Top 100 Spanish & Portuguese Actors
The best actors from Spain (93) and Portugal (7).
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- Writer
- Director
- Actor
The father of cinematic Surrealism and one of the most original directors in the history of the film medium, Luis Buñuel was given a strict Jesuit education (which sowed the seeds of his obsession with both religion and subversive behavior), and subsequently moved to Madrid to study at the university there, where his close friends included Salvador Dalí and Federico García Lorca.
After moving to Paris, Buñuel did a variety of film-related odd jobs in Paris, including working as an assistant to director Jean Epstein. With financial assistance from his mother and creative assistance from Dalí, he made his first film, the 17-minute Un chien andalou (1929), in 1929, and immediately catapulted himself into film history thanks to its shocking imagery (much of which - like the sliced eyeball at the beginning - still packs a punch even today). It made a deep impression on the Surrealist Group, who welcomed Buñuel into their ranks.
The following year, sponsored by wealthy art patrons, he made his first feature, the scabrous witty and violent L'Age d'Or (1930), which mercilessly attacked the church and the middle classes, themes that would preoccupy Buñuel for the rest of his career. That career, though, seemed almost over by the mid-1930s, as he found work increasingly hard to come by and after the Spanish Civil War he emigrated to the US where he worked for the Museum of Modern Art and as a film dubber for Warner Bros.
Moving to Mexico in the late 1940s, he teamed up with producer Óscar Dancigers and after a couple of unmemorable efforts shot back to international attention with the lacerating study of Mexican street urchins in The Young and the Damned (1950), winning him the Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival.
But despite this new-found acclaim, Buñuel spent much of the next decade working on a variety of ultra-low-budget films, few of which made much impact outside Spanish-speaking countries (though many of them are well worth seeking out). But in 1961, General Franco, anxious to be seen to be supporting Spanish culture invited Buñuel back to his native country - and Bunuel promptly bit the hand that fed him by making Viridiana (1961), which was banned in Spain on the grounds of blasphemy, though it won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
This inaugurated Buñuel's last great period when, in collaboration with producer Serge Silberman and writer Jean-Claude Carrière he made seven extraordinary late masterpieces, starting with Diary of a Chambermaid (1964). Although far glossier and more expensive, and often featuring major stars such as Jeanne Moreau and Catherine Deneuve, the films showed that even in old age Buñuel had lost none of his youthful vigour.
After saying that every one of his films from Belle de Jour (1967) onwards would be his last, he finally kept his promise with That Obscure Object of Desire (1977), after which he wrote a memorable (if factually dubious) autobiography, in which he said he'd be happy to burn all the prints of all his films- a classic Surrealist gesture if ever there was one.
- Pancho Cossío was born in 1894. He was an actor and writer, known for Dos ciudades históricas y dos sitios reales (1957) and La bahía de Santander (1968). He died in 1970.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Temperamental, volatile Spanish-born pianist and conductor whose life and career were varied and often controversial. Born in Valencia, he was a child prodigy, giving piano recitals by the age of seven and supplementing the family income by playing for up to 14 hours daily at a silent cinema theatre. He was an honours graduate from the Conservatoire de Musique in Paris, and, by the age of 24, occupied Franz Liszt's former post as leader of the piano department of the Geneva Conservatory. In 1928, he made his London debut as a concert pianist and the following year played Beethoven's G Major Concerto to great critical and audience acclaim under Leopold Stokowski's direction in Philadelphia. Not content with his triumphs, he branched out into conducting from 1933, eventually fronting the Rochester Philharmonic and conducting his first opera in 1959. Iturbi enjoyed an almost pop star-like status (even converting 1950's bobby-soxers to classical music) and became the only classical artist of his day to win two gold records. In 1946, RCA-Victor paid Iturbi the record sum of $118,029 for six months royalties, primarily for his recording of Chopin's Polonaise in A-Flat (the record went on to sell 2 million copies by 1974).
Iturbi's private life was as hectic as his work schedule. He had married in 1916, but his wife died tragically just 12 years later. From the 1930's, he frequently dated movie stars even before his own involvement with Hollywood. He was a man of contradictions. The story goes, that a producer handed him a cheque for $35,000 in 1933 to appear in his picture, but Iturbi tore it up, declaring, that kissing girls on screen was just so much 'foolishness'.
A speed freak, Iturbi used to ride his motor bike and assorted sports cars with reckless abandon. When they weren't fast enough, he would get aboard his own aircraft, 'El Turia'. By 1946 he had logged 1500 flying hours, frequently travelling across entire continents between recitals. He had several close shaves which earned him the sobriquet 'the flying fool'. Iturbi's fiery temper manifested itself when he walked off the stage during a performance in Cleveland, because audience members were too audible in their consumption of hot dogs and soda pop. Earlier, while conducting the Philadelphia Orchestra, he had thrown a chair across the stage in disgust at the disturbance caused by the late arrival of the mayor and his entourage. This earned him yet another nickname, 'Turbulent Iturbi'. There were many other such incidents. He refused to appear with Benny Goodman on the same radio show, ostensibly because he disagreed with the idea of mixing jazz and classical music. Later, he also brashly refused to perform with Rosemary Clooney on television.
Ironically, Iturbi's screen career was spent playing not only classical but also popular music, from boogie-woogie to honky tonk. After being persuaded by producer Boris Pasternak to appear in musicals for MGM, Iturbi's adaptation to the new medium was effortless. Of course, in all of his screen roles he simply played himself. Films like Anchors Aweigh (1945) (in which he conducted a 100-piece band for the opening march) and Three Daring Daughters (1948), did, however, allow him a fair measure of self-expression. His sister Amparo Iturbi (1899-1969), who in earlier years had frequently accompanied him in duo piano recitals, appeared in three of his pictures, including That Midnight Kiss (1949).
From the 1950's until just prior to his death in 1980, Iturbi continued to draw large audiences worldwide. He regularly went on tour (his last from 1976 to 1977), travelling up to 50,000 miles a year between continents. He conducted orchestras from Calgary to Albuquerque and recorded through his own company, Turia Records. In 1975, he gave a famous tour-de-force performance as both conductor and solo pianist at the Lincoln Centre in New York.- Carlos Martinez Baena was a character actor, who was born in Spain. At an early age he moved with his family to Mexico where he became a journalist. By 1920 he decided to become an actor while he was living in Argentina, and shortly afterward moved to Spain where he worked as a stage actor, eventually ppearing in films in Argentina, Spain and the U.S in Spanish language films made in the early and mid 1930s. In 1940 he returned to Mexico, escaping the fascist Franco goverment in Spain. The following year he began appearing in Mexican films in character parts, he was often cast as kindly old men, teachers, priests and appeared in many character parts. He was also very involved in the actor's union, during his career he also wrote and adapted sceenplays as well as writing poetry. In 1970 he completed his last film at the age 80, also a character part.
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During the spanish civil war he goes with his family to Buenos Aires. There he studies in the Escuela de Arte Dramatico of Margarita Xirgu. He debuts in cinema in 1946 in Argentina and in 1955 he comes back to Spain and still working in cinema and theater. He is the owner of the Marquina theater in Madrid.- Pablito Calvo was born on 16 March 1948 in Madrid, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Miracle of Marcelino (1955), Mi tío Jacinto (1956) and Barcos de papel (1962). He was married to Juana Olmedo. He died on 1 February 2000 in Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain.
- Carlos Casaravilla was born on 12 October 1900 in Montevideo, Uruguay. He was an actor, known for Fall of the Mohicans (1965), Lazarillo (1959) and Saul e David (1964). He died on 17 February 1981 in Cullera, Valencia, Spain.
