Goya Award for Best Actress

In today's world, Goya Award for Best Actress is a topic of great interest and relevance. For a long time, Goya Award for Best Actress has captured the attention of people of all ages and social classes, generating debates, research and in-depth analysis in different areas. Whether due to its impact on society, its influence on popular culture, its importance in history, or any other reason, Goya Award for Best Actress has managed to position itself as a fundamental topic in current discourse. In this article, we will explore different aspects related to Goya Award for Best Actress, analyzing its impact, implications and relevance today.

Goya Award for Best Actress
The 2025 recipient: Carolina Yuste
Awarded forBest Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role
CountrySpain
Presented byAcademy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences of Spain (AACCE)
First award1987 (for performance in films released during the 1986 film season)
Most recent winnerCarolina Yuste
Undercover (2024)

The Goya Award for Best Actress (Spanish: Premio Goya a la mejor interpretación femenina protagonista) is one of the Goya Awards, Spain's principal national film awards.

Since its inception, the award has been given to 26 actresses. At the 1st Goya Awards ceremony held in 1987, Amparo Rivelles was the first winner of this award for her role as Laura in We Must Undo the House. Carmen Maura has received the most awards in this category with three wins. Penélope Cruz was nominated on twelve occasions, winning two times.

As of the 2025 ceremony, Carolina Yuste is the most recent winner in this category for her role as Mónica / Arantxa in Undercover.

Winners and nominees

In the following table, the years are listed as per Academy convention, and generally correspond to the year of film release; the ceremonies are always held the following year.

Table key
‡ Indicates the winner

1980s

Amparo Rivelles was the first winner in this category for her performance in We Must Undo the House (1986).
Verónica Forqué has won twice, The Happy Life in 1987 and Kika in 1993.
Carmen Maura won the most best actress awards, three, for Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (1988), Ay, Carmela! (1990) and Common Wealth (2000)
Victoria Abril was nominated eight times and won once for her role in Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead (1995)
Emma Suárez has won best actress twice, for The Dog in the Manger in 1996 and Julieta in 2016.
Cecilia Roth was won twice, for Martín (Hache) in 1997 and All About My Mother in 1999.
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title
1986
(1st)
[1][2][3] 		Amparo Rivelles ‡ Laura García We Must Undo the House Hay que deshacer la casa
Victoria Abril Dorita Time of Silence Tiempo de silencio
Ángela Molina Rosa Half of Heaven La mitad del cielo
1987
(2nd) 		Verónica Forqué ‡ Ana Chamorro The Happy Life La vida alegre
Victoria Abril Consuelo "Chelo" García El Lute: Run for Your Life El lute: camina o revienta
Irene Gutiérrez Caba Bernarda Alba The House of Bernarda Alba La casa de Bernada Alba
1988
(3rd) 		Carmen Maura ‡ Pepa Marcos Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios
Victoria Abril Ana Alonso Baton Rouge
Ana Belén Alejandra Barrachina Miss Caribe
María Fernanda D'Ocón Sor Mercedes Caminos de tiza
Ángela Molina Charo Lights and Shadows Luces y sombras
1989
(4th) 		Rafaela Aparicio ‡ Grandmother The Sea and the Weather El mar y el tiempo
Victoria Abril Ramona / Menchu / Aurora Nin If They Tell You I Fell Si te dicen que caí
Ana Belén Paloma The Flight of the Dove El vuelo de la paloma
Verónica Forqué Chusa Going South Shopping Bajarse al moro
Ángela Molina Pepita Morán The Things of Love Las cosas del querer

