María del Carmen García Maura (born 15 September 1945) is a Spanish actress. In a career that has spanned seven decades, she has starred in films such as Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, ¡Ay Carmela!, Common Wealth, and Volver. With three wins, she holds the record for most Goya Awards for Best Actress (for a total of four wins). She also won a Cesar Award in 2012 and a Cannes Film Festival Award in 2006.
Early life Carmen García Maura was born in Madrid on 15 September 1945 to Salvador García y Santa-Cruz and Carmen Maura y Arenzana. Her great-grandfather was the Count of Fuente Nueva de Arenzana, who lived in the Palace of Arenzana in Madrid, currently the embassy of France. Her great grandfather from her mother's side was artist , brother of statesman Antonio Maura.
Maura studied philosophy and literature at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. From 1964 to 1970, she was married to lawyer Francisco Forteza, with whom she has two children, Carmen and Pablo. Later she had a long relationship with Antonio Moreno Rubio, that ended in 1995 when she discovered he had defrauded her, causing bankruptcy.
Career Maura began her career as a cabaret singer. Maura's film career was launched in 1970 with an appearance in the film The Man in Hiding. This was followed by a major role in the 1977 film Tigres de papel. Although Maura has played dramatic roles, she is often noted for her comedic roles in films like Sal gorda (1984), Sé infiel y no mires con quién (1985) or Tata mía (1986).
Maura appeared in the first film by Pedro Almodóvar, Pepi, Luci, Bom y otras chicas del montón, in 1980. They went on to collaborate on five additional films in the 1980s, the last of which was Women on The Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), for which she was awarded the European Film Award "Felix" for best actress.
Maura and Almodóvar appeared to have had a falling out after Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown.Joe Meyers, Connecticut Post (2007-09-02). Almodovar box set a must for film buffs . Retrieved on 2008-06-14. They did not work together for over a decade, but joined forces again in 2006 for Volver. 'Volver' means 'Return' in Spanish, and one of the many returns the title alludes to is Maura's return to Almodovar's movies. The female cast of "Volver" won a collective prize for Best Actress at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.
Maura also appeared in 800 Bullets where she played the mother of the boy who is the main character of the story. Kevin Severson is her son.
Maura is cited as a gay icon for the role of a transgender person that she played in Almodóvar's Law of Desire,The Guardian (August 13, 2006). 'Sex was my way of coping with death' (interview with Pedro Almodóvar). Retrieved on 2008-06-14. strengthening her image as a strong woman who is not afraid to break through boundaries.
Maura has won more Goya Awards for Best Leading Actress than any other actress in the history of Spanish film. She won the "Locarno Excellence Award" in 2007 for the entirety of her cinematographic career.
Maura has worked with major directors like Almodovar, Francis Ford Coppola, Amos Gitai, Yasmina Reza, Alejandro Agresti, Carlos Saura, Étienne Chatiliez and Álex de la Iglesia.
Filmography Film YearFilmRoleDirectorOther notes1969El espíritu Billy Juan Tamariz(Short) 1971The Man in HidingBelén Alfonso Ungríabilled as Carmen G. MauraMantis Luis Mamerto López-Tapia(Short)1973Un casto varón españolProfesora de MúsicaJaime de Armiñán El asesino está entre los trece Javier Aguirre1974Tanata Luis Mamerto López-Tapia 1975Leonor Juan Luis BuñuelEl love ferozMaría José José Luis García Sánchez(billed as Carmen G. Maura) La encadenada (A Diary of a Murderess)Nun Manuel Mur Oti Vida íntima de un seductor cínicoMujer de Jorge Javier Aguirre 1976 El libro de buen amor IIVirtuosa Jaime Bayarri La mujer es cosa de hombresManolita Jesús Yagüe Una pareja como las demás Miguel Ángel Díez(Short) Ir por lana Miguel Ángel Díez(Short) Pomporrutas imperiales Fernando Colomo(Short) The Request Chica que se insinua a Julián Pilar Miró1977 Carmen - ex-mujer de Juan Fernando Colomo1978 Blindfolded Eyes Nurse Carlos Saura Miguel Ángel Díez Pedro Almodóvar Mi blanca Varsovia Javier Quintana(Short) What's a Girl Like You Doing in a Place Like This?RosaFernando Colomo Menos mi madre y mi hermana Jaime Villate (Short) 1979 Café, amor y estereofonía Tal vez mañana... 