# William Levy (actor)
**William Levy** (born William Gutiérrez Levy, 1980, in Cojímar, Havana, Cuba) is a Cuban-American actor, producer, and former model who became one of the leading men of Mexican telenovelas before moving into Hollywood films and, more recently, Spanish-language streaming series as a star and executive producer.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Birth | William Gutiérrez Levy, 1980, Cojímar, Havana, Cuba[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/william-levy/) |
| Breakthrough role | Juan Miguel San Román in *Cuidado con el ángel* (Televisa, 2008–2009), opposite Maite Perroni[2](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/tv/quem-e-william-levy-ator-de-telenovelas-foi-preso-nos-eua-por-embriaguez/) |
| Signature telenovelas | *Olvidarte jamás* (2005), *Sortilegio* (2009), *Triunfo del amor* (2010–2011), *La tempestad* (2013), *Café con aroma de mujer* (2021)[3](https://www.debate.com.mx/william-levy-y-sus-telenovelas-9-historias-que-marcaron-la-carrera-del-famoso-galan-t202608310039.html) |
| Hollywood films | *The Single Moms Club* (2014), *Addicted* (2014), *Term Life* (2016), *Resident Evil: The Final Chapter* (2016)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_levy) |
| Streaming era | Starred and executive produced *Montecristo* (ViX, 2023), *Camino a Arcadia* (2025), and *Bajo un volcán* (2025) with Spain's Secuoya Studios[5](https://corporate.televisaunivision.com/press/2023/03/23/vix-premieres-its-new-series-montecristo-executive-produced-by-and-starring-william-levy-on-april-14/) • [6](https://secuoyastudios.com/es/noticias/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renuevan-su-acuerdo-de-colaboracion) |
| U.S. television exposure | Contestant on season 14 of *Dancing with the Stars* (2012) with professional dancer Cheryl Burke; love interest in Jennifer Lopez's "I'm Into You" video (2011)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/william-levy/) • [7](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/) |
| Children | Christopher (born 2006) and Kailey (born 2010) with actress Elizabeth Gutiérrez[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2126101/bio/) |
## Early life and modeling
Levy grew up in Cojímar, a fishing town east of Havana, and emigrated to the United States as a teenager after his stepfather was granted political asylum; he arrived in Miami legally with his mother and stepfather at about age 15, without speaking English[9](https://www.cibercuba.com/tags/william-levy) • [10](https://www.eldia.com.bo/files/docs/el-dia-2025-04-16.pdf). He has described a childhood of hunger in Cuba, very different from his later circumstances[11](https://los40.com/los40/2022/05/03/cinetv/1651593571_838113.html). A strong baseball player, he won an athletic scholarship to St. Thomas University, where he studied business administration before leaving the degree when a modeling agency signed him for commercial work[12](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/william-levy/bio/3030420199/) • [9](https://www.cibercuba.com/tags/william-levy).
The Next Models agency opened the door to television: Levy appeared on two [Telemundo](https://www.edgepedia.org/telemundo) reality shows, *Isla de la tentación* and *Protagonistas de novela 2* (2003), and on the latter he met the Mexican-American actress [Elizabeth Gutiérrez](https://www.edgepedia.org/elizabeth-gutierrez)[9](https://www.cibercuba.com/tags/william-levy) • [1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/william-levy/). He studied acting in Miami, Los Angeles, and Mexico City[13](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-616740/biografia/). In interviews he has explained that Levy is his mother's surname and that his grandfather was Jewish, so the name is a Jewish one[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2126101/bio/).
## Telenovela career
Levy's screen debut came in the Venevisión International telenovela *Olvidarte jamás* (2005), produced in Miami, where he played Germán Torres in a supporting role[7](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/) • [3](https://www.debate.com.mx/william-levy-y-sus-telenovelas-9-historias-que-marcaron-la-carrera-del-famoso-galan-t202608310039.html). He followed with *Mi vida eres tú* (2006) and *Acorralada* (2007), where his Larry Irázabal was his first widely noticed part[3](https://www.debate.com.mx/william-levy-y-sus-telenovelas-9-historias-que-marcaron-la-carrera-del-famoso-galan-t202608310039.html) • [14](https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/noticias/quien-es-william-levy-el-actor-de-origen-cubano-que-mueve-masas-4994323/). In 2005 he also traveled to Puerto Rico to star in the stage play *La nena tiene tumbao*[7](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/).