1990s

Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title
1990
(5th) 		Carmen Maura ‡ Carmela Ay, Carmela! ¡Ay, Carmela!
Victoria Abril Marina Osorio Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! ¡Átame!
Charo López Clara The Most Natural Thing Lo más natural
1991
(6th) 		Sílvia Munt ‡ Carmen Galán Butterfly Wings Alas de mariposa
Victoria Abril Luisa Lovers Amantes
Maribel Verdú Trini
1992
(7th) 		Ariadna Gil ‡ Violeta Belle Époque
Penélope Cruz Silvia Jamón Jamón
Assumpta Serna Adela de Otero The Fencing Master El maestro de esgrima
1993
(8th) 		Verónica Forqué ‡ Kika Kika
Carmen Maura Ana Shadows in a Conflict Sombras en una batalla
Emma Suárez Lisa / Sofía The Red Squirrel La ardilla roja
1994
(9th) 		Cristina Marcos ‡ Yoli All Men Are the Same Todos los hombres sois iguales
Ana Belén Desideria Oliván The Turkish Passion La pasión turca
Ruth Gabriel Charo Running Out of Time Días contados
1995
(10th) 		Victoria Abril ‡ Gloria Duque Nobody Will Speak of Us When We're Dead Nadie hablará de nosotras cuando hayamos muerto
Ariadna Gil María Antarctica Antártida
Marisa Paredes Leo Macías The Flower of My Secret La flor de mi secreto
1996
(11th) 		Emma Suárez ‡ Diana The Dog in the Manger El perro del hortelano
Ana Torrent Ángela Márquez Thesis Tesis
Concha Velasco Palmira Gadea Beyond the Garden Más allá del jardín
1997
(12th) 		Cecilia Roth ‡ Alicia Martín (Hache)
Maribel Verdú Marina The Lucky Star La buena estrella
Julia Gutiérrez Caba Lola The Color of the Clouds El color de las nubes
1998
(13th) 		Penélope Cruz ‡ Macarena Granada The Girl of Your Dreams La niña de tus ojos
Cayetana Guillén Cuervo Lucrecia Richmond The Grandfather El abuelo
Najwa Nimri Ana Lovers of the Arctic Circle Los amantes del círculo polar
Leonor Watling Carmen López A Time for Defiance La hora de los valientes
1999
(14th) 		Cecilia Roth ‡ Manuela Coleman All About My Mother Todo sobre mi madre
Ariadna Gil Isabel Black Tears Lágrimas negras
Carmen Maura Berta Lisbon Lisboa
Mercedes Sampietro Gloria By My Side Again Cuando vuelvas a mi lado

2000s

Lola Dueñas won twice, for The Sea Inside (2004) and Me Too (2009)
Penélope Cruz was nominated twelve times and won twice for The Girl of Your Dreams (1998) and Volver (2006)
Candela Peña won for Princesas in 2005.
Maribel Verdú was nominated eight times and won twice for Seven Billiard Tables (2007) and Snow White (2012)
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title
2000
(15th) 		Carmen Maura ‡ Julia García Common Wealth La comunidad
Icíar Bollaín Leo Leo
Lydia Bosch Julia You're the One Una historia de entonces
Adriana Ozores Susana Grey Plenilune Plenilunio
2001
(16th) 		Pilar López de Ayala ‡ Joanna of Castile Mad Love Juana la Loca
Victoria Abril Lola Nevado Don't Tempt Me Sin noticias de Dios
Nicole Kidman Grace Stewart The Others The Others
Paz Vega Angela Mine Alone Sólo mía
2002
(17th) 		Mercedes Sampietro ‡ Liliana Rovira Common Ground Lugares comunes
Ana Fernández Andrea Story of a Kiss Historia de un beso
Adriana Ozores Ágata Nobody's Life La vida de nadie
Leonor Watling Elvira My Mother Likes Women A mi madre le gustan las mujeres
2003
(18th) 		Laia Marull ‡ Pilar Pérez Villar Take My Eyes Te doy mis ojos
Ariadna Gil Lola Cercas Soldiers of Salamis Soldados de Salamina
Adriana Ozores Amparo Sleeping Luck La suerte dormida
Sarah Polley Ann My Life Without Me
2004
(19th) 		Lola Dueñas ‡ Rosa The Sea Inside Mar adentro
Pilar Bardem María Zambrano Dearest Maria María querida
Ana Belén Hortensia Ocaña Things That Make Living Worthwhile Cosas que hacen que la vida valga la pena
Penélope Cruz Italia Don't Move Non ti muovere
2005
(20th) 		Candela Peña ‡ Caye Princesas
Adriana Ozores Pilar Heroine Heroína
Nathalie Poza Ana Hard Times Malas temporadas
Emma Vilarasau Irene Something to Remember Me By Para que no me olvides
2006
(21st) 		Penélope Cruz ‡ Raimunda Volver
Silvia Abascal Finea The Idiot Maiden La dama boba
Marta Etura Paula Dark Blue Almost Black Azuloscurocasinegro
Maribel Verdú Mercedes Pan's Labyrinth El laberinto del fauno
2007
(22nd) 		Maribel Verdú ‡ Ángela Montero Seven Billiard Tables Siete mesas de billar francés
Belén Rueda Laura García The Orphanage El orfanato
Blanca Portillo Charo Gil Seven Billiard Tables Siete mesas de billar francés
Emma Suárez Nines Under the Stars Bajo las estrellas
2008
(23rd) 		Carme Elías ‡ Gloria Usaola Camino
Verónica Echegui Isa My Prison Yard El patio de mi cárcel
Ariadna Gil Aurora Rodríguez Just Walking Sólo quiero caminar
Maribel Verdú Elena Vadillo The Blind Sunflowers Los girasoles ciegos
2009
(24th) 		Lola Dueñas ‡ Laura Valiente Me Too Yo, también
Penélope Cruz Magdalena Rivas Broken Embraces Los abrazos rotos
Maribel Verdú Miranda Tetro
Rachel Weisz Hypatia Agora Ágora

