---
name: "Chus Lampreave"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/chus-lampreave"
fi1m_id: "chus-lampreave"
imdb_id: "nm0483942"
tmdb_id: 3482
wikidata_id: "Q268726"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "11 December 1930"
died: "4 April 2016"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 4
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 4
updated: "2026-10-01T20:34:50.997199+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Chus Lampreave

## Identity

Chus Lampreave

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/chus-lampreave
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** chus-lampreave
- **IMDb ID:** nm0483942
- **TMDB ID:** 3482
- **Wikidata ID:** Q268726
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chus_Lampreave, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q268726, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0483942/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3482

Actor. Born 11 December 1930 in Madrid, Spain. Died 4 April 2016.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 11 December 1930, Madrid, Spain
- **Died:** 4 April 2016
- **Active:** 1988–2009
- **Also known as:** María Jesús Lampreave Pérez, 커스 람프리브
- **Frequently works with:** [Pedro Almodóvar](https://film.one/person/pedro-almodovar.md), [Blanca Portillo](https://film.one/person/blanca-portillo.md), [Carmen Maura](https://film.one/person/carmen-maura.md), [Esther García](https://film.one/person/esther-garcia.md), [Penélope Cruz](https://film.one/person/penelope-cruz.md)
- **Cannes Film Festival:** 1 Cannes prize (1 won)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 4 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 84 (1), 2000s 78 (3)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 78 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 3 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 3 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Drama 4, Romance 3, Comedy 2, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 7 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $196m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chus_Lampreave, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q268726, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0483942/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/3482

## Streaming the US now

- **Tubi:** [*Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown*](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown.md) (84), [*Broken Embraces*](https://film.one/film/broken-embraces.md) (66)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Chus Lampreave

> Chus Lampreave makes an eccentric relative or concierge sound entirely reasonable. We value her dry delivery and the humanity she brings to small parts; Pedro Almodóvar's films give us particularly good reasons to watch her.

In *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988), Lampreave's Jehovah's Witness goalkeeper delivers the absurd with a straight face. We laughed because she gives the oddness so little emphasis. Carmen Maura's practical, beleaguered Pepa holds this crowded farce together, while Lampreave offers the particular pleasure of someone who sees no reason to make a fuss. The plot can become overbusy, but her deadpan suits a film in which another complication is seldom far away.

Her work with Almodóvar began in *Dark Habits* (1983), followed by the eccentric grandmother in *What Have I Done to Deserve This?* (1984). Across their eight films together, relatives and concierges became familiar parts of her work, often played behind thick glasses. She also worked repeatedly with Luis García Berlanga and Fernando Trueba, playing Doña Asun for Trueba in *Belle Époque* (1992). There is more to explore here than one director's fondness for a familiar face.

In the later *Volver* (2006), where she plays Aunt Paula, we particularly value the humour and humanity she gives a supporting part. Penélope Cruz gives Almodóvar's family melodrama its practical, impatient warmth, and Lampreave belongs comfortably in that company. We like how little ceremony there is about her contribution; an older relative can be funny and worth caring about without becoming an occasion for solemn acting. The film occasionally makes forgiveness too comfortable, but we recommend it for its performances and its attention to work and grief.

There is a limit to what these appearances can carry, and we would not make Lampreave responsible for everything that works around her. Maura and Cruz do the heavier work in the two films we recommend most readily here. Lampreave can deliver a peculiar line without insisting that we notice how peculiar it is, a useful quality when so much else demands attention. Start with *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* for the deadpan, then *Volver* for Aunt Paula.

## Biography

Chus Lampreave (born María Jesús Lampreave Pérez) was a Spanish actress. Born in Madrid on 11 December 1930, she began her screen career in the late 1950s and appeared in more than seventy films until the early 2010s.

She became widely known for her collaborations with Pedro Almodóvar, appearing in eight of his films including *What Have I Done to Deserve This?* (1984), *Matador* (1986), *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988), *The Flower of My Secret* (1995), *Talk to Her* (2002), *Volver* (2006) as Aunt Paula, and *Broken Embraces* (2009). Other notable roles include *Torrente: The Dumb Arm of the Law* (1998) and its sequels, and *Belle Époque* (1992).

Lampreave received the Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress for *Belle Époque*. She shared the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actress with the female ensemble of *Volver* and was awarded the Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes in 2001. She died in Almería on 4 April 2016.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, es.wikipedia.org.*

## On Fi1m (4)

- *Broken Embraces* (2009), Fi1m 66, as Concierge — [page](https://film.one/film/broken-embraces.md)
- *Volver* (2006), Fi1m 84, as Aunt Paula — [page](https://film.one/film/volver.md)
- *Talk to Her* (2002), Fi1m 84, as Concierge — [page](https://film.one/film/talk-to-her.md)
- *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988), Fi1m 84, as Jehovah's Witness Goalkeeper — [page](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown.md)

