Spanish Film Star Paz Vega To Host Laureus Awards In Seville
One of Spain’s great international actresses, Paz Vega, will be the host of the 2021 Laureus Awards Show in her home city of Seville on May 6, when the Winners of the Laureus World Sports Awards are unveiled.
The hugely popular star has a wide fan-base. Her successes have covered European and Hollywood hits such as Lucia in Sex and Lucia by Julio Medem, Talk to Her by Pedro Almodóvar and James L. Brooks’ Spanglish, where she played opposite Adam Sandler.
Paz has been directed by acclaimed film makers such as Frank Miller, Danis Tanovic, Oliver Parker, Michelle Placido and the Taviani brothers and shared billing with fellow actors Nicole Kidman, Scarlett Johansson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Eva Mendes, Colin Farrell, Jason Clarke, Jeremy Renner, Antonio Banderas, plus the legendary Christopher Lee and Morgan Freeman. Most recently she appeared with Sylvester Stallone in Rambo: Last Blood.
The Laureus Awards, which reflects sporting achievement during 2020, is the premier honours event on the international sporting calendar. The Winners will be revealed in a ‘virtual’ Digital First format as a result of continuing uncertainty over travel and social contact because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Paz, a native of Seville, says she is looking forward immensely to showcasing her city and re-connecting with Laureus. “It is an unbelievable honour to be able to present such a major event from my home city, to celebrate the best of sport with Seville as a backdrop.
“I attended the Laureus Awards in Abu Dhabi, when Boris Becker and I presented the Sportsman of the Year Award to my great friend Rafael Nadal. And now we have the chance to put the Awards show together here in Seville. Although we can’t host the Nominees and Winners in person, I have seen how they are all preparing for the virtual event. It’s very exciting,” she said.
“Seville is so special because I grew up here. All my family live here, all my friends from when I was a child. I have many, many stories here. It's my town. People in Seville are very welcoming, very happy, the lifestyle here is very relaxed and we’re surrounded by beauty and history.”
Coincidentally Rafael Nadal is once again a Nominee this year along with an impressive list of the most outstanding sports performers from 2020, including Lewis Hamilton, LeBron James, Robert Lewandowski, Naomi Osaka, Federica Brignone, Iga Swiatek, Tadej Pogacar, Dominic Thiem, Mikaela Shiffrin and top teams Bayern Munich, Liverpool FC, Los Angeles Lakers and Mercedes AMG Petronas Formula One.
For the full list of Nominees in five categories, click here.
As well as recognising the most memorable sporting performances in a year disrupted by the pandemic, there will be additional special Awards acknowledging the wider impact on society made by athletes.
In line with the focus of Laureus on Sport for Good, the 2021 Awards will tell the inspirational stories of people who have worked to combat the pandemic, and will highlight the advocacy of sportsmen and sportswomen who have used their positions of influence to make a powerful impact on issues and conflicts which go beyond sport.
First staged in 2000, each year the Laureus World Sports Awards celebrates the greatest achievements of individuals and teams, across all sports. The Winners are chosen by the votes of the 69 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, the ultimate sports jury: the greatest living sportsmen and women of today being honoured by the greatest legends of the past.
The Awards showcase the work of Laureus Sport for Good, which uses the power of sport to end violence, discrimination and disadvantage, proving that sport can change the world. Today Laureus supports more than 250 programmes in over 40 countries.
Depending on location, the 2021 Awards Show can be enjoyed on television, online or on social media. Details to follow.
Laureus was founded by its Patrons Richemont and Daimler and is supported by its Global Partners Mercedes-Benz, IWC Schaffhausen and MUFG.