**Move to Mexico.** Producer Carla Estrada brought Levy to Mexican television in the Televisa period telenovela *Pasión* (2007)[13](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-616740/biografia/) • [7](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/). His first starring role was Juan Miguel San Román in *Cuidado con el ángel* (2008–2009) opposite [Maite Perroni](https://www.edgepedia.org/maite-perroni); the melodrama was his first major success and made him popular across Mexico and Latin America[2](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/tv/quem-e-william-levy-ator-de-telenovelas-foi-preso-nos-eua-por-embriaguez/). He then headlined *Sortilegio* (2009, 95 episodes) and *[Triunfo del amor](https://www.edgepedia.org/triunfo-del-amor)* (2010–2011), and led *La tempestad* (2013) opposite former Miss Universe Ximena Navarrete[15](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/william-levy/trabajos/) • [16](https://www.lasestrellas.tv/estilo-de-vida-1/estilo-de-vida/que-fue-de-william-levy-despues-de-la-tempestad). In 2006, People en Español named him one of its "20 Sexiest Bachelors"[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_levy).
## Hollywood and U.S. television
Levy's exposure to English-language audiences came through [Jennifer Lopez](https://www.edgepedia.org/jennifer-lopez)'s "I'm Into You" music video in 2011 and as a celebrity contestant on the 14th season of *Dancing with the Stars* in 2012, partnered with [Cheryl Burke](https://www.edgepedia.org/cheryl-burke)[1](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/william-levy/). [Tyler Perry](https://www.edgepedia.org/tyler-perry) then gave him a leading film role in *The Single Moms Club* (2014)[7](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/), followed by *Addicted* (2014), *Term Life* (2016), and Christian in *Resident Evil: The Final Chapter* (2016)[4](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_levy). On U.S. television he played Mateo Ferrera in the Fox musical drama *Star* (2018–2019)[15](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/william-levy/trabajos/). His 2012 television visibility brought nominations for an ALMA Award and a Teen Choice Award[12](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/william-levy/bio/3030420199/).
## Streaming era and producing
Levy returned to the telenovela genre in 2021 as Sebastián Vallejo in *Café con aroma de mujer*, a remake of the 1994 Colombian success produced by RCN; its arrival on Netflix carried him to a new international streaming audience after an eight-year absence from telenovela leads[11](https://los40.com/los40/2022/05/03/cinetv/1651593571_838113.html) • [15](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/william-levy/trabajos/).
He began producing in 2018, and after *Montecristo* (2023) focused on co-productions between Spain, Mexico, and other Latin American countries[17](https://documentos.intelicast.net/pdfs/21112025ElHeraldo5.pdf). *Montecristo*, a ViX thriller based on [Alexandre Dumas](https://www.edgepedia.org/alexandre-dumas)'s *The Count of Monte Cristo*, premiered on April 14, 2023 with all six episodes released at launch, starring Levy as tech founder Alejandro Montecristo and with him as executive producer[5](https://corporate.televisaunivision.com/press/2023/03/23/vix-premieres-its-new-series-montecristo-executive-produced-by-and-starring-william-levy-on-april-14/). The series was shot between Madrid and the [Canary Islands](https://www.edgepedia.org/canary-islands)[18](https://media.diariolasamericas.com/adjuntos/216/documentos/100/050/0100050655.pdf?0000-00-00-00-00-00=).
Through his company William Levy Entertainment he partnered with Secuoya Studios and ViX on *[Camino a Arcadia](https://www.edgepedia.org/camino-a-arcadia)* (2025) and the film *Bajo un volcán* (2025), both starring him as executive producer[19](https://secuoyastudios.com/blog/secuoya-studios-y-vix-se-asocian-en-dos-nuevas-producciones-con-william-levy-como-actor-principal-y-productor-ejecutivo/). Munich-based Beta Film handles international distribution on both titles under a three-way deal between Secuoya, William Levy Entertainment, and ViX[20](https://www.movistarplus.es/comunicacion/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/RESUMEN-DE-MEDIOS-2-10-2025.pdf). *Bajo un volcán* reached the top of Netflix's most-watched films in Spain after its platform release there[6](https://secuoyastudios.com/es/noticias/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renuevan-su-acuerdo-de-colaboracion). In June 2026 the Secuoya partnership was renewed for a new six-episode thriller and a romantic comedy, with Levy again starring and executive producing; the collaboration's titles, including *Montecristo*, *Camino a Arcadia*, and *Bajo un volcán*, have reached more than 70 countries, with *Montecristo* carried by Movistar Plus+ in Spain, ViX in the United States and Latin America, and Globo in Brazil, and *Camino a Arcadia* premiering on [SkyShowtime](https://www.edgepedia.org/skyshowtime)[6](https://secuoyastudios.com/es/noticias/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renuevan-su-acuerdo-de-colaboracion) • [21](https://www.todotvnews.com/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renueva-acuerdo-para-desarrollar-nuevos-proyectos/).
