María Jesús Lampreave Pérez (11 December 1930 – 4 April 2016), known professionally as Chus Lampreave, was a Spanish character actress who starred in more than 70 films.[1][2][3]
She is known internationally for her roles in films by Pedro Almodóvar.[4]
It had not been her intention to become an actress,[6]
but was discovered by Jaime de Armiñán[6]
and began appearing in films in 1959.[1]
Her first work with Pedro Almodóvar was in Entre tinieblas (1983).[1]
In total, Lampreave appeared in eight of his films.[3]
Almodóvar is known for his recurring use of certain actresses; they are referred to as the "Almodóvar girls".[2]
While Lampreave never played a leading role,[6]
she would come to be known as Spain's most popular supporting actress.[1] She was known for playing old ladies,[2]
usually eccentric relatives,[3]
that sported extremely thick glasses.[2]
She was recognized for the humor and humanity she contributed to her characters.[2]
Among Lampreave's last roles was as the face of three advertising campaigns for Campofríoembutido sausages.[6][7]
Personal life
Lampreave married in 1960.[8] She had a son, who is a biologist,[9] and a daughter who died in the 1990s after an illness.[8]
She spent the last few years of her life away from the spotlight in Almería in the south of Spain.[2]
She died in 2016 the age of 85.[1]