- Juan Calvo was born on 22 May 1892 in Onteniente, Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Miracle of Marcelino (1955), The Rocket from Calabuch (1956) and Tosca (1941). He died on 7 March 1962 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.
- Rafael Rivelles was born on 23 December 1898 in El Cabañal, Valencia, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. He was an actor, known for Murió hace quince años (1954), Carmen (la de Triana) (1938) and The Miracle of Marcelino (1955). He was married to María Fernanda Ladrón de Guevara. He died on 3 December 1971 in Madrid, Spain.
- José Marco Davó was born on 10 May 1895 in Orihuela, Alicante, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Night Heaven Fell (1958), El alcalde de Zalamea (1954) and The Avenger of Venice (1964). He died on 27 September 1974 in Torrevieja, Alicante, Spain.
- Antonio Vico was born on 16 April 1904 in Santiago de Chile, Chile. He was an actor, known for Currito de la Cruz (1936), El malvado Carabel (1935) and The Miracle of Marcelino (1955). He was married to Carmen Carbonell. He died on 20 March 1972 in Madrid, Spain.
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- Director
José Lisardo Suárez Sánchez was born in Trubia (Asturias, Spain) on Sept 9th.1919. He was raised in Oviedo until in 1927 the family moved to Logroño.
In 1935 after returning to Asturias his father died and he left school urged to find work. Only 16 when the Spanish Civil War broke out, he entered the Army on the National side, then the Falange. He joined the Legionary Corps (la Legión), and finally volunteered for the División Azul (German infantry division fighting communism) to Russia, returning to Spain in 1943. After the war ended he got a job at the Asturian railways. A well-known Spanish director, Gonzalo Delgrás, selected him after a casting to star in his next film, Altar mayor (1944). It became a success and the start of a long career. Some of his early films were Oro y marfil (1947), La niña de Luzmela (1950), Historia de una escalera (1950), a secondary role in Dawn of America (1951) and then came the young policeman in Criminal Squad (1950). This film became sort of a trademark for him, and from then on he would often play police roles and hard-boiled characters becoming his tall, reserved and dark looks. That same year, 1950, he married his Asturian girlfriend María Luisa, they would have a daughter.
He received an award for his role in An Impossible Crime (1954) and would be one of the football players in Once pares de botas (1954). He made Señora ama (1955) with Dolores del Río and then came Main Street (1956) with Betsy Blair, maybe his most well known film, for which he would receive the Triunfo award as best actor. The success of this film at the Venice festival opened him the doors to the Italian cinema. He got leading roles in films like The Challenge (1958), directed by Francesco Rosi, and Il magistrato (1959), directed by Luigi Zampa. He would go on playing mostly detective stories, drama, westerns and some comedies in Spanish and European productions.
In 1971 he was elected mayor and local head of the Movimiento (Franco's regime only political party) for Aller, Asturias, and left Madrid for his homeland, building a house in Moreda where he died after a previous stroke (thrombosis) in 1981. His last role was in 1977 in a popular TV series (Curro Jiménez (1976)).- Luis Peña was born on 20 June 1918 in Santander, Cantabria, Spain. He was an actor, known for Amanecer en Puerta Oscura (1957), Historias para no dormir (1966) and Estudio 1 (1965). He was married to Luchy Soto. He died on 29 March 1977 in Madrid, Spain.
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Francisco Rabal -- Paco to everyone -- was born in the mining camp where his father worked. His mother owned a small mill. At the age of six, with the Civil War breaking out, the family emigrated to Madrid and he started working as a street salesman and later in a chocolate factory, which later led to him working as an electrician in the Chamartín Film Studios. It was here he started in his first films in crowd scenes and so on. However, following advice from people like Dámaso Alonso, he found his way into the theatre and in 1950 started working with José Tamayo where he met Asunción Balaguer, who was to become his wife and inseparable companion for the rest of his life. One of the plays he starred in was a Spanish version of Arthur Miller's "Death of a Salesman." The big breakthrough came when he met Luis Buñuel, one of the greatest of Spanish film directors. They became great friends, in part due to their similar philosophies on life. Nazarín and Viridiana remain as hallmarks of that early period. However, with maturity and the passing of the Franco Régime, Rabal's best work was yet to come, and indeed culminated with his exceptional rôle in _Santos Inocentes, Los (1984)_, one of the best three or four Spanish films of all time. In 1987 he made a wonderful TV series called Juncal (1989) which was probably the character which mostly resembled the real-life Paco Rabal: a veritable "truhan" -- a roguish rascal. However, he has played the character of the Aragonese painter Francisco Goya in three different films, a personage who he became heavily identified with. It is in this period that he received his highest awards in Spain, Cannes, Montreal, etc. He is the only Spanish actor to have been given a Doctor Honoris Causa by the University of his native Murcia. Returning from the XXV Montreal Festival where he was homaged for a lifetime's work, he died over the English Channel aboard the aeroplane bringing him from London to Madrid and, despite the emergency landing in Bordeaux, nothing could be done for him. The pressure inside the plane aggravated his chronic bronchitis and started a fit of coughing which he was not able to overcome. He has published a few books which he called "some little things of mine," but most notably his collection of verses and "coplas" in 1994 and a little later collaborated with Agustín Cerezales on his biography "Si yo te contara" (If I told you all about it). His daughter, Teresa Rabal, is a successful actress, singer and TV presenter, while his son, Benito, also works as film director.- Actor
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He debuted in theater when he was 19 years old and later he worked in the company of the Lara theater where he played as a first actor during 16 years. He participated in a short in 1912 but his cinematographic career mostly began on the 30s, working more in cinema than in theater in the 40s and later on. Of short height and simple character, he usually played secondary roles of the typical spaniard with all its virtues and prejudices.- Actor
- Additional Crew
José Calvo was born on 3 March 1916 in Madrid, Spain. He was an actor, known for A Fistful of Dollars (1964), Viridiana (1961) and El gran crucero (1970). He was married to Mercedes Barranco. He died on 16 May 1980 in Los Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
José Baviera was born on 17 August 1906 in Valencia, Spain. He was an actor and director, known for The Exterminating Angel (1962), La barraca (1945) and Cinco vidas y un destino (1957). He was married to Elena D'Orgaz. He died on 13 August 1981 in Mexico, D.F., Mexico.- Enrique Irazoqui was a Spanish economics student, the son of a Spanish father and Italian mother, who after meeting in a political event was cast by Pasolini to play the role of Jesus in "The Gospel according to St. Matthew" (1964). After this film, Irazoqui was the leading actor in two films of the School of Barcelona, "Noche de vino tinto" and "Dante no es unicamente severo", both of 1966.
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He abandoned his studies of law for the universitary theater. His debut in cinema was in 1962. During the 60's and 70's he participates mainly in not very good comedies. But in the 80's he has revealed as one of the best spanish actors with films like The Holy Innocents (1984) or The Enchanted Forest (1987).- Actor
- Director
Carlos Estrada was born on 22 October 1927 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He was an actor and director, known for Dos vidas y un destino (1984), Romeo e Giulietta (1964) and Los libros (1974). He was married to Erika Wallner. He died on 16 November 2001 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.An Argentinian-Spanish actor.- José Luis de Vilallonga was born on 29 January 1920 in Madrid, Spain. He was an actor and writer, known for Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962), Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) and Juliet of the Spirits (1965). He was married to Begoña Aranguren, Syliane Stella, Essylt-Priscilla Scott-Ellis and Sylianne Stella. He died on 30 August 2007 in Andratx, Mallorca, Balearic Islands, Spain.
- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
- Additional Crew
Manuel Zarzo was born on 26 April 1932 in Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and assistant director, known for The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988), Nuevo en esta plaza (1966) and Los nuevos españoles (1974).- Miguel Mateo 'Miguelín' was an actor, known for El relicario (1970), The Moment of Truth (1965) and La Barrera (1966). He died on 21 July 2003 in Algeciras, Spain.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
In his almost 50 years as an actor, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba has worked continuously in theater, film, and television. He has worked with renowned directors on the big screen and has become a legend of the theater. Since his debut in the sixties, he has brought over a hundred characters to life in dozens of series, plays and more than 80 films. Emilio Gutiérrez Caba was born in Valladolid in 1942 into an iconic entertainment family. He is the son of Emilio Gutiérrez and Irene Caba Alba, and the brother of the actresses Irene Gutiérrez Caba and Julia Gutiérrez Caba. The actor spent his childhood and adolescence in an environment marked by acting and the arts, so it did not take long to awaken his vocation. Gutiérrez Caba studied philosophy, but his interest in acting was consolidated at university. He made his debut in the theater in 1962 when he joined Lilí Murati's company and he won his first film role in 1963 in Jesus Franco's 'El llanero'. He went on to join forces with actress María José Goyanes to create their own company in 1968. Since 1979, he has starred in works by classical authors such as Gil Vicente, Calderón, Shakespeare, Joyce, and Juan Ruiz de Alarcón; and pieces by contemporary playwrights such as Álvaro del Amo, Jorge Díaz, Fermín Cabal, and Juan García Larrondo. His interpretation of Don Diego in 'The Maidens' Consent' by Moratín in 1996 is legendary. In 2003, he was nominated for a Best Actor Spanish Actors Guild Award for 'The Prince and the Showgirl'. His performance in 'Mourning Becomes Electra' was recognized with a Max Award for Best Supporting Actor. Although Gutiérrez Caba's career has played out mainly on stage, making him a true theatrical legend, he has combined stage with screen in the literary adaptations: 'The Beehive', 'Werther', 'Requiem for a Spanish peasant' and 'La sombra del ciprés es alargada'. He has also participated in 'Bicycles are for the Summer' by Jaime Chávarri, and worked with Pedro Almodóvar in 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?' On television he has given life to characters such as San Juan de la Cruz in the successful series 'Teresa de Jesús' and Don Vicente Cortázar in 'Gran Reserva', for which he received the Best Actor Ondas Award and another Spanish Actors Guild Best Actor Award. Emilio's other credits include 'The First Night of my Life' and 'Goya in Bordeaux.' His work in 'Common Wealth' is especially noteworthy and earned him the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actor, and the CEC and Spanish Actors' Guild Awards in the same category. Shortly thereafter he received a second Goya for 'Ten Days Without Love'. Among his more recent work is Julio Medem's 'The Tree of Blood', Jaume Balaguero's 'Way Down', 'Despite Everything' directed by Gabriela Tagliavini, Juan Jose Alfonso's play 'After The Rehearsal' and the series 'La Templanza,'for Amazon Prime.- Actor
- Additional Crew
José María Prada was born on 31 March 1925 in Ocaña, Toledo, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Hunt (1966), Aunt Tula (1964) and Estudio 1 (1965). He died on 13 August 1978 in Bilbao, Vizcaya, País Vasco, Spain.- Alfredo Mayo was born Alfredo Fernández Martínez in Barcelona in 1911, where his parents had been married. The family soon moved to Madrid and then to León where his father had been born. He started studying Medicine but after 3 years left it for a theatrical career, entering Ernesto Vilches company still in his teens. In his 20s he made his first films, El ciento trece (1935) (Rafael Sevilla, 1935) and Las tres gracias (1936) (Leitao de Barros, 1936). Then the Spanish Civil War broke out and he opted for the National side, becoming a flight lieutenant, in a real life prologue to his military roles in many pictures, for which he would become famous.
Tall enough, handsome and with screen presence he soon became one of the leading men of postwar Spanish pictures. He often played military roles with a strong national feeling ready to die for his country, most favored by Franco's regime : ¡Harka! (1941) (Carlos Arévalo), Escuadrilla (1941) (Antonio Román), ¡A mí la Legión! (1942) (Juan de Orduña) and specially Raza (1942) (José Luis Sáenz de Heredia). He also played comedies and historical dramas such as Sarasate (1941) (Richard Busch), Deliciosamente tontos (1943) (Juan de Orduña), El marqués de Salamanca (1948) (Edgar Neville) or The Lioness of Castille (1951) (Juan de Orduña). He was often paired with Amparito Rivelles; in fact they became engaged and were about to marry. He also played theatre during these years.
In the sixties he appeared in The Hunt (1966) (Carlos Saura), an allegorical film covertly criticizing Franco's regime and the Civil War conflict. Later on he would often play TV along with movies and documentaries, adapting to the political and ideological changes following Franco's death in the 70s : Patrimonio nacional (1981) (Luis García Berlanga) and Hablamos esta noche (1982) (Pilar Miró) being two examples. He died in 1985 in Mallorca after suffering a heart attack during the filming of a TV series. - His professional debut took place in 1934 with the Enrique Rambal company, in a spectacular production of "Around the World in 80 Days." After the Spanish Civil War ended, he became part of the Isabel Garcés company Between 1940 and 1943, while he also played important roles in various films. However, he soon returned to the theater, forming his own company and specializing in comedy. He headed it and stayed away from film business until the '60s, when his face returned to the silver screen and was usual in television programs.
- Actor
- Additional Crew
Fernando Rey, the great Spanish movie actor primarily known in the United States for his role as "Frog One" in The French Connection (1971) and its sequel, was born Fernando Casado D'Arambillet on September 20 1917, in A Coruña, Galicia, Spain, the son of Colonel Casado Veiga. Originally, the young Fernando intended to become an architect. However, when the Spanish Civil War erupted in 1936, his architectural studies were interrupted, and he gained employment as a movie extra. He took the stage name "Fernando Rey" at the beginning of his career, equivalent, in English, to "Fernando King". Eight years after his movie debut, he was cast in his first major speaking role, as the Duke de Alba in José López Rubio's 1944 movie "Eugenia de Montijo".
Rey enjoyed a long and prosperous career as an actor in movies, the theater, radio, and television. He also was a major voice-over artist in Spain, narrating films and dubbing the voices of actors in foreign films. Rey's most fruitful collaboration was with the great director Luis Buñuel, which began during the 1960s and continued thought the 1970s. The films that Rey appeared in for Buñuel' made him an international star, the first produced by the Spanish cinema. By the early 1970s, Rey's career reached its high point, with his co-starring role in "The French Connection" (Best Picture Oscar Winner for 1971) and his starring role in Buñuel's The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) ("The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie", Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner for 1972). Rey followed up these successes by appearing in The French Connection (1971) in 1974, and Buñuel's tandem That Obscure Object of Desire (1977) ("That Obscure Object of Desire"), an art-house hit that was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film Oscar. Ironically, in the film, Rey's voice was dubbed into French by Michel Piccoli. That same year, he won the Best Actor prize at Cannes for Carlos Saura' Elisa, My Life (1977).
Many honors came to Rey in the twilight of his career, during the 1980s and 1990s. He was awarded at San Sebastián and Cannes, and was presented with the gold medal of the Spanish Art and Movie Sciences Academy. He became the president of that Academy from 1992 till his death from cancer two years later.- Del Negro was born in 1929 in Manhattan, New York, USA. He was an actor, known for Aguirre, the Wrath of God (1972), Who? (1974) and Joy House (1964). He died in 2015.
