Marisa Paredes, an acclaimed Spanish actor who achieved international fame by starring in many films by director Pedro Almodovar, has died at 78, the Spanish film academy said on Tuesday.

Paredes started acting at 14 and had appeared in more than 75 movies during her career, including Almodovar’s All About My Mother, The Flower of my Secret, and High Heels, earning the moniker of “Almodovar’s girl”.

“Spanish cinema is left without one of its most iconic actresses, Marisa Paredes, who leaves behind a long career in which the public was able to see her on more than 75 occasions on the big screen,” the academy said on social media platform X.

Well-known in Spain, her international career took off after she first worked with Almodovar in 1983 on Dark Habits, beginning a long collaboration.

Having twice previously been nominated for Spain’s Goya national film awards, Paredes was awarded an honorary Goya in 2018.

She also acted in international films such as Life is Beautiful by Italian director Roberto Benigni, and in The Devil’s Backbone by Mexican Guillermo del Toro.

Paredes was president of the Spanish academy between 2000 and 2003.