2010s

Nora Navas won for Black Bread in 2010.
Marian Álvarez won for Wounded in 2013.
Bárbara Lennie won for Magical Girl in 2014.
Natalia de Molina won for Food and Shelter in 2015.
Belén Cuesta won for The Endless Trench in 2019.
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title
2010
(25th) 		Nora Navas ‡ Florència Black Bread Pa negre
Elena Anaya Alba Room in Rome Habitación en Roma
Emma Suárez Alícia The Mosquito Net La mosquitera
Belén Rueda Julia Levin / Sara Julia's Eyes Los ojos de Julia
2011
(26th) 		Elena Anaya ‡ Vera Cruz / Gal Ledgard The Skin I Live In La piel que habito
Verónica Echegui Laia Kathmandu Lullaby Katmandú, un espejo en el cielo
Salma Hayek Luisa Gómez As Luck Would Have It La chispa de la vida
Inma Cuesta Hortensia Rodríguez The Sleeping Voice La voz dormida
2012
(27th) 		Maribel Verdú ‡ Encarna Blancanieves
Penélope Cruz Gemma Twice Born Venuto al mondo
Aida Folch Mercè The Artist and the Model El artista y la modelo
Naomi Watts María Bennet The Impossible The Impossible
2013
(28th) 		Marian Álvarez ‡ Ana Wounded La herida
Inma Cuesta Ruth Belloso Three Many Weddings Tres bodas de más
Aura Garrido Ella Stockholm Stockholm
Nora Navas Geni Moncada We All Want What's Best for Her Tots volem el millor per a ella
2014
(29th) 		Bárbara Lennie ‡ Bárbara Magical Girl
María León Sara Marseille Marsella
Macarena Gómez Montse Shrew's Nest Musarañas
Elena Anaya Lupe They Are All Dead Todos Están Muertos
2015
(30th) 		Natalia de Molina ‡ Rocío Gómez Food and Shelter Techo y comida
Inma Cuesta The Bride The Bride La novia
Penélope Cruz Magda Ma Ma Ma ma
Juliette Binoche Josephine Peary Nobody Wants the Night Nadie quiere la noche
2016
(31st) 		Emma Suárez ‡ Julieta Arcos Julieta
Penélope Cruz Macarena Granada The Queen of Spain La reina de España
Bárbara Lennie María Funes María (and Everybody Else) María (y los demás)
Carmen Machi Rosa The Open Door La puerta abierta
2017
(32nd)
[4] 		Nathalie Poza ‡ Carla Miralles Can't Say Goodbye No sé decir adiós
Emily Mortimer Florence Green The Bookshop
Penélope Cruz Virginia Vallejo Loving Pablo
Maribel Verdú Carmen Abracadabra
2018
(33rd)
[5] 		Susi Sánchez ‡ Anabel Barnuevo Sunday's Illness La enfermedad del domingo
Najwa Nimri Lila Cassen Quién te cantará
Penélope Cruz Laura Everybody Knows Todos lo saben
Lola Dueñas Estrella Aranda Journey to a Mother's Room Viaje al cuarto de una madre
2019
(34th)
[6] 		Belén Cuesta ‡ Rosa Domínguez The Endless Trench La trinchera infinita
Penélope Cruz Jacinta Pain and Glory Dolor y gloria
Greta Fernández Sara Garrido A Thief's Daughter La hija de un ladrón
Marta Nieto Elena Mother Madre