- João Guedes was born on 3 July 1921 in Matosinhos, Portugal. He was an actor, known for Fado Corrido (1964), As Ilhas Encantadas (1965) and Change of Life (1966). He was married to Maria Estela de Azevedo da Silva. He died on 19 February 1983.
- José Vivó was born on 19 May 1916 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He was an actor, known for La venganza de Don Mendo (1962), Estudio 1 (1965) and Los libros (1974). He died on 26 July 1989 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
- Actor
- Costume Designer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Spanish actor. He started his career in theatre in 1939, when he was only 17, with the support of the director Modesto Higueras and the painter José Caballero. His first works were as actor, set decorator and costume designer in non-commercial amateur theatre plays, basically at the 'Teatro de las Organizaciones Juveniles (TOI)' and at the TEU. In cinema, he started as a costume designer in films mostly directed by José López Rubio and Rafael Gil and as an assistant director to Pío Ballesteros and Enrique Herreros.
His debut as a professional actor was in 1946 at the 'Teatro María Guerrero' theatre in Madrid, playing roles in plays like 'El Anticuario', 'El vergonzoso en palacio' or 'La dama boba'. Later he formed part of the companies owned by Conchita Montes and Alberto Closas. His debut as a cinema actor was also in 1946 with a little role in _María Fernanda la Jerezana (1946)_. In 1951, in the film _Esa pareja feliz (1951)_, he appeared in the credits together with two debutant key directors in Spanish cinema: Juan Antonio Bardem and Luis García Berlanga.
His first roles were comic roles in general, and increasingly important. In 1958 he started to have his first successes ('Una muchachita de Valladolid' in theatre together with 'Elisa Montes' and Alberto Closas, and The Little Apartment (1958) in cinema together with Mary Carrillo and Concha López Silva).
Since that moment on, he acted in the best theatre companies and also became an almost indispensable figure in Spanish cinema in the following two decades. Some of his best films from this stage are El cochecito (1960), Placido (1961), Robbery at 3 O'clock (1962) and The Executioner (1963). He met film-makers like Marco Ferreri, Juan Antonio Bardem, José María Forqué and Luis García Berlanga, who were able to extract from his funniness amazing nuances like tenderness, dirtiness, meanness, absurd and even nonsense. His popularity raised dramatically after he worked together with Gracita Morales in several films of less importance under the direction of Mariano Ozores and also performed the main role in the TV series "Tercero izquierda".
In the early 70s he surprisingly started to do good dramatic performances in films like _Peppermint frappé (1967)_, The Garden of Delights (1970), _Bosque del lobo, El (1970)_ (Best Actor Award in the 1971 Chicago Film Festival), _Mi querida señorita (1971)_ (Best Actor Award in the 1972 Chicago Film Festival), _Cabina, La (1970) (TV)_ (winner of an Emmy Award), or Habla, mudita (1973). He made a great success with these films which even got stronger after the international effects caused by his TV film 'La cabina' and his contribution to George Cukor's Travels with My Aunt (1972). And this success set the rest of his career, full of successful films both dramatic and comic (_Escopeta nacional, La (1978)_, _Verdad sobre el caso Savolta, La (1979)_, La colmena (1982), _Corte del faraón, La (1985)_, Mi general (1987), _Largo invierno, El (1991)_...
In 1985 he received the 'Medalla de Oro de las Bellas Artes' (Arts Gold Medal).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Fernando Delgado was born on 28 June 1930 in Porcuna, Jaén, Andalucía, Spain. He was an actor and director, known for Estudio 1 (1965), Teatro de siempre (1966) and El teatro (1970). He was married to Carmen Valero. He died on 15 June 2009 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Actor
- Composer
- Soundtrack
At 12 years he worked as an apprentice mechanic, starting as an actor at age 20 and with the theater group of Alcoy natal "Casserole." In the mid-60's economic crisis forced him to emigrate to Barcelona, since then his career combining theatrical Companies Adrià Gual, CIFC and Nuria Espert with forays into the music scene. In 1968 he debuted as a professional singer, a facet that will become one of the main representatives of "Nova Cançó 'Catalan. In this sense, both composed their own songs as musical adaptations of Salvador Espriu, Pere Quart or Vicent Andrés. In the film debuted in 1974 and shortly thereafter obtained a great success for his role in "Stealth"- Jorge Rolla was born on 2 July 1951 in Candal, Gaia, Portugal. He is an actor, known for Um Táxi na Cidade (1981), Relação Fiel e Verdadeira (1987) and A Sublime Life (2018).
- Actor
- Writer
- Additional Crew
Varela Silva was born on 15 September 1929 in Lisbon, Portugal. He was an actor and writer, known for Pão, Amor e... Totobola (1964), Vila Faia (1982) and Via Macau (1966). He was married to Celeste Rodrigues and Simone de Oliveira. He died on 15 December 1995 in Portugal.- Actor
- Soundtrack
Héctor Alterio was born on 21 September 1929 in Chacarita, Buenos Aires City, Argentina. He is an actor, known for Cría Cuervos (1976), Son of the Bride (2001) and El último tren (2002). He has been married to Bacaicoa, Tita since 1969. They have two children.An Argentinian-Spanish actor.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Máximo Valverde was born on 16 November 1944 in Seville, Andalucía, Spain. He is an actor and writer, known for Fortunata y Jacinta (1970), Cuentos y leyendas (1968) and Desengaño (2020).- Actor
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
António Sequeira Lopes is known for Abraham's Valley (1993), Amor de Perdição (1979) and Aqui na Terra (1993).- António Costa is known for Pecado Fatal (2013), Porto da Minha Infância (2001) and Amor de Perdição: Memórias de uma Família (1978).
- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Imanol Arias began his career with a traveling theatre group in Spain performing in Euskadi (Basque Country). After minor roles on stage, he travels to Cuba to shoot Cecilia (1982) directed by Humberto Solás. In 1987 he won the Concha de Plata of the San Sebastian Film Festival for the biography of Eleuterio Sánchez, El Lute: Run for Your Life (1987) directed by Vicente Aranda.- Composer
- Actor
- Music Department
Paco de Lucía was born on 21 December 1947 in Algeciras, Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain. He was a composer and actor, known for The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou (2004), Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and Don Juan DeMarco (1994). He was married to Casilda Varela. He died on 25 February 2014 in Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.- Will More was born on 27 December 1949 in Madrid, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Hit (1984), Berlín Blues (1988) and Continental (1989). He died on 10 August 2017 in Madrid, Spain.
- Actor
- Music Department
- Producer
Although born in Madrid, Spain, Placido Domingo spent a major portion of his life living in Mexico City where he graduated from the Mexico City Conservatory. His first operatic performance was in a staging of La Traviata in Monterrey playing Alfredo. He was then a Tenor for the Israel National Opera and subsequently moved to Europe.- Writer
- Director
- Actor
Gonzalo Suárez was born on 30 July 1934 in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. He is a writer and director, known for Rowing with the Wind (1988), El extraño caso del doctor Fausto (1969) and El detective y la muerte (1994).- Luis Hostalot was born in 1951 in Calaceite, Teruel, Aragón, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Ministry of Time (2015), What Have I Done to Deserve This? (1984) and Así en el cielo como en la tierra (1995).
- Juan Antonio Jiménez is known for Montoyas y Tarantos (1989), El día que nací yo (1991) and Juncal (1989).
