She acted in more than 75 films, 80 tv shows and 15 plays – with some of Europe's most important directors – and was the recipient of numerous awards.

Pedro Almodóvar helped her to achieve her recognition, as she featured in many of his films, such as Dark Habits (1983), High Heels (1991), The Flower of My Secret (1995), All About My Mother (1999) and The Skin I Live In (2011).

She appeared in several other acclaimed films, including In a Glass Cage (1986) by Agustí Villaronga (Majorca), Life Is Beautiful (1998) by Roberto Benigni (Italy), Deep Crimson (1996) by Arturo Ripstein and The Devil's Backbone (2001) by Guillermo del Toro (both from Mexico).

[3] In the 1970s, she had a domestic partnership of about seven years with filmmaker Antonio Isasi-Isasmendi, whom with she had one daughter, María Isasi.

[4] In 2023, she appeared in a small role as a woman known as "La República" in the Atresplayer series Vestidas de azul.