1980 Gary Cooper, Who Art in Heaven BegoñaPilar Miró With Mercedes Sampietro Rosa Fernando Méndez Leite Pepi, Luci, Bom and Other Girls on the HeapPepi Pedro Almodóvar1982 Femenino singularLuisa Matas Juanjo López1983 Jimena Angelino Fons Dark HabitsSor Perdida Pedro AlmodóvarWith Marisa Paredes, Chus Lampreave and Julieta Serrano 1984 What Have I Done to Deserve This?Gloria With Ángel de Andrés López, Kiti Manver and Chus Lampreave Presentadora T.V. Fernando Trueba 1985 Be Wanton and Tread No ShameCarmen With Ana Belén, Santiago Ramos, Antonio Resines, Verónica Forqué and Chus Lampreave Outside the WallsSor Ana Miguel Picazo 1986 Dear Nanny Elvira José Luis Borau With Imperio Argentina, Alfredo Landa and Miguel Rellán Delirios de amorCarmen Cristina Andreu, Luis Eduardo Aute, Antonio González-Vigil and Félix Rotaeta (segment "Delirio 3", uncredited) MatadorJulia Pedro Almodóvar With Assumpta Serna and Antonio Banderas 1987 Law of DesireTina Quintero With Eusebio Poncela and Antonio Banderas 1988Women on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownPepa (Goya Award winning) with Antonio Banderas, Julieta Serrano and María Barranco 2.30 A.M. (Short) 1989 Bâton Rouge Isabel Harris Rafael Moleón With Victoria Abril and Antonio Banderas1990 ¡Ay, Carmela!Carmela Carlos Saura (Goya Award winning) with Andrés Pajares and Gabino Diego 1991 ChatarraZabú Félix Roteta Carmen Ana Belén With Antonio Resines 1992 The Anonymous QueenAna Luz Gonzalo Suárez With Marisa Paredes Between Heaven and Earth Maria Garcia Marion Hänsel aka Between Heaven and Earth 1993 Shadows in a ConflictAna Mario Camus Goya Award Nominated with Tito Valverde Louis, the Child King Anne d'Autriche Roger Planchon 1994 Carmen Enrique Urbizu 1995 Happiness Is in the FieldDolores Thivart Étienne ChatiliezFrench title Le bonheur est dans le pré The Lame PigeonTía Victoria Jaime de Armiñánaka The Lame Pigeon Pareja de tresAna Antoni Verdaguer With Rosa María Sardá King of the RiverCarmen Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón 1996 Amores que matanConsuelo Juan Manuel Chumilla With Juanjo Puigcorbé 1997 WomenLinda Luís Galvao Teles Geneviève Lechat Jean-Pierre Mocky Tortilla y cinema Carmen Maura, the movie star Martin Provost Vivir después Carlos Galettini 1998 Alice and MartinJeanine André Téchiné 1999 LisbonBerta Antonio Hernández Goya Award Nominated, with Sergi López and Federico Luppi 2000 La comunidadJulia Alex de la Iglesia Goya Award and Silver Seashell Award-winning 2001 The Hold-UpMaite Eva Lesmes aka The Hold-Up, with Adriana Ozores, Maribel Verdú and Malena Alterio 2002 800 BulletsLaura Alex de la Iglesia With Sancho Gracia and Terele Pávez ValentínAbuela Alejandro Agresti 2003 The Pact of SilenceMother Emmanuelle Graham Guit Julia 2004 Entre vivir y soñarAna David Albacente and Alfonso Menkes aka Searching for Love Al otro ladoEsperanza Gustavo Loza La promesa Celia With Ana Fernández 2005 Free ZoneMrs. Breitberg Amos Gitai With Natalie Portman QueensMagda Manuel Gómez Pereira With Marisa Paredes, Verónica Forqué and Mercedes Sampietro 2006 VolverIrene Pedro Almodóvar 2007 Que parezca un accidentePilar Guillermo de la Guardia The Lesser EvilJulia Antonio Hernández 2008 La Virgen NegraSra. Isabel Ignacio Castillo The Garden of Eden Madame Aurol John Irvin 2009 TetroAlone Francis Ford Coppola 2010 Le Mac La mère Pascal Bourdiaux Chicas Pilar Yasmina Reza 2011 Let My People Go! Rachel Mikael Buch 2012 Paulette Maria Jérôme Enrico 2013 Witching & Bitching Graciana Alex de la Iglesia 2015 Vanity Esperanza Lionel Baier 2019 In Family I Trust Ángela Patricia Font 2020 Chasing Wonders Maribel Paul Meins 2021 Veneza Gringa Miguel Falabella 2025 Calle Malaga Maria Angeles Maryam Touzani 2025 Crazy Old Lady Alicia Martín Mauregui
