Marisa Paredes, an iconic figure of Spanish cinema, left us on December 17, 2024, at the age of 78. Muse of Pedro Almodóvar, she lit up the screen with her unique talent, imbued with grace and strength. With a career marked by more than 75 films, she leaves behind a memorable artistic legacy.
A Vocation Against All Odds
Born on April 3, 1946, in Madrid, Marisa Paredes turned to theater at a very young age, defying the will of her working-class father. At 15, she joined the Madrid Conservatory of Dramatic Art. She took to the stage for the first time in 1961 in Esta noche tampoco by José López Rubio. This would be the beginning of a long love affair with theater, which she never abandoned, even at the height of her cinematic glory.
Marisa did not just follow the beaten path. She imposed herself through her talent and perseverance, quickly becoming a rising figure of the 1970s and 1980s. In 1988, she earned a nomination at the Goya Awards for her role in Cara de acelga.
The Decisive Encounter with Pedro Almodóvar
It was in 1983, in the midst of the Movida madrileña, that Marisa Paredes crossed paths with Pedro Almodóvar. The director cast her in Dark Habits, where she played an eccentric nun. Their collaboration became legendary. Marisa became the filmmaker’s muse, embodying roles of complex and tormented divas.
In 1991, she shone in High Heels, where she played Becky del Páramo, a singer with a troubled past. The iconic scene where she performs Piensa en mí in front of a red curtain has entered cinema history. Pedro Almodóvar, impressed by her ability to blend fragility and intensity, offered her other significant roles: a depressive novelist in The Flower of My Secret (1995), an admired actress in All About My Mother (1999), and a poignant appearance in Talk to Her (2002). Their last collaboration was in 2011, with The Skin I Live In.
An Actress of a Thousand Faces
While Marisa Paredes’ name is inseparable from Almodóvar’s, she ventured far beyond. She worked with Guillermo del Toro in The Devil’s Backbone (2001), a drama mixing horror and history under the Francoist dictatorship. With Manoel de Oliveira, she explored spirituality in The Magic Mirror. In Italy, she participated in the triumph of Life Is Beautiful by Roberto Benigni.
In France, her charisma inspired Philippe Lioret in Lost in Transit (1993) and Thierry Klifa in His Mother’s Eyes (2011), alongside Catherine Deneuve. Her taste for bold and demanding roles made her a respected actress on the international stage.
An Engaged and Honored Figure
Marisa Paredes did not just act. Between 2000 and 2003, she presided over the Spanish Film Academy, where she defended cultural diversity and the independence of artists. In 2018, she received an Honorary Goya for her entire career, cementing her essential role in the Spanish cinematic heritage.
Anecdotes and Memories of an Icon
Her humor and sincerity were legendary. On set, she liked to repeat: “The hardest thing for an actress is not to cry, but to remain silent when everything inside her screams.” Pedro Almodóvar, touched by her passing, shared on social media: “Marisa taught me freedom. She embodied the very soul of Spanish cinema.”
During the presentation of All About My Mother, she confided with a smile: “This role was me, in my truth and my lies.”
A Loss That Marks Cinema
Marisa Paredes, with her intense gaze and deep voice, marked generations. She leaves behind a rich and vibrant body of work, traversing human emotions with rare sincerity. The curtain has fallen, but her image remains, forever etched in memory.
Spanish cinema loses one of its most beautiful souls. Farewell, Marisa. Buenas noches, Madrid.