## Complete filmography (71)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *Me, the President* (2015), Actor
- *Torrente 5: Operation Eurovegas* (2014), as Reme
- *Fenómenos* (2012), series, as Amelia
- *The Artist and the Model* (2012), as María
- *Broken Embraces* (2009), as Concierge — Fi1m 66, [page](https://film.one/film/broken-embraces.md)
- *Chef's Special* (2008), as Celia
- *Volver* (2006), as Aunt Paula — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/volver.md)
- *Say I Do* (2004), as Madre de Víctor
- *Robbery at 3 O'clock… and Half* (2003), as Doña Vicenta
- *El florido pensil* (2002), as Doña Pepa
- *Talk to Her* (2002), as Concierge — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/talk-to-her.md)
- *Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella* (2001), as Reme
- *A Perfect Couple* (1998), Actor
- *Torrente: The Dumb Arm of the Law* (1998), as Reme
- *Mátame mucho* (1998), as Josefa
- *Hermanas* (1998), series, as Madre Fundadora
- *On Earth as It Is in Heaven* (1995), as Doña Asunción
- *The Flower of My Secret* (1995), as Madre de Leo
- *7,000 Days Together* (1994), as Sofia
- *Casque bleu* (1994), as Alicia's Mother
- *Everyone Off to Jail* (1993), as Chus
- *¿De parte de quién?* (1993), series, as Doña Rosa
- *Supernova* (1993), as Avelina
- *Belle Époque* (1992), as Doña Asun
- *Eva y Adán. Agencia matrimonial* (1990), series, Actor
- *La mujer inesperada* (1990), Actor
- *I'm the One You're Looking For* (1989), as Matilde
- *Going Down in Morocco* (1989), as Doña Antonia
- *Dawn Breaks, Which Is No Small Thing* (1989), as Álvarez
- *Miss Caribe* (1988), as Doña Petra
- *Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown* (1988), as Jehovah's Witness Goalkeeper — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/film/women-on-the-verge-of-a-nervous-breakdown.md)
- *Wait for Me in Heaven* (1988), as Emilia
- *Moors and Christians* (1987), as Antonia
- *The Impeccable Sinner* (1987), as Beni
- *Eulalia* (1987), as Carmen
- *La vida alegre* (1987), as Vecina
- *Year of Enlightment* (1986), as Doña Tránsito
- *Matador* (1986), as Pilar
- *Lulú de noche* (1986), as Farmacéutica #2
- *The House of Ulloa* (1985), series, as Bibiana
- *Move Over, Mrs. Markham* (1985), as Adela Mora
- *Pagina de Sucesos* (1985), series, as Araceli
- *The Chosen One* (1985), as Florita
- *Tatuaje* (1985), Actor
- *El rollo de septiembre* (1985), as Doña Aurelia
- *The Secret Garden* (1984), as María
- *What Have I Done to Deserve This?* (1984), as Abuela
- *Bajo en nicotina* (1984), as Puri
- *Teresa de Jesús* (1984), series, as Criada
- *Epilogue* (1984), as Flo-Flo
- *Dark Habits* (1983), as Sor Rata de Callejón
- *Total* (1983), as Álvarez
- *National III* (1982), as Viti
- *Cuentos para una escapada* (1981), Actor
- *National Heritage* (1981), as Viti
- *El erótico enmascarado* (1980), as Doña Gertrudis
- *The National Shotgun* (1978), as Viti
- *Nunca es tarde* (1977), as Manoli
- *El bengador gusticiero y su pastelera madre* (1977), as Rosalinda
- *El monosabio* (1977), as Clara
- *And They Lived Happily Ever After* (1976), as Aurora
- *Al fin solos, pero...* (1976), as Chus (as María Jesús Lampreave)
- *The Love of Captain Brando* (1974), as Mayor's Wife
- *My Dearest Senorita* (1972), as Sobrina de Chus
- *Lola, They Say She Does Not Live Alone* (1970), Actor
- *Les Combinards* (1966), as (scenes deleted)
- *The Executioner* (1963), as Visiting Woman of the Work
- *La becerrada* (1963), as Chus
- *The Wheelchair* (1960), as Yolanda Proharán
- *Streetcar for Sale* (1959), as Marujita
- *The Little Apartment* (1959), as Adelina - secretaria de Don Manuel (uncredited)

## Gallery

- ![Chus Lampreave](https://film.one/media/person/99262/gallery-954cda5afce8.jpg) Chus Lampreave — Image via TMDB
- ![Chus Lampreave](https://film.one/media/person/99262/gallery-951ea97d1c7f.jpg) Chus Lampreave — Image via TMDB
- ![Chus Lampreave](https://film.one/media/person/99262/gallery-31b637f2ecfb.jpg) Chus Lampreave — Image via TMDB

## Awards

### Cannes Film Festival — 1 won

- 2006: Best Actress (won), for *Volver*

### Other awards — 2 won

- Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts 2000: Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts (won)
- Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress 1993: Goya Award for Best Supporting Actress (won), for *Belle Époque*

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/chus-lampreave