2020s

Patricia López Arnaiz won for Ane Is Missing (2020)
Laia Costa won for Lullaby (2022)
Malena Alterio won for Something Is About to Happen (2023)
Year Actress Role(s) English title Original title
2020
(35th)
[7][8][9] 		Patricia López Arnaiz ‡ Lide Sagasti Ane Is Missing Ane
Amaia Aberasturi Ana Ibarguren Coven Akelarre
Kiti Mánver Lola Cruz One Careful Owner El inconveniente
Candela Peña Rosa Román Rosa's Wedding La boda de Rosa
2021
(36th)
[10] 		Blanca Portillo ‡ Maixabel Lasa Maixabel
Emma Suárez Berta Josephine Josefina
Petra Martínez María That Was Life La vida era eso
Penélope Cruz Janis Martínez Moreno Parallel Mothers Madres paralelas
2022
(37th)
[11][12] 		Laia Costa ‡ Amaia Lullaby Cinco lobitos
Marina Foïs Olga Denis The Beasts As bestas
Anna Castillo Julia Wild Flowers Girasoles silvestres
Bárbara Lennie Alice Gould God's Crooked Lines Los renglones torcidos de Dios
Vicky Luengo Elena Cork Suro
2023
(38th)
[13] 		Malena Alterio ‡ Lucía Something Is About to Happen Que nadie duerma
Patricia López Arnaiz Ane 20,000 Species of Bees 20.000 especies de abejas
María Vázquez Ramona Matria
Laia Costa Nat Un amor
Carolina Yuste Conchita Jokes & Cigarettes Saben aquell
2024
(39th)
[14] 		Carolina Yuste ‡ Mónica / Arantxa Undercover La infiltrada
Emma Vilarasau Montse A House on Fire Casa en flames
Julianne Moore Ingrid Parker The Room Next Door La habitación de al lado
Tilda Swinton Martha Hunt The Room Next Door La habitación de al lado
Patricia López Arnaiz Isabel Glimmers Los destellos

Multiple wins and nominations

References

  1. ^ Alvarado, Esther (8 November 2013). "Muere la actriz Amparo Rivelles". El Mundo (in Spanish). Madrid. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  2. ^ "Muere la actriz Amparo Rivelles a los 88 años". Radiotelevisión Española (in Spanish). 7 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  3. ^ "La actriz Amparo Rivelles muere a los 88 años". El Periódico de Catalunya (in Spanish). 7 November 2013. Retrieved 1 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Emily Mortimer, la soldado de Coixet para romper la maldición de las nominadas extranjeras". ABC (in Spanish). February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 4, 2018.
  5. ^ "Najwa Nimri: "No esperaba estar nominada a los Goya"". Europa Press. Madrid. 15 January 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  6. ^ Zas Marcos, Mónica. "Dolor para Amenábar y gloria para Almodóvar en unos Goya 2020 que ignoraron a su niño mimado". eldiario.es. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
  7. ^ "Nominaciones Premios Goya 2021". premiosgoya.com (in Spanish). 18 January 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
  8. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (18 January 2021). "Adu, Las Ninas, Akelarre Lead Spain's Goya Nominations". Variety. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  9. ^ Roxborough, Scott; Szalai, Georg (18 January 2021). "Netflix Drama Leads Spain's Goya Awards Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  10. ^ "'El buen patrón' bate el récord histórico de los Goya con 20 nominaciones". RTVE (in Spanish). 29 November 2021. Retrieved November 29, 2021.
  11. ^ "Nominaciones a los Premios Goya 2023, en directo: estos son los nominados". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
  12. ^ Hopewell, John; Sandoval, Pablo (11 February 2023). "Rodrigo Sorogoyen's 'The Beasts' Sweeps Spain's Goya Awards". Variety.
  13. ^ "Nominaciones Premios Goya 2024: todas las películas y actores nominados, en directo". El Confidencial (in Spanish). 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 30 November 2023.
  14. ^ "Premios Goya 2025 | Palmarés completo: todos los ganadores de la noche del histórico triunfo compartido de 'El 47' y 'La infiltrada'". Cinemanía. 9 February 2025 – via 20minutos.es.