## Personal life
Levy and Elizabeth Gutiérrez, who met on *Protagonistas de novela 2*, had two children, [Christopher](https://www.edgepedia.org/christopher) (born 2006) and Kailey (born 2010)[8](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2126101/bio/). Levy and Gutiérrez never married; they announced the end of their relationship in 2022[22](https://as.com/tikitakas/famosos/el-actor-william-levy-al-borde-del-desahucio-no-da-senales-f202603-n/) • [23](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/william-levy-revela-por-que-nunca-se-caso-elizabeth-gutierrez/). In April 2025 he was arrested in [Weston, Florida](https://www.edgepedia.org/weston-florida), on charges of disorderly intoxication and trespassing and released after paying US$500 bail[2](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/tv/quem-e-william-levy-ator-de-telenovelas-foi-preso-nos-eua-por-embriaguez/).
## References
1. [William Levy – Actor, Model, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/william-levy/)
2. [Quem é William Levy? Ator de telenovelas foi preso nos EUA por embriaguez, CNN Brasil](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/tv/quem-e-william-levy-ator-de-telenovelas-foi-preso-nos-eua-por-embriaguez/)
3. [William Levy y sus telenovelas: 9 historias que marcaron la carrera del famoso galán, El Debate](https://www.debate.com.mx/william-levy-y-sus-telenovelas-9-historias-que-marcaron-la-carrera-del-famoso-galan-t202608310039.html)
4. [William Levy Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/william_levy)
5. [ViX Premieres Its New Series MONTECRISTO, Executive Produced By and Starring William Levy on April 14, TelevisaUnivision Press](https://corporate.televisaunivision.com/press/2023/03/23/vix-premieres-its-new-series-montecristo-executive-produced-by-and-starring-william-levy-on-april-14/)
6. [Secuoya Studios y William Levy renuevan su acuerdo de colaboración, Secuoya Studios](https://secuoyastudios.com/es/noticias/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renuevan-su-acuerdo-de-colaboracion)
7. [Esta es la carrera de William Levy en televisión, People en Español](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/esta-carrera-william-levy-en-television/)
8. [William Levy – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2126101/bio/)
9. [William Levy: biografía e información del modelo y actor cubano, CiberCuba](https://www.cibercuba.com/tags/william-levy)
10. [El Día (Bolivia), 16 April 2025 edition](https://www.eldia.com.bo/files/docs/el-dia-2025-04-16.pdf)
11. [¿Quién es William Levy? 10 claves para conocer al actor de 'Café con aroma a mujer', LOS40](https://los40.com/los40/2022/05/03/cinetv/1651593571_838113.html)
12. [William Levy Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/william-levy/bio/3030420199/)
13. [William Levy: Su biografía, SensaCine México](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-616740/biografia/)
14. [Quién es William Levy, el actor de origen cubano que mueve masas, 20minutos](https://www.20minutos.es/cinemania/noticias/quien-es-william-levy-el-actor-de-origen-cubano-que-mueve-masas-4994323/)
15. [Trayectoria de William Levy: series y programas, FormulaTV](https://www.formulatv.com/personas/william-levy/trabajos/)
16. [¿Qué fue de William Levy después de 'La Tempestad'?, Las Estrellas](https://www.lasestrellas.tv/estilo-de-vida-1/estilo-de-vida/que-fue-de-william-levy-despues-de-la-tempestad)
17. [El Heraldo de México, 27 November 2025 edition](https://documentos.intelicast.net/pdfs/21112025ElHeraldo5.pdf)
18. [Vida & Artes, Diario Las Américas](https://media.diariolasamericas.com/adjuntos/216/documentos/100/050/0100050655.pdf?0000-00-00-00-00-00=)
19. [Secuoya Studios y ViX se asocian en dos nuevas producciones con William Levy, Secuoya Studios](https://secuoyastudios.com/blog/secuoya-studios-y-vix-se-asocian-en-dos-nuevas-producciones-con-william-levy-como-actor-principal-y-productor-ejecutivo/)
20. [Resumen de Medios, 2 October 2025, Movistar Plus+](https://www.movistarplus.es/comunicacion/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/RESUMEN-DE-MEDIOS-2-10-2025.pdf)
21. [Secuoya Studios y William Levy renuevan acuerdo para desarrollar nuevos proyectos, TTV News](https://www.todotvnews.com/secuoya-studios-y-william-levy-renueva-acuerdo-para-desarrollar-nuevos-proyectos/)
22. [El actor William Levy, al borde del desahucio, AS Tikitakas](https://as.com/tikitakas/famosos/el-actor-william-levy-al-borde-del-desahucio-no-da-senales-f202603-n/)
23. [William Levy Revela Por Que Nunca Se Caso Elizabeth Gutierrez, peopleenespanol.com](https://peopleenespanol.com/celebridades/william-levy-revela-por-que-nunca-se-caso-elizabeth-gutierrez/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of Latin America and Iberia › Caribbean screen actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 19, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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