Maribel Verdú

Early life

Verdú was born in Madrid, Spain. She began acting at 13, appearing in various commercials. She left school at the age of 15 so she could fully devote herself to her acting career. Verdú has appeared in more than 60 movies since 1984, the majority of them in Spanish. She has also been in numerous TV shows.

Career

Her first experience was as a model in spots and fashion magazines by known commercial firms. Her first television opportunity was given to her at the age of 13 by Vicente Aranda in The Crime of Captain Sánchez.

It was 27 Hours, by Montxo Armendáriz, about a girl who is a drug addict, that was one of the most powerful experiences in her life up to that point. It was the film where others started to notice her. A little after this film other more important films started coming her way, which included La Estanquera de Vallecas by Eloy de la Iglesia and El Año de las Luces by Fernando Trueba.

Later Verdú said that her role in Amantes by Vicente Aranda marked a turning point in her screen career and has brought about a maturity as a performer. Thereafter she has worked with some of the best Spanish directors: José Luis Garci in Canción de Cuna; Bigas Luna in Huevos de Oro; again with Trueba in the Oscar-nominated Belle Époque; Emilio Martínez-Lázaro in Carreteras Secundarias; Carlos Saura en Goya en Burdeos; Gonzalo Suárez in El Portero and Oviedo Express, amongst others. On the international stage, her career hit a highpoint when she starred in Y Tu Mamá También by Alfonso Cuarón, followed by Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro. Following the movie Pan's Labyrinth Verdú has been invited to be a part of the Academy in Hollywood. Maribel also stars in a music video named Lola Soledad, by 16 time Latin Grammy Awards winner, Alejandro Sanz in 2010.

She made her theater debut in 1986 starring as the character of Julieta and has since then combined theater with cinema. She has also intertwined the two in television shows such as Turno de Oficio and Segunda Enseñanza.

Awards

Verdú has been nominated for the Goya Award on seven occasions. Her first nomination came with the film Amantes by Vicente Aranda, eventually losing to Sílvia Munt for her role in Alas de Mariposa. Her second nomination came for her casting role in The Celestine by Gerardo Vera but lost again to Mari Carrillo for Más Alla del Jardín. In La Buena Estrella by Ricardo Franco she achieved her third nomination, ultimately losing to Cecilia Roth in Martín Hache. In 2006 she received her fourth nomination with Pan's Labyrinth by Guillermo del Toro, losing yet again to Penélope Cruz. Finally, on her fifth nomination, she won the Goya Award for Seven Billiard Tables. Apart from her Goya Award, Verdú possesses two Ondas Awards and two Silver Frame awards (between 7 nominations) as Best Television Actress for the series Canguros and as Best Actress for The Blind Sunflowers by José Luis Cuerda, for which she also received her sixth Goya nomination. The following year she would be nominated again for the film Tetro by Francis Ford Coppola.

She is also the only Spanish actress to win the Ariel Award in Mexico as Best Actress for Pan's Labyrinth.

Maribel Verdú has also been close to awards in category A film festivals, such as the Berlin International Film Festival. In 1991 Verdú's casting partner, Victoria Abril, raised the Silver Bear for Best Actress in Amantes. In 2007, in the San Sebastián International Film Festival another casting partner of Verdú, Blanca Portillo, took the award for Best Actress in Seven Billiard Tables.

Personal life

Verdú is married to Pedro Larrañaga, son of actors Carlos Larrañaga and María Luisa Merlo.