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Writer
Antonio Gades was born on 14 November 1936 in Elda, Alicante, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. He was an actor and writer, known for Carmen (1983), Blood Wedding (1981) and Los Tarantos (1963). He was married to Eugenia Eiriz, Daniela Frey, Marisol, Pilar Sanclemente and Marujita Díaz. He died on 20 July 2004 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Actor
- Additional Crew
Nacho Martínez was born on 8 July 1952 in Mieres, Asturias, Spain. He was an actor, known for Matador (1986), Adiós pequeña (1986) and La mitad del cielo (1986). He died on 24 July 1996 in Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Eusebio Poncela was born on 15 September 1945 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for El accidente (2017), Águila Roja (2009) and Intacto (2001).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Sixth of the eight children of the singer and actor Antonio Molina; brother of Ángela, Paula, Mónica and Noel and uncle of Olivia Molina, has four children, Clara and Adrián, born of their relationship with the model Kirsa van Pallandt; Andrea, born of her relationship with the actress Lydia Bosch; and Antonio, born of his relationship with the Icelandic scriptwriter and director Katrin Olafsdóttir.
Decided very soon by the interpretation, he debuted in 1980 with the film Maravillas, by Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón, in the role of Miki, a nickname that he adopts professionally. Shortly after he starred in 1919: "Crónica del alba" for which he was awarded at the San Sebastian Film Festival as a revelation actor in 1981, a continuation of the film adaptation of the novel by Ramón J. Sender, which in its first part was interpreted by Jorge Sanz .
In 1987 it appears in one of the main papers of the law of the desire, film directed by Pedro Almodóvar where it incarnates to a handsome young bisexual of independent spirit. With Gutiérrez Aragón he repeats leading Malaventura (1988).
Subsequently, his works for television stand out: in 1993 he starred with Alfredo Landa, Beatriz Carvajal and Lydia Bosch the full series, please, which is worth an interpretive candidacy to the Awards of the Union of Actors, and in 1995 intervenes in Who gives the time, both successfully broadcast by Antena 3 Televisión.
In 2002 participates in the series "Ana y los 7". In 2005 he tried his luck as a singer and edited the album "Desconocido Miki"; that same year, he composed the distribution of the theater play 5gays.com, which he combines with different cinematographic works. 5 gays.com had a great success.
Regarding his work in theater in 1989, he participated in the assembly of Federico García Lorca, So They Go Five Years. In 1994 he placed under the command of Manuel Canseco in Black Butterflies, by Jaime Salom.
He debuted at the Teatro Romano de Mérida in 1995 with Hipólito, by Eurípides, together with María Asquerino and Juan Diego. Three years later he participated in the montage of El cerco de Numancia, by Miguel de Cervantes, premiered at the Teatro Romano de Merida. Also in 1998 he participated in the montage of The Mousetrap (1998), by Agatha Christie, with Jaime Blanch.2 After playing Ulysses in Ithaca, an adaptation of Homer's Odyssey produced and premiered at the Spanish Theater and later at the Festival of Classical Theater of Mérida in 2006; He returns to the stage as producer and protagonist of the Uncle Bob montage, the work of American playwright Austin Pendleton that mixes drama with social criticism.
His latest theatrical projects include the play De Miguel a Miguel, premiered in 2010, in which the great poet Miguel Hernández is revived. And in 2012 he directs with the company Sa Penya Escènica the play The Last Light of the Day.
In the year 2017, he was a male protagonist in the film "El collar de la sal" by Vicente Perez Herrero, this same year he also had a role in the film by Alfredo Contreras.
Among his latest cinematographic works, he stands out as an actor in feature films "Me llamo Genet", "Gina", "Burga" and "El secreto de Ibosin".
At present he has just finished shooting "... a precious time" his debut as a filmmaker, involved as a scriptwriter and director. A feature film shot between Madrid and Ibiza, with the participation of Saturnino Garcia, Carlos Pulido.- Actor
- Editorial Department
- Producer
Joaquim de Almeida was born in Lisbon, Portugal. Son of two pharmacists and the sixth of eight kids, Joaquim showed signs at an early age that his future lay not in the family business. At the age of eighteen, after attending the theater course at the Lisbon Conservatory for two years, he left Portugal to pursue his studies after the Conservatory was temporarily closed following the 1974 democratic revolution. He lived a year in Vienna, Austria, working in various jobs from the Künstlerhaus-Theater to gardening. He moved to New York City in 1976. There, he studied with Lee Strasberg, Nicholas Ray and Stella Adler while working as a bartender. After doing some theater and small roles in Soap Operas, he finally landed his first role in a film "The Soldier" in 1981. The following year he had his first important role in "Honorary Consul", working next to Richard Gere, Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins. But it was his third film "Good Morning Babylon", directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, that opened the Cannes Film Festival in 1987, that propelled him to an international career. Being fluent in six languages has helped him to work everywhere in the world. He hasn't stopped since then. He has been in more then 90 films and Television shows acting with actors and directors like Harrison Ford, Gene Hackman, Kim Basinger, Antonio Banderas, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Soderberg, Benicio del Toro and Kiefer Sutherland among others. It was while playing the main villain in season 3 of the popular series "24", that he discovered the pleasure of living on the beach and he moved to Santa Monica where he lives today. He spends long periods in Portugal where he has a house in Sintra to be with his son Louren and his daughter Ana. Joaquim de Almeida became an American citizen in 2005 and kept his Portuguese nationality. He has been the recipient of many awards: Best Actor - Cairo Film Festival 1991, Golden Globe Best Actor Portugal 1995,1997,2001, SAG Awards- Best ensemble 2005, Portuguese Foreign Press-Personality of the year 1995, Career Award in Festival Cinema de Badajoz 2004, Career Award Festival Iberoamericano de Huelva 2009, Career Award Festival de Cine de Punta del Este 2003, Gold Medal City of Sintra 2008, Gold Medal City of Setubal 2006 and the Order of Infante by the President of Portugal.- Guillermo Montesinos was born on 10 January 1948 in Castellón de la Plana, Castellón, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain. He is an actor, known for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Blood and Sand (1989) and Sé infiel y no mires con quién (1985).
- Music Artist
- Actor
- Director
For the past 30 years Miguel Bose has been a major force in Latin Music, crossing all genres but always maintaining an electronic beat. He grew up with Picasso and Ernest Hemingway, who where family friends. In 2007 to celebrate his 30 year career he made the album "Papito" in collaboration with major musical stars all over the world: Shakira, Laura Pausini, Michael Stip (REM), Gloria Gaynor, Ricky Martin, Paulina Rubio, to name a few.- Actor
- Writer
- Director
Spanish actor and director of cinema and theater. Son of the actress Carola Fernán Gómez. When he was three years old he comes back to Spain from Argentina. He has written comedies, novels and poem books. He plays a wide repertoire of roles from comedy to drama.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Jorge Sanz was born on 26 August 1969 in Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and writer, known for Belle Epoque (1992), Conan the Barbarian (1982) and If They Tell You I Fell (1989).- Actor
- Writer
- Director
One of Spain's best-recognized artistic personalities, Jordi Mollà is an actor, director, painter and a writer.
Jordi Mollà Perales was born in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Jordi was trained as an actor at the Barcelona Institute of Theatre and he also studied in Italy, Hungary and England. As an actor, he has worked in more than fifteen films, with prestigious directors like Bigas Luna, Montxo Armendáriz, Pedro Almodóvar, Ricardo Franco and Fernando Colomo.
