Juan Pablo Raba (born 14 January 1977) is a Colombian film, TV series and telenovela actor.

Biography

He was born in Bogotá, Colombia, but upon his parents' divorce, he was raised in Spain by his Argentinian father. There, he took his Baccalaureate and started studying Advertisement but soon decided this was not what he wanted in life. He left his studies uncompleted and went to live in Argentina.

In Argentina, he had many different jobs, but nothing satisfied him until he read the book "The Alchemist" which helped him realize that the only alternative he had, was simply to follow his heart.

Later, he returned to Colombia and worked as a model. Always energetic and wishing for something better, he brought his curriculum in the Colombian TV channel Caracol, in an effort to work there as an animator. However, they saw interest in him as an actor and suggested that he take acting lessons. Juan Pablo had never thought of being an actor and initially rejected the idea. Juan Pablo Began acting studies in Bogota with Edgardo Roman and then continued formation in New York at the Lee Strasberg Institute.

Not long after, while accompanying a friend in an acting course, as her boyfriend, the well known Colombian professor Edgardo Roman spotted Juan Pablo in his class and took an interest in his acting ability. Encouraged by the great professor's good opinion and upon thinking it a lot, he decided to go for an audition. It was in this first audition, that he understood that acting was what he wanted to do in his life. He was now ready to leave behind all his previous uncertainties in life, his doubts and his worries and pursue with strength and persistence his acting career. From this point, the only way in Juan Pablo's life was a monodrome. He had a unique mix of acting talent good looks, luck and fate, all worked in his favor. By then he was 21 years old, it was 1998.

Two months after his first audition, Caracol channel asked him to co-star in the teleseries titled : AMOR EN FORMA, while a few months later, he was asked to star in the famous Colombian telenovela, titled Por qué diablos? but missed this great opportunity for reasons that made him quite unhappy this period. In 1999, he played a small part in the TV series Marido y mujer.

Immediately after, he took the leading part in the TV series La reina de Queens. Parallel to this, Juan Pablo tried his powers in the theatrical play Chronicle of a Death Foretold, based on the book by Gabriel García Márquez. Both projects were very demanded his devotion, much time and many sacrifices which he readily did.
By then he was 23 years old.

Other Latin American countries show interest in him and very soon he received an offer from the Venezuelan channel RCTV, to co-star next to Catherine Correira in the telenovela VIVA LA PEPA (2001). He accepted and this was the best and the wisest decision he could take, because his participation in this telenovela brought him another offer to play in La niña de mis ojos next to the fascinating actress Natalia Streignard. They made a wonderful couple together. Together, they played in the telenovela that was meant to be the turning point for the career of both and the launching of Juan Pablo's international career. In Mi gorda bella, Juan Pablo plays the handsome and irresistible Orestes Villanueva Mercuri who falls in love with the fat and good hearted Valentina. By then he was 25 years old. It was 2002.

In 2002, he met Colombian journalist Paula Quinteros, whom he married on 6 December 2003 in a barefoot Celtic ceremony in Los Roques, Venezuela.

His successful course continued in 2004, when he filmed for RCTV the TV series Estrambótica Anastasia. The leading lady part was played by the Venezuelan actress Norkys Batista.

In 2005, he returned to Colombia and filmed for the channel Caracol, the TV series Por amor a Gloria, next to Carolina Acevedo. His plans for 2006 included his participation in the movie Una abuela virgen and the main part in the TV film Soltera y sin compromiso.

In 2006, he and journalist wife Paula announced their separation, which subsequently resulted in their divorce in 2007. In 2007, he dated Venezuelan soap star Marjorie de Sousa, a relationship which lasted over a year.

In the next years he had parts in several soap operas. In 2008 Raba appeared in El Cartel de los sapos and in 2009 in one episode of Tiempo final and in other of Mental. After that he had a part in Los caballeros las prefieren brutas and in 2013 he was a major character in Los secretos de Lucía.

In 2015 Raba joined the third season of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as the Inhuman Joey Gutiérrez.