Belén Cuesta to Star in Disney+’s First Spanish Period Drama About Celebrated Fashion Designer Cristóbal Balenciaga

Belén Cuesta is dressin’ up her resume with a little Balenciaga

The 38-year-old Spanish actress, who has starred in Netflix’s hit series Money Heist, will star opposite Gemma Whelan and Albert San Juan in Disney+’s first Spanish period drama Balenciaga (working title).

Belén Cuesta Other actors set to appear in the drama include Lourdes Iglesias, Jose Mari Goenaga, Jon Garaño and Aitor Arregi.

The six-part drama centers on Cristóbal Balenciaga (San Juan), the son of a seamstress and a fisherman who uses his natural talent, constant work and sharp nose for business to become one of the most prominent fashion designers of all time.

It began filming in June and will continue until autumn in several locations in Spain and France with a team of 100 professionals and 2,000 extras.

Cuesta won the Goya Award for Best Actress for La Trinchera Infinita — a previous series from Iglesias, Garaño and Arregi. She will play Fabiola de Mora y Aragón before she became Queen of Belgium. Balenciaga designed her wedding dress in 1960.

Whelan will play Prudence Glynn, a journalist for The Times newspaper.

Elsewhere, Patrice Thibaud will portray Christian Dior; Josean Bengoetxea will play San Sebastian businessman Nicolás Bizkarrondo; Cecilia Solaguren, his wife, Virgilia Mendizabal; Adam Quintero will be Ramón Esparza, partner and collaborator of Balenciaga; and Elvira Cuadrupani plays Bettina Ballard, correspondent for Vogue magazine in Paris.

The main cast is rounded out by actors Thomas Coumans (Wladzio D’Attainville, Balenciaga’s partner and associate), Gabrielle Lazure (Carmel Snow, fashion director of Harper’s Bazaar), Isabelle Bres (designer Jeanne Lanvin), Anna-Victoire Olivier (actress Audrey Hepburn) and Eva Bley (designer Elsa Schiaparelli).

Streamer Disney+ unveiled the show last November as its first Spanish original as it seeks to meet its target of 60 international originals by 2024.