Maite Lanata (born 21 April 2000) is an Argentine actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of Alma Bilbao, an autistic child, in the telenovela El elegido. Her performance earned her a MartÃÂn Fierro Award in the Revelation category.
She later played Luna Lunati in the series El marginal and Juani in the telenovela 100 dÃÂas para enamorarse, the latter role notable for depicting a transgender teenager's transition. For this performance, she received the 2018 MartÃÂn Fierro Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Maite was born on 21 April 2000 in Quilmes, Buenos Aires Province. During her childhood, she relocated with her family to Colegiales, in the City of Buenos Aires. She started acting as a hobby early in her childhood.
From 2009 to 2012, Lanata studied acting at the Escuela de Nora Moseinco. Her early screen work included two short films: Mineros de Chile (directed by Nicolás Puenzo, 2009) and Passage (directed by Shekhar Kapur, 2009). In 2010, after an extended casting process, she was selected for the lead role of Julia Castillo in Javier Van de Couter's debut film ', which explored the lives of transgender women in marginalized communities. The film's release preceded ArgentinaâÂÂs passage of the Gender Identity Law (2012).
In 2011, Lanata portrayed Alma Bilbao, an autistic girl, in the telenovela El elegido (Telefe). The role marked one of Argentine televisionâÂÂs first depictions of autism during prime-time programming. To prepare, she underwent a three-month training period focused on breathing techniques and concentration methods.
From 2012 to 2013, Lanata continued advanced acting studies with Nora Moseinco, and later attended workshops at IUNA (now the National University of the Arts), including Introducción al Teatro del Oprimido and Disparando texto en acción (2015). That same year, she played Luna Lunati in El marginal (2015âÂÂ2016), a manipulative teenager whose kidnapping drives the series' plot.
In 2018, Lanata portrayed Juani, a transgender teenager, in 100 dÃÂas para enamorarse, a role that depicted gender transition and familial support, a narrative first for Argentine television. Her performance earned the 2018 MartÃÂn Fierro Award for Best Supporting Actress and received praise from LGBTQ+ advocacy groups.
She made her theatrical debut in Carla Moure's JazmÃÂn de Invierno (2018), playing the titular character at ages 10 and 18. Later that year, she joined the cast of ' season 2 as Casilda/Moira Danubio, starring alongside JoaquÃÂn Furriel.
Lanata is a social communication student at the University of Buenos Aires.