Villanueva Félix Cosse Vega (born 9 November 1933) is a Uruguayan actor, theater director, and writer who has developed a distinguished career in his country and internationally, especially in Argentina, where he has lived since 1973.
Villanueva Cosse is the father of Carolina Cosse, former Intendant of Montevideo and current Vice President of Uruguay.
He began his theatrical training at the Teatro El Galpón in Montevideo in 1953, continued his studies at the Multidisciplinary School of Dramatic Art (EMAD) in Montevideo until graduating in 1963, and attended Jacques Lecoq's School of Mime and Theater in Paris.
Since 1956 he has performed in more than 60 plays in Uruguay and Argentina, taken part in 20 feature films, and in numerous television series and specials.
In 1963, 1972, 1985, and 1996 he directed 11 plays at El Galpón, , , Club de Teatro, and the Comedia Nacional in Montevideo.
He wrote the musical comedy ÿQuién le teme a Lucila Singer?, performed at the Embassy Theater; Feria del miedo, del amor y de la guerra, performed at the San MartÃÂn Theater; Compañero del alma in co-authorship with , edited by Torres Agüero (1992), and performed at La Campana and El Galpón theaters. He adapted Servant of Two Masters (Goldoni), Lysistrata (Aristophanes), and The Government Inspector (Gogol).
Cosse participated, as author and director, in international tours and festivals in Buenos Aires, Zurich, Caracas, Montevideo, New York, Mexico City, San Juan, Milan, and Stockholm, making presentations for El Galpón, Théatre Ecole, Open Theater, Cervantes National Theater, San MartÃÂn Theater, and People's Theater, among others.
In Argentina he worked as an actor and director â in 1975, in Querido Mentiroso as George Bernard Shaw, antagonist of China Zorrilla in the role of Mrs Patrick Campbell, and then directing Servant of Two Masters, produced by the actress.
Of his extensive career as a theater director, his most notable productions include Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss, Bohemian Lights by Ramón del Valle-Inclán, Long Day's Journey into Night by Eugene O'Neill, Cocinando con Elisa by , New York by , and Marathon by .