Jordi first received in acclaim in Bigas Luna's "Jamón, Jamón", in 1992. Since then Jordi has appeared in "Historias del Kronen" (1994), Director: Montxo Armendáriz; "La Flor de mi secreto" (1994), Director: Pedro Almodóvar; "La Celestina" (1996), Director: Gerardo Vera; "La buena Estrella" (1997), Director: Ricardo Franco (Nominated for the GOYA Awards); "Los años bárbaros" (1998), Director: Fernando Colomo; "Volavérunt" (1999), Director: Bigas Luna; "Nadie conoce a nadie" (1999), Director: Mateo Gil; "Segunda piel" (1999), Director: Gerardo Vera and "Son de Mar", (1999), Director: Bigas Luna.
Critically acclaimed "Blow" with Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz, was Jordi's debut film in Hollywood.
Jordi has also directed two short films: "Walter Peralta" (Alcalá De Henares Award, Generalitat De Cataluña National Cinematographic Award) and "No me importaria irme contigo". His first feature film as a director, "No somos nadie", produced by Lola Films, will be realised in 2002.
Additionally, Jordi has written two books: "Las primeras veces" and "Agua estancada".
In addition to regularly exhibiting at PicassoMio Galleries, Jordi has exhibited at Sotheby's Gallery, Madrid (2007) and Galeria Carmen DE la Guerra, Madrid. This multi-faceted artist is a self-trained painter, for whom painting is an act of spontaneity. His works often surprise the viewer both with his ability to manage the media and with his power to express himself on canvas or paper.- Actor
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Gabino Diego was born on 18 September 1966 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and writer, known for Belle Epoque (1992), Oh, Carmela! (1990) and Los peores años de nuestra vida (1994).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Agustín González was born on 24 March 1930 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He was an actor, known for Belle Epoque (1992), Estudio 1 (1965) and The Grandfather (1998). He died on 16 January 2005 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain.- Actor
- Director
- Casting Director
Juan Echanove was born on 1 April 1961 in Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Madregilda (1993), The Flower of My Secret (1995) and Las chicas de hoy en día (1991). He has been married to Cuchita Lluch since 14 May 2015.- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Àlex Casanovas was born on 12 March 1964 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Manila (1991), Barcelona 1714 (2019) and Refree graba Nones (2006).- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Eduardo Noriega Gómez was born in Santander, Cantabria, Spain. The youngest of 7 siblings, he had shown a very big talent for artistic activities since he was a child. He began taking piano lessons and got into the Santander Music Conservatory, where he studied for five years. His music professors discovered that he had many conditions for playing piano, so they would keep him practicing for hours until he got tired of it and quit. After finishing high school, he decided to become a lawyer and majored at University of Santander, one of the most prestigious universities in Europe.That wouldn't last long either, because he got the acting bug by chance when attended an acting class alongside a friend that wanted to be an actress, he was invited to participate and enjoyed it enough to do that for living. At 19, he relocated to Madrid to start his drama classes at the R.E.S.A.D. (Madrid Acting Conservatory) and tried to continue with Law School attending the U.N.E.D. (a college where people can study even if they live far away), but due to the time the acting classes demanded him, couldn't focus on his other career and quit after passing the first signature. Once at the Conservatory he met Mateo Gil and Alejandro Amenábar, who was searching for good average students to make his first short films. Noriega shot a few shorts with both of them until he landed one of the starring roles in Amenábar's opera prima Thesis (1996). This movie became the most successful movie of the year in Spain and Eduardo Noriega and Fele Martínez became huge stars. In 1996, Eduardo had a tiny part in Pedro Olea's Más allá del jardín (1996) and the main role in Question of Luck (1997), shot in San Sebastián. During the making of this movie, his mother passed away and he channeled his grief into work by making Open Your Eyes (1997), another Amenábar's movie that became one of the suspense classics worldwide. This part gave Noriega his first Goya Award nomination, but he lost to Fernando Fernán Gómez, although he was consecrated as a very promising actor. Soon after, he tried himself in comedy by taking part in the movie Cha Cha Cha (1998) where he showed his skills as a comedian and met who would be his girlfriend for two years: Ana Alvarez. The relationship ended in good terms and afterward, he arrived to Argentina to make another movie that would become a cult one: Burnt Money (2000). This flick won the Goya Award in 2001 and Eduardo met his now friend Leonardo Sbaraglia. Between 2001 and 2004, he made movies in France, Madagascar and Spain. 2004 was the year that gave him the chance to play a real life character for first time in the movie El Lobo (2004). He played Txema, an insider infiltrated in ETA who gave information to the government to dismantle the terrorist group. Critics and people loved his interpretation and earned him a second Goya nomination. Next year, he had the chance to play another controversial character: Che Guevara, becoming the first Spanish actor to play it. In 2006 Master Kowalski (2006) was released at the same time that the theater play and became a blockbuster in Spain and Argentina, Marcelo Piñeyro was the director and also had directed Burnt Money (2000). His most challenging role was yet to come, nevertheless: Vicente Aranda was preparing to direct Canciones de amor en Lolita's Club (2007)and also looking for an actor who dared play twins who where identical in the outside but totally different inside, because one was a violent smart cop and the other one a mentally retarded sweet man. On December 3, 2007 he won the GQ award as the "Actor of the Year". In 2008 he participated in two American movies: Vantage Point (2008) and Transsiberian (2008). In 2009 he re-teamed with Amenábar (this time as a producer, not director) in El mal ajeno (2010), where he had to look older to play an apparently cold-blooded doctor that used to deal with terminal patients, but his life is stricken when his teenage daughter becomes his patient. With this movie, Eduardo showed his maturity as an actor and next year he could fulfill a dream: making a western. Blackthorn (2011) told the story of Butch Cassidy in exile while staying in Bolivia. Sam Shepard and Stephen Rea were part of this superb cast as well. During the half of 2011 a new suspense TV series called Homicidios (2011) began to be promoted on channel Tele5. This thriller meant the return of Eduardo Noriega to television (he had only had a small part in the 1994-1996 show "Colegio Mayor"). "Homicidios" premiered on 20 September 2011 in prime-time with a very high rating. Although it was switched to different times until even midnight, it had the highest audience of his all time branches. In 2013 he will release the movie The Last Stand, alongside Arnold Schwarzenegger.- Actor
- Director
- Cinematographer
Liberto Rabal was born on 30 May 1975 in Rome, Lazio, Italy. He is an actor and director, known for Live Flesh (1997), Syndrome (2004) and Tramway to Malvarrosa (1996). He is married to Adriana Davidova. They have one child.- Chete Lera was born in 1949 in A Estrada, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. He was an actor, known for Open Your Eyes (1997), El niño de barro (2007) and Lost in Galicia (2009). He was married to Miriam Montilla. He died on 19 May 2022 in Málaga, Andalucía, Spain.
- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Fele Martínez was born on 22 February 1975 in Alicante, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Open Your Eyes (1997), Bad Education (2004) and Thesis (1996).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Nancho Novo was born on 17 September 1958 in A Coruña, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for La Celestina (1996), Give Me Something (1997) and The Red Squirrel (1993).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Tristán Ulloa was born on 6 May 1970 in Orleans, France. He is an actor and director, known for Sex and Lucía (2001), Open Your Eyes (1997) and Pudor (2007).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Fernando Tielve was born on 21 July 1986 in Madrid, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Devil's Backbone (2001), Goya's Ghosts (2006) and Pan's Labyrinth (2006).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Born in La Rioja (Spain) in 1967. Soon he moved to Madrid to graduate in Dramatic Arts. He use to work as an usher at the Fígaro Theatre in Madrid. His stage debut was in "El caballero de Olmedo" by Félix Lope de Vega back in 1991. After his great success in the TV-sitcom 7 vidas (1999), he worked with Pedro Almodóvar in the acclaimed Talk to Her (2002).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Luis Tosar was born on 13 October 1971 in Lugo, Galicia, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for Cell 211 (2009), Sleep Tight (2011) and Take My Eyes (2003). He has been married to María Luisa Mayol since 10 August 2015. They have two children.- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Daniel Giménez-Cacho was born on May 15, 1961, in Madrid, Spain. He is a Mexican actor and director, Ariel award winner, who has starred in several Mexican films such as 'Solo con tu pareja' (1991), 'Cronos' (1993), 'Midaq Alley' (1995) and 'Arráncame la Vida' (2008), among others. He is also known for 'Y tu mamá también' (2001), 'La mala educación' (2004) and 'Blancanieves' (2012).A Mexican-Spanish actor- Joan Dalmau was born on 19 February 1927 in Montcada i Reixac, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He was an actor, known for The Sea Inside (2004), Julia's Eyes (2010) and Soldiers of Salamina (2003). He died on 6 February 2013 in Coria del Río, Seville, Andalusia, Spain.
- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Pepe Viyuela was born on 2 June 1963 in Logroño, La Rioja, Spain. He is an actor and writer, known for Aída (2005), La gran aventura de Mortadelo y Filemón (2003) and Matadero (2019). He is married to Elena González. They have two children.- Benito Pocino was born in 1958 in Barcelona, Spain. He is an actor, known for La gran aventura de Mortadelo y Filemón (2003), Historias de la puta mili (1994) and Flying Saucers (2003).
- Andrés Pazos was born on 16 July 1945 in Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. He was an actor, known for Whisky (2004), ¿Quién dice que es fácil? (2007) and El rey del río (1995). He died on 14 January 2010 in Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain.
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Sergi López is a Spanish actor, whose specialty is villains of all types but whose range also includes dramatizing romantic and comedic roles with equal mastery. He was born outside of Barcelona in the seaside town of Villanova i la Geltrú on December 22nd, 1965. As a youth he was inclined towards the performance arts and headed to France for further studies in the field. In 1991 he auditioned for French director Manuel Poirier who was so impressed with Sergi that he gave him the lead role in "Western." Poirier and López continued to collaborate on "La Petite-Amie d'Antonio," "La Campagne," "Attention Fragile," and "Marion" in subsequent years. Sergi often played the charming Spanish immigrant lost in France in Poirier's films.
Sergi's career was actually cemented in France that catapulted him to public recognition, while Spain was still relatively oblivious to her talented son until 1997. In 1997 Sergi appeared in Catalan auteur Ventura Pons' "Caricies" that also showcased Spain's finest actors. He spoke Catalan in the role. After "Caricies" Sergi appeared in Spanish cinema more frequently such as in "Entre las piernas" with Spanish mega-stars Javier Bardem and Victoria Abril and in "Lisboa" with Spanish legend Carmen Maura. Sergi was then offered plum roles both in France and Spain and split time traveling back and forth between his adopted nation and native motherland.
In 2001 he won the César for his role in Dominick Moll's "Harry, Un Ami Qui Vous Veut du Bien." This role came to define his mastery on villainous roles which continued in "Solo Mia" with Paz Vega as his battered wife, Stephen Frears' "Dirty Pretty Things" with Chiwetel Ejiofor and Audrey Tautou as his scared pawns, and Guillermo del Toro's "El Laberinto del Fauno" with post-Civil Spain as playground for his Vidal's sadism.
However, not all is dark villainy in Sergi's most recognized and praised thespian filmography. Sergi also displayed his comedic talents in "Hombre Felices" and "Janis et John."
With such range, talent, and skill, it is no wonder horror master and aficionado Guillermo del Toro said he is "in love" with Sergi's work and insisted on casting him as the stone-cold killer Captain Vidal despite Spanish producers' misgivings. Let us hope that, despite wider international exposure, Sergi continues to retain his unique avant-gardeness and participate only in projects that do his talent justice.- Actor
- Director
- Additional Crew
Lluís Homar was born on 20 April 1957 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Broken Embraces (2009), Eva (2011) and Bad Education (2004).- Actor
- Producer
- Script and Continuity Department
Óscar Jaenada was born on 4 May 1975 in Esplugues de Llobregat, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for The Losers (2010), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011) and Cantinflas (2014).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Javier Godino was born in Spain, he has worked in both Spanish and international film and TV productions (from Argentina, Mexico, UK, US, Colombia, Belgium, France...), musicals and theatre plays.
In 2009, he played an important role in Juan José Campanella's film The Secret in Their Eyes (winner of the Academy Award for Best Film in a Foreign Language): the sinister Isidoro Gomez. He played an Argentinian for the first time and shared the lead with Ricardo Darín and Soledad Villamil. He also starred in Sound of freedom, Advantages of travelling by train, Everybody has a plan, Into the night...
On stage, he was one of the protagonists in Mecano's Hoy No Me Puedo Levantar, 2005. It went on to become Spain's longest running and highest selling musical. Godino's portrayal of the character of Colate received rave reviews.
He has worked with filmmakers like Viggo Mortensen, Ricardo Darín, J. J. Campanella, Hugh Jackman, Ewan Mc Gregor, Jim Caviezel, John Madden, Julian Sands, José Sacristán, Inma Cuesta, Asier Etxeandía, Bill Camp, Leonardo Sbaraglia, Elvira Mínguez, Miguel Ángel Solá, Carla Quevedo, among others.
He has starred in multiple Theatre and Musical plays, for whom he recorded several songs as a lead singer, he also created the band The Wyest. He likes to spend time writing music, screenplays and wants to become a movie director.- Celso Bugallo was born in 1947 in Vilalonga, Pontevedra, Galicia, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Sea Inside (2004), El grifo (2010) and The Good Boss (2021).
- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Composer
Manolo Solo was born in 1964 in Algeciras, Cádiz, Spain. He is an actor and composer, known for Pan's Labyrinth (2006), Marshland (2014) and Biutiful (2010).- Actor
- Producer
- Writer
Antonio Banderas, one of Spain's most famous faces, was a soccer player until breaking his foot at the age of fourteen; he is now an international movie star known for playing Zorro in the eponymous movie series.
He was born José Antonio Domínguez Banderas on August 10, 1960, in Málaga, Andalusia, Spain. His father, Jose Dominguez, was a policeman in the Spanish civil guards. His mother, Doña Ana Banderas Gallego, was a school teacher. Young Banderas was brought up a Roman Catholic. He wanted to play soccer professionally and made much success playing for his school team until the age of 14, albeit his dream ended when he broke his foot. At that time, he developed a passion for theatre after seeing the stage production of "Hair". Banderas began his acting studies at the School of Dramatic Arts in Málaga, and made his acting debut at a small theatre in Málaga. He was arrested by the Spanish police for performance in a play by Bertolt Brecht, because of political censorship under the rule of General Francisco Franco. Banderas spent a whole night at the police station, he had three or four such arrests while he was working with a small theatre troupe that toured all over Spain and was giving performances in small town theatres and on the street.
In 1979, at age 19, he moved to Madrid in pursuit of an acting career. Being a struggling young actor, he also worked as a waiter and took small modeling jobs. At that time, he joined the troupe at the National Theatre of Spain, becoming the youngest member of the company. Banderas' stage performances caught the attention of movie director Pedro Almodóvar, who cast the young actor in his movie debut Labyrinth of Passion (1982). Banderas and Almodovar joined forces in making innovative and sexually provocative movies during the 1980s. In 1984, Banderas made headlines in Spain with his performance as a gay man, making his first male-to-male on-screen kiss in Almodovar's Law of Desire (1987). Banderas' long and fruitful collaboration with Pedro Almodóvar eventually prepared him for international recognition that came with his work in the Academy Award-nominated film Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988). In 1991, he appeared as an object of Madonna's affection in Madonna: Truth or Dare (1991).
