'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Spanish actor Juan Diego has passed away at the age of 79 on April 28, 2022 following a long illness. Several well-known personalities including Malaga’s Antonio Banderas, the President of Junta de Andalucia Juanmo Moreno, and the Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez paid tribute to Diego.
Antonio Banderas wrote on Instagram,
“It always hurts... the death of a colleague, of a friend… but Juan, your curtain falls and catches us with a changed foot. You will never really be forgotten.”
What do we know about Juan Diego?
Juan Diego began his theater career in 1957. He acted in many Spanish television programs and dramatic productions of Estudio I, which gained him recognition.
He was then cast in the 1984 film version of The Holy Innocents, following which he continued to appear in successful films like Elvoyage to Nowhere, Dragon Rapide, The Dark Night, and more. He won the Goya Award thrice for El Rey Pasmado, Paris-Timbuktu and Vete de mi.
He continued his career in theater and participated in the premiere of Petra Regalada in 1980. He also appeared in the stage version of the novel, Kiss of the Spider Woman, in 1981, which was directed by Jose Lucia Garcia Sanchez, Diego’s longtime friend. They had collaborated on many films.
Diego once again appeared on stage in 1990s and made quite an impact as the writer Charles Bukowski in the play, No Hay Camino Al Paradise, Nena, directed by Jesus Cracio. He bought the monologue La Lengua Madre by Juan Jose Millas in 2012.
Juan was an important figure in Spanish theater and cinema for a long time. In his youth, he was a member of Spain's clandenstine Communist Party in the late 1960s. He also played an important role in the 1975 actors’ strike alongside participating in the demonstrations in Spain against the Iraq War.
Diego died after suffering from severe COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) for quite a while. He had two children, Adan and Diego, with Paca Villalba and Clara Sanchis respectively.
Fans pay tribute on Twitter
Juan Diego is loved by film and theater buffs all over the world for his memorable performances on the stage and in films. Fans expressed their grief on Twitter after hearing about his demise.
His funeral chapel will be installed at the Spanish Theater on April 28.
