María Luisa Paredes Bartolomé (3 April 1946 – 17 December 2024), known professionally as Marisa Paredes, was a Spanish actress with a 60-year-long career. She acted in more than 75 films, 80 TV shows, and 15 plays.
Life and career Paredes made her film debut in José María Forqué's 1960 film Police Calling 091. She became a teen idol across Spain after that film. In 1961, she made her début in theatre, and since then she has performed different plays such as Hamlet with Eduard Fernández. In 1975, she and Raphael collaborated in a cartoon film about him, Rafael en Raphael. She has participated in 73 films and television series. She portrayed the leading role of La Peregrina in a television production of Alejandro Casona's La dama del alba.
Pedro Almodóvar helped her to achieve her recognition, as she featured in many of his films, such as Dark Habits (1983), High Heels (1991), The Flower of My Secret (1995), All About My Mother (1999) and The Skin I Live In (2011). For her role in The Flower of My Secret, she was nominated for the Goya Award for Best Actress.
She appeared in several other acclaimed films, including In a Glass Cage (1986) by Agustí Villaronga (Majorca), Life Is Beautiful (1998) by Roberto Benigni (Italy), Deep Crimson (1996) by Arturo Ripstein and The Devil's Backbone (2001) by Guillermo del Toro (both from Mexico).
In 1996, she was given the National Film Award by the Spanish Ministry of Culture. From 2000 to 2003, she was the president of the Academia de las Artes y las Ciencias Cinematográficas de España.
In 2007, she was given at Gijón International Film Festival, a National Film Award named after Nacho Martinez.
In the 1970s, she had a domestic partnership of about seven years with filmmaker Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi, with whom she had one daughter, María Isasi. Between 1983 and her death, she had been in a relationship with Chema Prado.
In 2023, she appeared in a small role as a woman known as "La República" in the Atresplayer series Vestidas de azul.
Paredes died from heart failure in Madrid, on 17 December 2024, at the age of 78.
Her lying in repose was held on the next day at the Teatro Español.
She appeared in a posthumous performance in Emergency Exit, released in 2025.
Selected filmography Year Title Role Notes Awards 1965 El mundo sigue (Life Goes On) Floren 1977El perro (A Dog Called... Vengeance) Guerrillera 1983Entre tinieblas (Dark Habits) Sor Estiércol 1986 Tata mía (Dear Nanny) Paloma 1986 Tras el cristal (In a Glass Cage) Griselda 1987Cara de acelga (Turnip Top) Olga 1989Continental Xulia 1991High Heels Becky del Páramo Sant Jordi Award for Best Spanish Actress, Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actress, Festival de Gramado Award for Best Actress, Spanish Actors and Actresses Union Award for Lead Performance 1992La reina anónima (The Anonymous Queen) Desconocida 1992Hors saison (Off Season) Sarah Bernhardt 1992Tierno verano de lujurias y azoteas Olga 1993Tombés du ciel Suzana 1995La flor de mi secreto (The Flower of My Secret) Leocadia Macías / Amanda Gris / Paz Sufrategui Fotogramas de Plata Award for Best Movie Actress, Karlovy Vary IFF Award for Best Actress, Sant Jordi Award for Best Spanish Actress, Premios ACE Award for Best Actress, Nominated—Goya Award for Best Actress 1995La nave de los locos (The Ship of Fools) Julia Márquez 1996Trois vies & une seule mort Maria 1996Deep Crimson (Profundo Carmesi) Irene Gallardo 1997La vita è bella (Life Is Beautiful) Madre di Dora 1998Talk of Angels Doña Consuelo 1999All About My Mother Huma Rojo Premios ACE Award for Best Supporting Actress, Santa Fe Film Critics Circle Award for Best Supporting Actress, Nominated—Russian Guild of Film Critics Award for Best Foreign Actress 1999El coronel no tiene quien le escriba (No One Writes to the Colonel) Lola 2001The Devil's Backbone Carmen 2001Salvajes (Savages) Berta 2004Frío sol de invierno (Cold Winter Sun) Raquel 2005Espelho Mágico (Magic Mirror) Monja 2005Reinas (Queens) Reyes 2009 Amores locos (Mad Love) Ana 2010El dios de madera (The God of Good) María Luisa Silver Biznaga for Best Actress 2010Gigola Odette / Gigola's lover 2011La piel que habito (The Skin I Live In) Marilia 2011Les Yeux de sa mère Judit Canalès 2015Latin Lover Ramona 2018Petra Marisa 2019De sable et de feu Lady Williams 2025Emergency Exit Actriz () Posthumously released
Awards and nominations
Year Award Category Work Result Best Supporting Actress Turnip Top Best Actress The Flower of My Secret Best Film Actress in a Minor Role The Skin I Live In Honorary Award Best Supporting Actress in a Film Petra 11th Gaudí Awards Best Supporting Actress
Screen Actors Guild Awards YearCategoryFilmResult1998 Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Life Is Beautiful
Fotogramas de Plata YearCategoryLabourResult2015All her career2006Best Theatre ActressHamlet1995Best Cinema ActressThe Flower Of My Secret1991High Heels1988Best Theatre LabourOrquídeas a la luz de la luna1968Best Television Performer
Union of Actors Awards YearCategoryFilmResult1995Best Cinema Leading PerformerThe Flower Of My Secret1991High Heels
References
External links