In 1992, Banderas made his Hollywood debut with The Mambo Kings (1992). Because he did not speak English at that time, his dialogue for the movie was taught to him phonetically. Banderas shot to international fame with his sensitive performance as a lover of Tom Hanks' AIDS-infected lawyer in Philadelphia (1993), then played opposite Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt in Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles (1994). Banderas further established himself as one of Hollywood's leading men after co-starring in Evita (1996) opposite Madonna in the title role. In 1998, he won acclaim for his portrayal of Zorro, opposite Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, in The Mask of Zorro (1998). For the role as Zorro, Banderas took training with the Olympic national fencing team in Spain, and practiced his moves with real steel swords, then he used the lighter aluminum swords in the movie. He also took a month-long course of horse-riding before the filming. He later returned to the role in The Legend of Zorro (2005). In 1999, Banderas made his directorial debut in Crazy in Alabama (1999), starring his wife, Melanie Griffith. He received critical acclaim for his portrayal of Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros opposite Salma Hayek in Frida (2002). He voiced Puss in Boots in the Shrek franchise.
Banderas established himself as internationally known Latin heartthrob with charismatic looks, and was chosen as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world by People magazine in 1996. He won numerous awards and nominations for his works in film, including three ALMA awards and three Golden Globe nominations, among many other. From 1996 to 2014, Banderas was married to American actress Melanie Griffith and the couple have one daughter, Stella (born 1996). Outside of his acting profession, Banderas has been a passionate soccer fan and a staunch supporter of the Real Madrid Football Club. He shares time between his two residencies, one in the United States, and one in the South of Spain.- Actor
- Director
Josep Maria Pou was born in 1944 in Mollet del Vallés, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Beloved/Friend (1999), Barcelona (A Map) (2007) and The Sea Inside (2004).- Actor
- Director
- Writer
Raúl Arévalo was born on 22 November 1979 in Móstoles, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for The Fury of a Patient Man (2016), Marshland (2014) and Ghost Graduation (2012).- Actor
- Director
- Producer
Javier Gutiérrez was born on 17 January 1971 in Luanco, Asturias, Spain. He is an actor and director, known for Marshland (2014), The Motive (2017) and Champions (2018).- Actor
- Producer
Luis Bermejo was born in 1969 in Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for Nasdrovia (2020), Magical Girl (2014) and Your Son (2018).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Antonio studied journalism, but he always knew he wanted to be an actor. He worked as a sports journalist in Canal Sur Radio and Television. During this period, he often traveled to Madrid so he could assist to the Cristina Rota acting school. His first role in cinema was in Los peores años de nuestra vida (1994) as Emilio Martínez-Lázaro. He succeeded on TV with Padre Coraje and Lleno, por favor. He is known for acting in a lot of Spanish short films. He has worked many times with Daniel Sánchez Arévalo in these short films. Antonio acted on this director's first film called AzulOscuroCasiNegro (2006), which lead him to win The Goya Award as Best Secondary Actor. Antonio has worked also many times with Álex de la Iglesia as a supporting actor, but it was in 2010 when he had the leading role in Balada triste de trompeta, being nominated to The Goyas Awards. In 2009, he took again the leading role in a Sánchez Arévalo film called Gordos, a comedy. He gained 33 kilos to play his role as Enrique. Because of that character, he was rewarded with his second nomination to The Goyas Awards. During next years he kept acting in Daniel Sánchez Arévalo films, as La isla interior (2009), Lope (2010) and Primos (2011). In December 2008, Antonio starred in a stage play named La taberna fantástica, written by Alfonso Sastre and directed by Gerardo Malla. Later, in 2012, he was nominated to The Goyas Awards as Best Leading Role and as Best Supporting actor for his performances in Grupo 7 and Invasor, winning neither of them. He played the leading role in Raúl Arévalo's debut as a film director in Tarde para la ira in 2016. In 2018, Antonio de la Torre starred in El reino with Mónica López and directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. Antonio received his second The Goya Award as Best Leading Role because of this film.- Actor
- Talent Agent
- Soundtrack
Roberto Álamo was born in 1970 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and talent agent, known for May God Save Us (2016), The Skin I Live In (2011) and Family United (2013).- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Luis Zahera was born on 23 May 1966 in Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Galicia, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for Cell 211 (2009), The Candidate (2018) and The Beasts (2022).- Actor
- Soundtrack
Jose Coronado was born on 14 August 1957 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Body (2012), No Rest for the Wicked (2011) and The Vault (2021).- Actor
- Producer
- Music Department
Javier Bardem belongs to a family of actors that have been working on films since the early days of Spanish cinema.
He was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain, to actress Pilar Bardem (María del Pilar Bardem Muñoz) and businessman José Carlos Encinas Doussinague. His maternal grandparents were actors Rafael Bardem and Matilde Muñoz Sampedro, and his uncle is screenwriter Juan Antonio Bardem. He got his start in the family business, at age six, when he appeared in his first feature, "El picaro" (1974) (A.K.A. The Scoundrel). During his teenage years, he acted in several TV series, played rugby for the Spanish National Team, and toured the country with an independent theatrical group. Javier's early film role as a sexy stud in the black comedy, Jamón, Jamón (1992) (aka Ham Ham) propelled him to instant popularity and threatened to typecast him as nothing more than a brawny sex symbol. Determined to avert a beefcake image, he refused similar subsequent roles and has gone on to win acclaim for his ability to appear almost unrecognizable from film to film. With over 25 movies and numerous awards under his belt, it is Javier's stirring, passionate performance as the persecuted Cuban writer, Reynaldo Arenas, in Before Night Falls (2000) that will long be remembered as his breakthrough role. He received five Best Actor awards and a Best Actor Oscar nomination for his portrayal.- Actor
- Producer
Eduard Fernández was born on 25 August 1964 in Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for El nino (2014), Everybody Knows (2018) and Biutiful (2010).- Amador Arias is known for Fire Will Come (2019) and Versión española (1998).
- Israel Elejalde was born on 10 December 1973 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor, known for Parallel Mothers (2021), Love Above All Things (2016) and Magical Girl (2014).
- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Ricardo Gómez was born on 25 February 1994 in Madrid, Madrid, Spain. He is an actor and producer, known for La Ruta (2022), The Replacement (2021) and Cuéntame cómo pasó (2001).- Óscar de la Fuente was born in 1976 in Valladolid, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Good Boss (2021), The Silence of the Marsh (2019) and The Candidate (2018). He has been married to Esther Ortega since 9 July 2022. They have one child.
- Fernando Albizu was born on 21 September 1963 in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Álava, País Vasco, Spain. He is an actor, known for The Good Boss (2021), It's Tight, but hardly chokes (2017) and Pan's Labyrinth (2006).
- Miguel Herrán was born on 25 April 1996 in Málaga, Málaga, Andalucía, Spain. He is an actor, known for Prison 77 (2022), Money Heist (2017) and Nothing in Return (2015).
- Jordi Pujol Dolcet is known for Alcarràs (2022) and 37 premios Goya (2023).
- Actor
- Soundtrack
Josep Abad is known for Alcarràs (2022), Letter to My Mother for My Son (2022) and Alguna pregunta més? (2004).