He became popular thanks to his role as The Student, in Televisión Española series Curro Jiménez (1977–1978), directed by Pilar Miró, Mario Camus, Antonio Drove [es], Rafael Romero Marchent, Francisco Rovira Beleta and others.
Almost twenty years after that work, he returned to star in another television series, Carmen y familia [es] (1995), together with Beatriz Carvajal and his former partner in Curro Jiménez, Álvaro de Luna.
Among his many roles in films is his collaboration with Pedro Almodóvar in Talk to Her and in Live Flesh along with Javier Bardem, where he won the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actor in 1997.
In 2000 he guest-starred as Don Rafael Alvarado in the syndicated television series Queen of Swords, who is murdered in the first episode, "Destiny", causing his daughter Tessa to take up arms as the title character.
His involvement in several films and theatrical activity was significant, but his role of Don Pablo, in Televisión Española series Cuéntame cómo pasó, from 2001 to 2008, brought his greatest popularity and recognition.