Television YearWorkRole Other notes1966–78 Anthology series, 3 episodes1972 Carmen / Camarera / Leonor Anthology series, 3 episodes Gabriela TV series, 1 episode (billed as Carmen García Maura)1972–73 Tres eran tres Srta. Cecilia / Sra. de Luzuriaga TV series, 3 episodes1973 Nuria TV series, 1 episode1973–82 Estudio 1 Julia / Manola / Flor Anthology series, 5 episodes1974 Almudena / Luisa Boronat TV series, 4 episodes Patricia Roca TV series, 2 episodesDon JuanDoña InésTV special by Antonio Mercero1974–77 Elisa & Tessa (1974)Melibea (1974)Dª Garoza (1974)La Dama Encinta (1976)Eugenia Grandet (1977)Anthology series, 5 episodes1975 El quinto jinete Sara TV series, 1 episode Casilda Anthology series, 2 episodes Herself, host Talent show, unaired pilot1975–76 El teatro Cristina / Leonor Anthology series, 2 episodes1976 Pilar TV series, 1 episode1978 Curro JiménezMisterios TV series, 1 episode 1980 Teatro breve Anthology series, 1 episode1981 Constanza TV series, 5 episodes (uncredited)1981–82 Naïve interviewer Talk show, 44 episodes1984 La Calderona Anthology series, 1 episode1985 La huella del crimen Higinia Balaguer Anthology series, 1 episode 1989 Anna TV movie1990 Marisa Novoa Anthology series, 1 episode1996 Une mère en colère Rosa TV movie1998–99 Olga TV series, 65 episodes 1999 Famosos y familia Sara Luján TV series, 4 episodes 2003 Arroz y tartana Doña Manuela de Fora TV miniseries2006 Mentir un peu Mme Jacquet TV movie2007 Círculo rojo Victoria Villalobos TV series, 12 episodes2009 A Saint's War La révérende mère TV movie2010 Rosa TV series, 26 episodesSpanish version of The Golden Girls in the role of Rose Nylund2012 Lucía Piqueras TV series, 13 episodes Carta a Eva Paca TV Mini-Series, 2 episodes2013 Hélène TV series, 25 episodes2015 Águila Roja Olivia, duquesa de Fournier TV series, 2 episodes (uncredited)2018 Asesinato en el Hormiguero Express Herself (TV Short) 2020 Someone Has to Die Amparo Falcón Limited series, 3 episodes2021 Deudas Pepa Carranza TV series, 13 episodes 2024 Land of Women Julia TV series, 6 episodes
Awards and nominations
Cannes Film Festival YearNominated workCategoryResult2006VolverBest Actress
César Award YearNominated workCategoryResult1996Happiness Is in the FieldBest Supporting Actress2012The Women on the 6th Floor
European Film Awards YearNominated workCategoryResult1988Women on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownBest Actress1990¡Ay Carmela!2018Lifetime Achievement Award
Goya Awards YearNominated workCategoryResult1989Women on the Verge of a Nervous BreakdownBest Actress1991¡Ay Carmela!1994Shadows in a Conflict2000Lisbon2001Common Wealth2007VolverBest Supporting Actress
Locarno Festival YearCategoryResult2007Locarno Excellence Award
San Sebastián International Film Festival YearNominated workCategoryResult2000Common WealthBest Actress
Silver Condor Awards YearNominated workCategoryResult 2004ValentínBest Supporting Actress
Fotogramas de Plata 2007-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for Volver (2006) 2001-Won: Best Movie Actress for La comunidad (2000). 1999-Won: Best TV Actress for A las once en casa (1998). 1994-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for Sombras en una batalla (1993) 1993-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for "La reina anónima" and also Entre el cielo y la tierra (1992) 1991-Won: Best Movie Actress for ¡Ay Carmela! (1990) 1991-Nominated: Best TV Actress for La mujer de tu vida (1990) 1989-Won: Best Movie Actress for Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (1988) 1988-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for La ley del deseo (1987) 1987-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for Tata mía (1986) and also Matador (1986) 1986-Nominated: Best Movie Actress for Sé infiel y no mires con quién (1985) and Extramuros (1985) 1985-Won: Best Movie Actress for ¿Qué he hecho yo para merecer esto? (1984)