| Genre: | Telenovela |
| Creator: | José Ignacio Valenzuela |
| Creative Director: | Valeria Fiñana |
| Narrated: | Gaby Espino |
| Music: | Tulio Cremisini |
| Opentheme: | "Santa Diabla" performed by Aarón Díaz and Carlos Ponce |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Num Episodes: | 136 |
| Executive Producer: | Jose Gerardo Guillén |
| Producer: | Paola Alliegro |
| Editor: | Ellery Albarran |
| Camera: | Multi-camera |
| Company: | Telemundo Studios |
| Network: | Telemundo |
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.[1] Starring for Gaby Espino, Carlos Ponce and Aarón Díaz. While Ximena Duque and Lincoln Palomeque star as the antagonists.[2]
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.[3] [4] As with most of its other telenovelas, the network broadcast English subtitles as closed captions on CC3.
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.
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,[5] and the Telemundo debut of Aarón Díaz who signed an exclusivity agreement with Telemundo in 2013.[6] 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.[7] [8] Filming of the telenovela began in late May 2013,[9] [10] and ended in December 2013.[11]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominated | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Premios People en Español | |||
| Best Telenovela | José Ignacio Valenzuela | [12] | ||
| Best Actress | Gaby Espino | [13] | ||
| Best Actor | Aarón Díaz | [14] | ||
| Best Female Antagonist | Lis Vega | [15] | ||
| Best Male Antagonist | Carlos Ponce | [16] | ||
| Best Supporting Actress | Virna Flores | [17] | ||
| Couple of the Year | Gaby Espino and Aarón Díaz | [18] | ||
| Special Beauty Awards | ||||
| Television Beauty | Frances Ondiviela | [19] | ||
| 2014 | Miami Life Award | |||
| Best telenovela | José Ignacio Valenzuela | [20] | ||
| Best Leading Female | Gaby Espino | |||
| Best Leading Male | Carlos Ponce | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Frances Ondiviela | |||
| Best Supporting Actor | Javier Valcárcel | |||
| Best Leading Lady | Zully Montero | |||
| Gledys Ibarra | ||||
| Best Leading Man | Gerardo Riverón | |||
| Roberto Mateos | ||||
| Best Young Actor | Lincoln Palomeque | |||
| Premios Tu Mundo | ||||
| Novela of the Year | José Ignacio Valenzuela | [21] [22] | ||
| Favorite Lead Actor | Aarón Díaz | |||
| Favorite Lead Actress | Gaby Espino | |||
| The Best Bad Boy | Carlos Ponce | |||
| Aarón Díaz | ||||
| The Best Bad Girl | Ximena Duque | |||
| Best Bad Luck Moment | Santa Diabla | |||
| Best Supporting Actress | Frances Ondiviela | |||
| The Perfect Couple | Gaby Espino and Aarón Díaz | |||
| Gaby Espino and Carlos Ponce | ||||
| First Actress | Gilda Haddock | |||
| Zully Montero | ||||
| First Actor | Fred Valle | |||