Spanish acting talent is increasingly making its mark on the global stage. As highlighted during her appearance at the 6th Film Craft Conference at the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria International Film Festival, her work now spans the Anglo-Saxon, Latin American, and European film industries.

Her journey, which began in 2011, hit a major milestone with Alauda Ruiz de Azúa’s Lullaby (Cinco lobitos). While the film earned her critical acclaim and awards—including a Goya and a win at the Málaga Film Festival—Costa views the project as a meaningful homecoming after years of working abroad. Her experience reflects a growing trend: actors are now seamlessly moving between high-budget U.S. productions, such as Newness and The Diplomat, and smaller, prestige-driven auteur projects.

Costa is currently testing her versatility in the horror genre with The Mummy, directed by Lee Cronin. She notes that the role has been physically and technically demanding, particularly when coordinating with the stunt and prosthetics teams. This shift into horror contrasts with her next project, Thriller, a Netflix production directed by Daniel Sánchez Arévalo that follows a complex police investigation.

During her talk in Las Palmas, Costa reflected on how the acting profession is changing. Looking back at her diverse filmography—which ranges from the German single-take film Victoria to working with icons like Ricardo Darín and Leonardo Sbaraglia in Black Snow (Nieve negra)—she rejects the idea that there is only one way to work. Instead, she sees every set as its own unique world, where the pace is dictated by the team and the budget, no matter where in the world they are filming. For Costa, filmmaking is an exercise in constant adaptation, requiring actors to evolve alongside both social changes and the modern audience.