Victoria Mérida Rojas (born 4 July 1959), better known as Victoria Abril, is a Spanish film actress and singer based in France. She is possibly best known to international audiences for her performance in the film Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! by director Pedro Almodóvar.

Victoria Abril
Born
Victoria Mérida Rojas

(1959-07-04) 4 July 1959 (age 65)
Occupation(s)Actress and singer
Years active1974–present
Spouses
PartnerGérard de Battista
AwardsSilver Bear for Best Actress
1991 Amantes
Goya Award for Best Actress
1995 Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead

Life and career

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Born in Malaga, Abril became widely known in Spain in 1976 when she appeared in the show Un, dos, tres... responda otra vez for two years. In addition to working in Spain, she has made films in France, Italy, and Iceland. She has been nominated eight times for Goya Awards in the Lead Actress category and has won once. She also won the Silver Bear for Best Actress at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival for her role in Amantes.[1] Two years later, she was awarded with the Berlinale Camera at the 43rd Berlin International Film Festival.[2]

 
Victoria Abril performing on stage in 2006.

Abril is also a singer. In 2005, she made her debut with a bossanova-jazz album called PutchEros do Brasil. She also tried to represent Spain in the Eurovision Song Contest 1979 with "Bang-Bang-Bang", but Betty Missiego was chosen instead.

Personal life

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On 28 July 1977, Abril married Gustavo Laube, former footballer of the Chile national football team. The couple separated in early 1982.

Abril has two sons with the French director Gérard de Battista. She lives in France, where she has resided since 1982.[3]

