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Belén Rueda

Belén Rueda

Actor · Born March 16, 1965 (61) · Madrid, Spain

​Rueda was born in Madrid. Her father was a civil engineer and her mother was a ballet instructor. She is the second of three children; her siblings are named Chus and Violeta (Ms. Rodal). She and her family moved to San Juan, Alicante when she was a child because of her younger sister's asthmatic problems. She was married to Daniel Écija and had three children with him, Beliá (b.1994), María (b.1996) and Lucía (b.1998); unfortunately, their second child died of a heart disease as a baby. She is now a divorcée. When Rueda was 18 years old she moved to Madrid to study architecture, but she left the university when she met an Italian man whom she later married. Rueda returned to Madrid and worked as a salesperson and a model until she finally became a TV presenter. After that she worked as an actress on television, including the show Los Serrano, and eventually acted in films. She won a Goya Award in 2004 for her role as Julia in Mar Adentro (The Sea Inside). She received another Goya nomination for her role in the 2007 film, The Orphanage. Rueda played the lead role of the Spanish thriller Los ojos de Julia, which is produced by Guillermo Del Toro.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 16, 1965 (61)
From
Madrid, Spain
Works as
Actor
Titles
23 on MovieCove · 52 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 23% in 30 days

What are Belén Rueda's films like?

Across their 21 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 21st percentile
: browse their Comedy movies
Drama5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 46th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 20th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Crime3 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 32nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Crime movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
31%
Self
24%
Morality
18%
Survival
13%
Ideas
5%
Power
5%
Society
4%
Family bonds7 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity6 titles, browse their movies with this themeFriendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTruth4 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival3 titles, browse their movies with this themeSacrifice2 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 21 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 5 · Serious 3 · Dark 13

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 15 · Stylized 6 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 2 · Charged 7 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 4 · Shifting 13 · Whiplash 4

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 5 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 12 · Relentless 1

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 11 · Full focus 7

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

A split, not a type: Easy watch 4 · Affecting 6 · Heavy 11

Open-ended: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their open-ended movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 8 · Open-ended 10 · Ambiguous 3

Roles they play

19 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 19 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 19
Herald
3 of 19
Shapeshifter
2 of 19
Mentor
2 of 19
Ally
2 of 19
Shadow
2 of 19
Trickster
1 of 19
Show the 19 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
15
Dread
9
Melancholic
10
Contemplative
6
Bittersweet
5
Other
14

How their films linger

Thought-provoking8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHaunting9 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good3 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 11 with a twist

  • Happy3
  • Bittersweet11
  • Tragic1
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Belén Rueda's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 12 of their 23 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service.

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Belén Rueda's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

52 credits, 23 with a MovieCove page; 9 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • A Sucker's Born Every Minute (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Carmen

  • Evil Dress(2026)

    as Alicia

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Reversion(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • La agencia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2025)

    Show 1 episode · as Belén Rueda

  • The Mortimers(2025)

    Actor

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Un funeral de locos(2025)

    as Edurne

    Midcredits score: 17th percentile of all films

  • Asesinatos sólo en El Hormiguero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Belén Rueda

  • Eva & Nicole (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    Show 8 episodes · as Nicole

  • Free Falling(2024)

    as Marisol

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • The Chapel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    as Carol

  • Phenomena(2023)

    as Sagrario

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • The Cry of the Butterflies (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2023)

    Show 13 episodes · as Pilar Macías

  • La Palma: el último volcán (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Narrator

  • The Perfect Family(2021)

    as Lucía

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • The Tenant (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • Madres: amor y vida (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    Show 34 episodes · as Marián Ballesteros

  • Twin Murders: The Silence of the White City(2019)

    as Alba

    Midcredits score: 20th percentile of all films

  • Las que faltaban (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Invitada

  • Mirage(2018)

    as Dr. Sardón

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • The Pact(2018)

    as Mónica

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Sara's Notebook(2018)

    as Laura

    Midcredits score: 41st percentile of all films

  • You Shall Not Sleep(2018)

    as Alma Böhm

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all films

  • Perfect Strangers(2017)

    as Eva

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Órbita 9(2017)

    as Silvia

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Broken Basket (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • The Night My Mother Killed My Father (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Isabel

  • The Embassy (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    Show 11 episodes · as Claudia

  • Una vez (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Chila

  • B&b, de boca en boca (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2014)

    Show 29 episodes · as Candela Bermejo

  • Ismael(2013)

    as Nora

    Midcredits score: 55th percentile of all films

  • Strings (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Maestra (voice)

  • The 7th Floor(2013)

    as Delia

    Midcredits score: 32nd percentile of all films

  • The Body(2012)

    as Mayka Villaverde

    Midcredits score: 95th percentile of all films

  • The Witches of Calenda (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2012)

    Show 20 episodes · as Sara Cruz

  • Don't Be Afraid (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Silvia's Mother

  • The Boat (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    Show 3 episodes · as Leonor

  • La princesa de Éboli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    Show 2 episodes · as Ana de Mendoza

  • Julia's Eyes(2010)

    as Julia Levin / Sara

    Midcredits score: 70th percentile of all films

  • El mal ajeno(2010)

    as Isabel

    Midcredits score: 46th percentile of all films

  • La princesa de Éboli (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2010)

    as Princesa de Éboli

  • Spanish Movie(2009)

    as Laura

    Midcredits score: 8th percentile of all films

  • 8 Dates (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2008)

    as Elena

  • Savage Grace(2007)

    as Pilar Durán

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • The Orphanage(2007)

    as Laura

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Sea Inside(2004)

    as Julia

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all films

  • Los Serrano (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2003)

    Show 124 episodes · as Lucía Gómez

  • Retruc (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Elsa

  • El Club de la Comedia (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1999)

    Show 1 episode · as Monologuista

  • Periodistas (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1998)

    Show 121 episodes · as Clara Nadal

  • La ruleta de la suerte (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1990)

    Show 1 episode · Actor

  • Amor de Dios (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    as Sara Lanes

  • En el círculo del asesino (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Show 7 episodes · Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 52 titles, 50 of them dated from 1990 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

The Orphanage (2007)

$79M worldwide

Highest rated

The Sea Inside (2004)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

The Orphanage (2007)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19902026

Peak 2018 · steadily prominent in film for years. Top draw in 14 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting52 of 52: 52 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score32nd

By decade

1990s3 · acting2000s7 · acting2010s24 · acting2020s16 · acting

Billing

usually 2nd · top billed in 42% of 24 roles
041419

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Belén Rueda's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 32nd percentile, the median of all 23; across their 21 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 39th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

39thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Approval · how many liked their films

26thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Reach · how many have seen their films

79thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 21

Midcredits score across 23 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up4
  • 50th to 74th3
  • 25th to 49th6
  • Below 25th10

Shape of the crowd

9 of their 23 titles are Mixed.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Crowd Pleaser5
  • Broadly Agreed6
  • Mixed9

Most divisive · actor

Evil Dress (2026)

69th percentile spread · 47% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Sea Inside (2004)

Midcredits 97th · 89% liked

Reviewers score the acting 69/100 in their films, across 16 reviewed titles; fans 79, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Belén Rueda's work okay for kids?

Across up to 6 MovieCove titles with content scores, 1 of the 5 categories sits near the median of all films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 66 · intenseMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity6 titles15–58 · median 42 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity3 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs3 titlesmedian 24 · mildMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 67 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Belén Rueda work with?

People who share at least 2 of Belén Rueda's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Álvaro Augustin shares the most, 5.

Directors

Writers

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles