Marisa Paredes, the renowned Spanish actress known for her work with director Pedro Almodóvar in films like The Flower of My Secret, All About My Mother, and The Skin I Live In, has passed away at the age of 78. Her death was confirmed by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain, which called her one of the country’s most iconic actresses. She was known for playing strong, complex women who were passionate, broken, and very human.
Pedro Almodóvar expressed his sadness, saying, “It feels like I woke up from a bad dream… I am struggling to accept Marisa’s death.” In Spain, she was affectionately known as “an Almodóvar girl” for her frequent collaborations with him.
Apart from her work with Almodóvar, Paredes also appeared in Life Is Beautiful (1997) as Roberto Benigni’s mother-in-law and in Guillermo del Toro’s The Devil’s Backbone (2001) as the head of an orphanage.
Paredes and Almodóvar first worked together in Dark Habits (1983), where she played the role of Sister Manure. They reunited in High Heels (1991), where she starred as a singer named Becky. She was nominated for a Goya Award for her role in The Flower of My Secret (1995). She also appeared in All About My Mother (1999), Talk to Her (2002), and The Skin I Live In (2011).
Antonio Banderas, who worked with her in The Skin I Live In, wrote on social media, “Heartbroken by the passing of Marisa Paredes, a great lady of acting. Dear friend, you left us too soon.”
Born in Madrid on April 3, 1946, Paredes began her acting career at 14 and gained recognition after her role in Ópera Prima (1980). She received her first Goya nomination for Cara de acelga (1987) and served as president of Spain’s film academy from 2000 to 2003. In 2018, she received an honorary Goya Award.