Filmography

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Victoria Abril at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival.
Year Title Role Director Notes
1974 Los libros Ramón Gómez Redondo TV series (1 Episode)
1976 Robin and Marian Queen Isabella Richard Lester
Storia di arcieri, pugni e occhi neri Anne Birdsley Tonino Ricci
1977 Change of Sex José María Vicente Aranda
Foul Play Lolita Juan Antonio Bardem
Esposa y amante Marisa Angelino Fons
Doña Perfecta Rosario César Fernández Ardavín
Caperucita y Roja Caperucita Aitor Goirocelaya & Luis Revenga
Obsesión Angelines Francisco Lara Polop
1978 El hombre que supo amar Amelia Miguel Picazo
1979 La barraca Roseta León Klimovsky TV series (9 Episodes)
1980 Girl with the Golden Panties Mariana Vicente Aranda (2)
Mieux vaut être riche et bien
portant que fauché et mal foutu
Mercedes Max Pécas
Mater amatísima Clara José Antonio Salgot
Le cœur à l'envers The hostess Franck Apprederis
1981 Comin' at Ya! Abilene Ferdinando Baldi
La batalla del porro Violeta Joan Minguell
1982 Murder in the Central Committee Carmela Vicente Aranda (3)
La colmena Julita Mario Camus
La guérilléra Bárbara Périsson Pierre Kast
La casa del paraíso Victoria Santiago San Miguel
Entre paréntesis Abilene Simó Fàbregas &
Gustavo Montiel Pagés
Estudio 1 Elena Miguel Lluch TV series (1 Episode)
1983 Moon in the Gutter Bella Jean-Jacques Beineix Nominated – César Award for Best Supporting Actress
No Trace of Sin María da Luz / Lucilia José Fonseca e Costa
J'ai épousé une ombre Fifo Robin Davis
Le bâtard Betty Bertrand Van Effenterre
1984 Bicycles Are for the Summer Manolita Jaime Chávarri
La noche más hermosa Elena Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón Sant Jordi Awards – Best Spanish Actress
On the Line Engracia José Luis Borau
L'addition Patty Denis Amar Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Nominated – César Award for Best Supporting Actress
Le voyage Véronique Michel Andrieu
Sous le signe du poisson Antoinette Pierre Zucca TV movie
1985 Padre nuestro Cardenala Francisco Regueiro ADIRCAE Award – Best Performer
The Witching Hour Saga Jaime de Armiñán
After Darkness Pascale Dominique Othenin-Girard
& Sergio Guerraz
Rouge-gorge Marguerite Pierre Zucca (2)
Los pazos de Ulloa Nucha / Manolita Gonzalo Suárez TV Mini-Series
Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best TV Performer
La huella del crimen María Luisa Noguerol Vicente Aranda (4) TV series (1 Episode: "Captain Sánchez's Crime")
1986 Tiempo de Silencio Dorita Vicente Aranda (5) Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Max, Mon Amour Maria Nagisa Oshima
Nuit d'ivresse Jugnot's wife Bernard Nauer
1987 El Lute: Run for Your Life Chelo Vicente Aranda (6) San Sebastián International Film Festival – Best Actress
TP de Oro – Best Actress
ADIRCAE Award – Best Performance
Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
Law of Desire Girl with Juan Pedro Almodóvar
Ternosecco Brigida Giancarlo Giannini
Uptown Verónica José Luis García Berlanga Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
1988 Without Fear or Blame Jeanne Gérard Jugnot
El juego más divertido Ada / Sara Emilio Martínez-Lázaro Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Baton Rouge Ana Alonso Rafael Monleón Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
El placer de matar The Merche Félix Rotaeta
Ada dans la jungle Carmen Gérard Zingg
1989 If They Tell You I Fell Ramona Vicente Aranda (7) Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Cinematografia de la Generalitat de Catalunya – Best Actress
Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! Marina Osorio Pedro Almodóvar (2) Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
1990 Sandino [es] Blanca Arauz Miguel Littín Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
A solas contigo Gloria Eduardo Campoy
Riders of the Dawn Marian Vicente Aranda (8) TV Mini-Series
Festival de Programmes Audiovisuels – Golden FIPA
Nominated – TP de Oro – Best Actress
La mujer de tu vida Bel Emilio Martínez-Lázaro (2) TV series (1 Episode)
1991 Lovers Luisa Vicente Aranda (9) Berlin Film Festival Award for Best Actress
ADIRCAE Award – Best Actress
Turia Award – Best Actress
Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
High Heels Rebeca Giner Pedro Almodóvar (3) Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Une époque formidable... Juliette Gérard Jugnot (2)
1992 Demasiado corazón (Too Much Heart) Ana & Clara Duque Eduardo Campoy (2)
1993 Kika Andrea Caracortada Pedro Almodóvar (4) Association of Latin Entertainment Critics – Best Actress
Intruder Luisa Vicente Aranda (10) Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
1994 Jimmy Hollywood Lorraine de la Peña Barry Levinson
Casque bleu Alicia Gérard Jugnot (3)
1995 Nobody Will Speak of Us When
We're Dead
Gloria Duque Agustín Díaz Yanes Goya Award for Best Actress
Ondas Award for Best Actress
San Sebastián International Film Festival – Best Actress
Spanish Actors Union – Film : Lead Performance
Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
French Twist Loli Josiane Balasko
1996 Libertarias Floren Vicente Aranda (11)
1997 La femme du cosmonaute Anna Jacques Monnet
1999 Between Your Legs Miranda Manuel Gómez Pereira
Mon père, ma mère, mes frères
et mes sœurs
Anne Charlotte de Turckheim
2000 101 Reykjavík Lola Milagros Baltasar Kormákur Nominated – Edda Award for Best Leading Actor or Actress
2001 Don't Tempt Me Lola Nevado Agustín Díaz Yanes (2) Nominated – European Film Award for Best European Actress
Nominated – Goya Award for Best Actress
Nominated – Fotogramas de Plata – Best Movie Actress
Nominated – Spanish Actors Union – Film : Lead Performance
Our Tropical Island Sabina Marcello Cesena
2002 Et après? Laura Mohamed Ismail
2003 Kaena: The Prophecy The Queen Chris Delaporte & Pascal Pinon
2004 The 7th Day Luciana Carlos Saura Nominated – Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress
Spanish Actors Union – Performance in a Minor Role, Female
Cause toujours ! Jacinthe Jeanne Labrune
Incautos Pilar Miguel Bardem Fantasporto – Best Actress
Escuela de seducción Sandra Vega Javier Balaguer
2005 Les gens honnêtes vivent en France Aurore Langlois Bob Decout
Carne de neón Pura Paco Cabezas Short
2006 Tirant lo Blanc Ines Vicente Aranda (12)
Les aristos Pilar de Malaga Charlotte de Turckheim (2)
Summer Rain The teacher Antonio Banderas
2008 48 heures par jour Anna Catherine Castel
Just Walking Gloria Duque Agustín Díaz Yanes (3)
A Day at the Museum Clara Jean-Michel Ribes
Leur morale... et la nôtre Muriel Florence Quentin
Óscar. Una pasión surrealista Ana Lucas Fernández
Mejor que nunca Isabel Romero Dolores Payás
2009 X Femmes Her Blanca Li TV series (1 Episode)
Myster Mocky présente Jean-Pierre Mocky TV series (1 Episode)
2010 Le grand restaurant Client Gérard Pullicino TV movie
2010–
18
Clem Caroline "Caro" Boissier Joyce Buñuel, Eric Le Roux
& Arnauld Mercadier
TV series (season 1 to 8)
2011 Hospital Central La Polaca José Luis García Berlanga (2) TV series (1 Episode)
Spanish Actors Union – Supporting Performance, Female
La chanson du dimanche Francesca Alexandre Castagnetti TV series (1 Episode)
Les beaux mecs Olga Gilles Bannier TV series (4 Episodes)
2012 Mince alors! Sophie Charlotte de Turckheim (3)
The Woman Who Brushed Off
Her Tears
Helena Teona Strugar Mitevska
2014–15 Sin identidad Fernanda Duque Joan Noguera, Kiko Ruiz
& Jorge Torregrossa
TV series (10 Episodes)
Spanish Actors Union – Supporting Performance, Female
Nominated – Atv Awards – Best Actress
2016 Joséphine s'arrondit Gilles's mother Marilou Berry
Nacida para ganar Victoria Vicente Villanueva
Madres Libres Candela Auriane Lacince &
Viktoria Videnina
Short
Capitaine Marleau Mother Louise Josée Dayan TV series (1 Episode)

References

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  1. ^ "Berlinale: 1991 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 15 October 2013. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. ^ "Berlinale: 1993 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  3. ^ "Victoria Abril". IMDB Victoria April Biography. Retrieved 2 March 2018.
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