Marisa Paredes, the Spanish actress who starred in several Pedro Almodóvar features, has died aged 78.

The Spanish Film Academy announced her passing, saying “Spanish cinema is losing one of its most iconic actresses.”

Paredes appeared in more than 75 films, but was best known for her partnership with director Almodóvar, for whom she filmed 1991’s High Heels, 1995’s The Flower of My Secret, 1999’s All About My Mother and The Skin I Live In  in 2011.

She was nominated a Goya Award for Best Actress for her role in The Flower of My Secret, having first worked with Almodóvar in 1983’s Entre Tinieblas, and ultimately gained the moniker ‘Almodóvar’s Girl.’

She also acted in Roberto Benigni’s Life is Beautiful, Arturo Ripstein’s Deep Crimson and Guillermo del Toros film The Devil’s Backbone.

In 2018, she was given an honorary Goya award after twice being nominated for Best Actress, firstly for road trip film Turnip Top and then The Flower of My Secret

She was President of the Spanish Film Academy between 2000 and 2003.