The Goya Award for Best Actress (Spanish: Premio Goya a la mejor interpretación femenina protagonista) is one of the Goya Awards presented annually by the Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain (AACCE) since the awards debuted in 1986. It is given in honor of an actress who has delivered an outstanding leading performance in a Spanish film.
History Since its inception, the award has been given to 26 actresses. At the 1st Goya Awards ceremony held in 1986, Amparo Rivelles was the first winner of this award for her role as Laura in We Must Undo the House.
Carmen Maura has received the most awards in this category with three wins. Other multiple winners are Cecilia Roth, Lola Dueñas, Verónica Forqué, Emma Suárez, Maribel Verdú, and Penélope Cruz, with two wins each. Cruz is the most nominated actress for the award being nominated on twelve occasions. Victoria Abril and Verdú follow in terms of nominations with eight each.
Actresses that won or were nominated for this category have had a significant presence in several film festivals both Spanish and international: Angela Molina (Half of Heaven), Victoria Abril (El Lute: Run for Your Life and Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead), Carmen Maura (Common Wealth), Pilar López de Ayala (Mad Love), Mercedes Sampietro (Common Ground), Laia Marull (Take My Eyes), Blanca Portillo (Seven Billiard Tables), Lola Dueñas (Me Too), Marian Álvarez (Wounded), all have received the Silver Shell for Best Actress at the San Sebastián International Film Festival. Silvia Abascal (The Idiot Maiden), Aura Garrido (Stockholm), Elena Anaya (They Are All Dead), Natalia de Molina (Food and Shelter), Nathalie Poza (Can't Say Goodbye), Kiti Manver (One Careful Owner), Laia Costa (Lullaby), and María Vázquez (Matria), all received the Best Actress award at the Málaga Film Festival. Penélope Cruz received the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for Parallel Mothers and the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for Volver (shared with the female cast).
At the 94th Academy Awards, Cruz was nominated for Best Actress for Parallel Mothers (2021).
As of the 2026 ceremony, Patricia López Arnaiz is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Maite in Sundays.
Winners and nominees In the following table, the years are listed as per the Spanish Film Academy convention, corresponding to year the ceremony was held. + Table key Indicates the winner
1980s
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title 1986 (1st) Laura García Dorita Rosa 1987(2nd) Ana Chamorro The Happy Life Consuelo "Chelo" García Bernarda Alba 1988(3rd) Pepa Marcos Ana AlonsoBaton Rouge Alejandra Barrachina Sor Mercedes Charo 1989 (4th) Grandmother Ramona / Menchu / Aurora Nin Paloma Chusa Pepita Morán The Things of Love
1990s Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title 1990(5th) Carmela Marina Osorio Clara The Most Natural Thing 1991(6th) Carmen Galán Luisa Trini 1992(7th) Violeta Belle Époque Silvia Adela de Otero 1993(8th) Kika Ana Lisa / Sofía 1994(9th) Yoli Desideria Oliván Charo 1995(10th) Gloria Duque María Antarctica Leo Macías 1996(11th) Diana Ángela Márquez Palmira Gadea 1997(12th) Alicia Marina Lola The Color of the Clouds 1998(13th) Macarena Granada Lucrecia Richmond Ana Carmen López 1999(14th) Manuela Coleman Isabel Black Tears Berta Gloria
2000s
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title 2000(15th) Julia García Leo Julia Susana Grey Plenilune 2001(16th) Joanna of Castile Lola Nevado Grace Stewart Angela 2002(17th) Liliana Rovira Andrea Ágata Nobody's Life Elvira 2003(18th) Pilar Pérez Villar Lola Cercas Amparo Ann 2004(19th) Rosa María Zambrano Hortensia Ocaña Things That Make Living Worthwhile Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena Italia 2005(20th) Caye Pilar Ana Hard Times Irene Something to Remember Me By 2006(21st) Raimunda Finea Paula Mercedes 2007(22nd) Ángela Montero Laura García Charo Gil Nines 2008(23rd) Gloria Usaola Isa My Prison Yard Aurora Rodríguez Elena Vadillo 2009(24th) Laura Valiente Magdalena Rivas Miranda Hypatia
2010s
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title 2010(25th) Florència Alba Alícia Julia Levin / Sara 2011(26th) Vera Cruz / Gal Ledgard Laia Luisa Gómez Hortensia Rodríguez 2012(27th) Encarna Gemma Mercè María Bennet 2013(28th) Ana Ruth Belloso Ella Geni Moncada We All Want What's Best for Her 2014(29th) Bárbara Sara Marseille Marsella Montse Lupe They Are All Dead 2015(30th) Rocío Gómez The Bride Magda Josephine Peary 2016(31st) Julieta Arcos Macarena Granada María Funes Rosa The Open Door 2017(32nd) Carla Miralles Florence Green Virginia Vallejo Carmen 2018(33rd) Anabel Barnuevo Lila Cassen Laura Estrella Aranda 2019(34th) Rosa Domínguez Jacinta Sara Garrido Elena
2020s
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title 2020(35th) Lide Sagasti Ana Ibarguren Lola Cruz Rosa Román 2021(36th) Maixabel Lasa Berta María Janis Martínez Moreno 2022(37th) Amaia Olga Denis As bestas Julia Wild Flowers Girasoles silvestres Alice Gould God's Crooked Lines Los renglones torcidos de Dios Elena Cork Suro2023(38th) Lucía Something Is About to Happen Que nadie duerma Ane 20.000 especies de abejas Ramona Conchita Jokes & Cigarettes Saben aquell Nat Un amor 2024(39th) Mónica / Arantxa Undercover La infiltrada Montse A House on Fire Casa en flames Ingrid Parker La habitación de al lado Martha Hunt Isabel Glimmers Los destellos2025(40th) Maite Sundays Los domingos Alexandra Fury La furia Delia Los Tortuga Eva My Friend Eva Mi amiga Eva Amaia She Walks in Darkness Un fantasma en la batalla
Multiple wins and nominations
The following individuals received two or more Best Actress awards:
Wins Actress 3 Carmen Maura 2 Cecilia Roth Lola Dueñas Verónica Forqué Emma Suárez Maribel Verdú Penélope Cruz Patricia López Arnaiz
The following individuals received three or more Best Actress nominations: Nominations Actress12 Penélope Cruz8 Victoria Abril Maribel Verdú6 Emma Suárez5 Carmen Maura Ariadna Gil4 Ana Belén Adriana Ozores Patricia López Arnaiz3 Elena Anaya Inma Cuesta Lola Dueñas Verónica Forqué Bárbara Lennie Ángela Molina Nora Navas
References
External links Official site