To be hurtled across Berlin in a single, unblinking 138-minute shot is one way to announce yourself. For Laia Costa, it was the only way. Her role in the German thriller Victoria was a bolt of lightning—a largely improvised, physically grueling performance that existed entirely in the present tense. The film itself was a cinematic high-wire act, but Costa was its anchor, a raw nerve of anxiety and desperate connection. For this, she became the first Spanish actress to win a Lola, the German equivalent of an Oscar, a feat that immediately set her apart from her contemporaries. It was a breakthrough built not on careful steps, but on one audacious leap.

That chaotic night became a launchpad for a career without borders. Costa has consistently chosen roles that demand a similar immersion, working across Spain, the UK, and the United States. She explored the complexities of modern relationships in Newness and the heartbreak of infertility in Only You. The same emotional honesty that fueled her run through Berlin was later distilled into a quieter, more devastating performance in Lullaby (Cinco lobitos), where she portrayed the overwhelming realities of new motherhood. The role earned her a Goya Award, Spain’s most prestigious film honor, bringing her acclaim full circle. Her path is not one of an actress playing parts, but of an artist seeking experiences.