Juan Diego

Juan Diego Ruiz Moreno (14 December 1942 – 28 April 2022), professionally known as Juan Diego, was a Spanish actor who appeared on stage, in television and film productions since 1957. He starred in films such as The Holy Innocents, The 7th Day, Dragon Rapide, París-Tombuctú and You're the One.

Performing with a raspy voice for much of his career, he is often associated with abrupt, violent, and authoritarian roles, having a knack for nailing fascist-like characters.

Also known for his left-wing political activism, Juan Diego took part in the struggle for advancing film workers' labor rights in Spain.

Biography Juan Diego Ruiz Moreno was born on 14 December 1942 in Bormujos, and spent his childhood there. Key stage credits throughout his career include performances in plays such as Olvida los tambores, El lector por horas, La gata sobre el tejado de zinc, and Yo me bajo en la próxima, ¿y usted?

After studying performing arts in Seville, Juan Diego moved to Madrid in order to develop his acting career, featuring in Televisión Española shows (most notably in plenty of Estudio 1 plays), likewise making his film debut in Eloy de la Iglesia's Fantasía... 3 (1966).

Having joined the then clandestine Communist Party of Spain in the late 1960s, Juan Diego had a leading role in organizing the 1975 Spanish actors strike. His left-wing political activism did not end upon the death of dictator Francisco Franco, but continued during the Transition and beyond.

Diego starred as Marcos, a popular television host and member of a post-Francoist party (and scorned husband), alongside Ana Belén and a big black dog in a love triangle in the 1977 zoophilia-themed film La criatura.

He landed a breakthrough role with his performance in Mario Camus' 1984 film The Holy Innocents, He earned his first Goya Award nomination at the first edition of the awards celebrated in 1987, for his leading role as Francisco Franco in the period drama Dragon Rapide, which tracks the early stages of the Spanish Civil War. He portrayed a moor in the film The Bastard Brother of God. He earned another best actor nomination for his role as Saint John of the Cross in the 1989 film The Dark Night, his first collaboration with Carlos Saura.

He played a again twice in 1988: in the film Jarrapellejos, as Saturnino, a rapist and murderer, and in the ensemble comedy Pasodoble. He portrayed another historical figure by playing the title character of the 1991 Mexican film Cabeza de Vaca. playing Father Villaescusa, a 17th-century scheming friar characterised by his "arrogant, enervated, and irascible" gaze. He featured in supporting roles in the 1992 film Jamón, jamón and in the 1993 film Banderas, the Tyrant, respectively portraying Manuel, the owner of the Sansón underwear factory and father of José Luis (Jordi Mollá), He starred as the title character in the 2002 television miniseries , directed by Benito Zambrano, in a story based on true events in which Juan Diego's character enters the underworld to find those responsible for the murder of his son.

Juan Diego's supporting performance in the 2003 comedy Torremolinos 73 as Don Carlos, a porn film producer, landed him another Goya award nomination. earned him Goya award nominations in consecutive years.

In his later career, Juan Diego often worked for newcoming directors in films such as Nightfall in India (2014), Can't Say Goodbye (2017), The Cover (2021), or Víctor Conde's Venus, a member of the clique of officers who plotted the 1981 attempted coup d'état in Spain; in the 2012 drama Todo es silencio, portraying Mariscal, a local cacique with a grip over maritime smuggling; in the 2017 Catalan period drama Uncertain Glory, playing Cagorcio, the abusive father of femme fatale Carlana; and in the martial arts film Xtreme (2021), playing Ricardo, an aging crime lord.

Juan Diego died at Clínica de la Zarzuela in Madrid on 28 April 2022. Many fellow actors and friends attended his lying in repose at the Teatro Español, including Marisa Paredes, Ana Belén, Víctor Manuel, Imanol Arias, Gabino Diego, Eduard Fernández, Manolo Solo, Emilio Gutiérrez Caba, Carmelo Gómez, Mariano Barroso, and María José Goyanes.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role Notes Fantasía... 3 Tomasín Feature film debut 1969 Algo amargo en la boca (Something Bitter in the Mouth) César Emilia... parada y fonda Jaime El buscón Diego Coronel 1977 La criatura Marcos 1984 Los santos inocentes (The Holy Innocents) Señorito Iván 1985 La corte de Faraón (The Court of the Pharaoh) Roberto 1985 Los paraísos perdidos (The Lost Paradise) Minister of Culture Character identified with Javier Solana 1986 El viaje a ninguna parte (Voyage to Nowhere) Sergio Maldonado / Juan Conejo 1986 Dragon Rapide Francisco Franco Pasodoble Juan Luis 1989 La noche oscura (The Dark Night) San Juan de la Cruz 1991 La noche más larga (The Longest Night) Fiscal militar Menéndez 1991 El rey pasmado (The Dumbfounded King) Padre Villaescusa 1992 Jamón, jamón Manuel 1992 El beso del sueño Salvatierra 1993 Tirano Banderas (Banderas, the Tyrant) Nacho Veguillas 1998 Yerma Juan 1999 Entre las piernas (Between Your Legs) Jareño 1999 París-Tombuctú Boronat 2000 Fugitivas (Fugitives) Raimundo 2000 You're the One Don Matías 2002 La virgen de la lujuria (The Virgin of Lust) Gimeno-Mikado 2003 Torremolinos 73 Don Carlos La vida que te espera (Your Next Life) Gildo El séptimo día (The 7th Day) Antonio Izquierdo 2006 Vete de mí (Go Away from Me) Santiago 2006 Remake Damián 2008 Casual Day José Antonio 2010 Que se mueran los feos (To Hell with the Ugly) Auxilio 2010 Lope (The Outlaw) Jerónimo Velázquez 2011 23-F: la película (17 Hours) Alfonso Armada 2012 Insensibles (Painless) Adán Martel (old) Young version of the character is portrayed by Félix Gómez 2014 Anochece en la India (Nightfall in India) Ricardo 2017 Incerta glòria (Uncertain Glory) Cagorcio 2017 No sé decir adiós (Can't Say Goodbye) José Luis 2017 Oro (Gold) Manuel Requena 2021 Xtremo (Xtreme) Ricardo Historias (Stories) Posthumously released

Television Juan Diego together with the rest of the cast of Los hombres de Paco's season 5. Year Title Role Notes 1986 Segunda enseñanza Jandro 2002 Padre coraje Antonio Delgado Miniseries

Accolades

Juan Diego holding his Silver Shell for Best Actor trophy earned at the 2006 San Sebastián Film Festival. Year Award Category Work Result 1987 Best Actor Dragon Rapide 1990 Best Actor The Dark Night 1992 Best Supporting Actor The Dumbfounded King 2002 Silver Biznaga for Best Actor Smoking Room 2003 Best Television Actor in a Leading Role Padre coraje 2004 Best Supporting Actor Torremolinos 73 2005 Best Supporting Actor The 7th Day Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role 2006 Silver Biznaga for Best Actor El triunfo 2007 Best Actor 2011 Best Film Actor in a Minor Role The Outlaw 2012 Best Supporting Actor 17 Hours 2014 Silver Biznaga for Best Actor Nightfall in India 2017 Silver Biznaga for Best Actor Can't Say Goodbye Best Supporting Actor Best Film Actor in a Secondary Role Best Film Actor in a Minor Role Gold