Santa Diabla (literally: Holy Devil, English title: Broken Angel) is an American telenovela written by José Ignacio Valenzuela, and produced by United States–based television network Telemundo Studios, Miami. It stars Gaby Espino, Carlos Ponce, Aarón Díaz, Ximena Duque and Lincoln Palomeque.
Telemundo aired the serial as part of its 2013–2014 season. On August 6, 2013, the network began broadcasting Santa Diabla weeknights at 10pm/9c, replacing El Señor de los Cielos. As with most of its other telenovelas, the network broadcast English subtitles as closed captions on CC3.
Contents
Plot
Santa Diabla is the story of Santa Martínez (Gaby Espino), a woman who seeks revenge for the murder of her husband Willy Delgado (Lincoln Palomeque). Santa's revenge includes marrying Humberto Cano (Carlos Ponce), a powerful attorney in Marrero. Humberto hired Willy Delgado to give piano lessons to Humberto's niece Daniela Milan (Ana Osorio) at the Cano family's home, until Bárbara Cano (Wanda D'Isidoro), Daniela's mother and Humberto's sister, accused Willy of harassment and attempted rape of her daughter. Blaming the Canos for the unjust death of her husband, Santa intends to destroy the Cano family, but as she tries to complete her mission, she meets and falls in love with Santiago Cano (Aarón Díaz), Humberto and Bárbara's brother. All the while Inés Robledo (Ximena Duque) who is a rich and evil woman uses her power and influence to try and keep Santiago and Santa apart because of her obsession with Santiago.
Although Humberto is portrayed as the evil brother for most of the series, in a shocking twist, it is revealed that it is Santiago who is the evil brother. Everyone finds this out when it is revealed that Santiago was responsible for the murders occurring in Marrero. Santiago's mental disorder, dissociative identity disorder, causes him to kill people at will. It is also revealed that Humberto was aware of this, but kept it secret to protect his brother. Another reveal is how Santiago found a picture of Santa when he and Willy were in prison, and planned to make Santa his wife. Flashbacks recall that everything Santiago did was calculating and conniving.
In the end, Santa chooses Humberto, even though everybody thinks he's evil (she knows he is good). In the final episode after a dramatic scene, Humberto is killed by Santiago, and Santa never tells him that she is pregnant with his child. Santiago ends up in a mental asylum and it is left unclear if he escapes.
Cast
Starring
Gaby Espino as Amanda Brown / Santa Martínez – Main Protagonist. She was the wife of Willy Delgado and passes herself off as Amanda Brown to get revenge on the Cano family for his supposed death. In love with Santiago, later with Humberto.
Aarón Díaz as Santiago Cano – Main Protagonist/Main Antagonist. The black sheep of the Cano Family, he falls madly in love with Santa and become psychotic after she rejects him. He's Ines's husband and Alicia's twin brother. Ends up in asylum.
Carlos Ponce as Humberto Cano – Main Antagonist/Protagonist. The oldest of the Cano siblings and a famous lawyer nicknamed the "White Shark". He falls in love with Santa despite knowing her plans against his family. Revealed to be the son of Fransisca and Vicente. He is arrogant and capable of anything in order to achieve what he wants. Killed by Santiago.
Ximena Duque as Inés Robledo – Main Antagonist. A deranged girl who falls madly in love with Santiago, willing to do everything to have him and keep him away from Santa. Revealed to be Humberto's half-sister. Killed by Santiago.
Frances Ondiviela as Victoria Coletti – She's the oldest of the Coletti siblings and is in love with Ivan. Ex-wife of Patricio. Dies of breast cancer.
Roberto Mateos as Patricio Vidal – Antagonist. A man who hates the Coletti family and seeks revenge on them for the death of his mother. Ex-husband of Victoria. Ends up in jail and afterwards killed by Victoria.
Lincoln Palomeque as Willy Delgado – Ex-husband of Santa and father of Willy. Paula's brother and Ines's ex-boyfriend.
Wanda D'Isidoro as Bárbara Cano – Antagonist. She's Daniela's mother and sister to Santiago and Alicia, half-sister of Humberto. Ex-wife of George. A vain woman who cares only for herself and neglects her daughter. She's rejected by Willy and sends him to jail. Ends up disfigured.
Recurring
Pedro Telémaco as Lázaro Illianes – Mara's ex-boyfriend. Falls in love with Elisa.
Carlos Augusto Maldonado as Ulises Colleti – Victoria and Carlos's younger brother. Killed by Santiago
Gledys Ibarra as Elisa Lozano –Mara's mother. Falls in love with Lazaro.
Evelin Santos as Gloria
José Ramón Blanch as Orlando / El Toro / Ricardo Hernández
Emily Alvarado as Child Alicia Cano
Production
Santa Diabla marks the return of Gaby Espino years after participating in Más Sabe el Diablo and Ojo Por Ojo. The telenovela also marks Carlos Ponce's and Ximena Duque’s first antagonist roles, and the Telemundo debut of Aarón Díaz who signed an exclusivity agreement with Telemundo in 2013. Carlos Ponce and Aarón Díaz composed both the lyrics and music of the theme song of Santa Diabla, and they also performed the theme song for the telenovela. Filming of the telenovela began in late May 2013, and ended in December 2013.