Rossy de Palma
Described by many as a Picasso come-to-life, de Palma broke the rules of beauty in 1988 when she starred in Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and became a model and muse for designers like Jean-Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler, and Sybilla. Her status as an iconic fashion character was further cemented with her role in Robert Altman’s 1994 satirical fashion film Prêt-à-Porter. Today, she is a theater actress, charity spokesperson for the Ghanian Charity OrphanAid Africa, and the face of luxury ad campaigns.
Born in Palma de Mallorca, she was originally a singer and dancer for the band Peor Imposible before being discovered by filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar at a café in Madrid in 1986. He cast her in roles based on her unique, Picassoesque appearance. She is best known for her roles in Almodóvar films like La ley del deseo (Law of Desire), Kika, Mujeres al borde de un ataque de nervios (Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown) and La flor de mi secreto (The Flower of My Secret).
She acts in France and does modeling. She appeared in Robert Altman's Prêt-à-Porter as Pilar. In 2007, she released a perfume line under her name through the French cosmetics company Etat libre d'Orange. In 2009, she posed nude in an information campaign on breast cancer for the magazine Marie Claire. She currently lives in France with her two sons.
She was selected to be on the jury for the main competition section of the 2015 Cannes Film Festival.
Acted in
The Opera!
2025
as Moire
Inside The Dream: Mugler
2024
as Self
Dear Paris
2024
as Dolorès
Honeymoon Crasher
2024
Escort Boys
2023
as Mimi
3 Days Max
2023
as Alba Suarez
The Messiah
2023
as Laia Baró (mayor)
Late Xou con Marc Giró
2023
as Invitada
Têtàtête(s)
2023
as Self - Guest
Carmen
2023
as Masilda
Apaches: Gang of Paris
2023
as Sarah Bernardt
El viaje de Julieta
2023
as Self
The House
2022
as Brigida
The Sweet Taste of Success
2022
as Rossy de Palma
Rainbow
2022
Drag Race France
2022
as Self - Guest Judge
Cinco Tenedores
2022
as Jueza
Once Upon a Time... Happily Never After
2022
as Narradora (voz) / María / Mamen
El refugio
2021
Parallel Mothers
2021
as Elena
Do You Do You Saint-Tropez
2021
as Carmen
LOL - Last One Laughing Spain
2021
as Self
Carrément craignos
2021
as Héléna
Little Birds
2020
as Contessa Mandrax
A Mermaid in Paris
2020
as Rossy
The Rodriguez and the Beyond
2019
as Doctora Pilar
My Brother Chases Dinosaurs
2019
as Auntie Rock / Zia Dolores
I Miss You
2019
as Rosaura
Despite Everything
2019
as Inés
À cause des filles…?
2019
as Artémis
Jean Paul Gaultier : Freak & Chic
2018
as Self
¡Ay, Carmen!
2018
as Self - Actress
Lo Siguiente
2018
as Self - Presenter
Jean Paul Gaultier fait son show
2018
as Self
Black Is Beltza
2018
as Ruth Abramson (voice)
The Man Who Killed Don Quixote
2018
Bailando con las estrellas
2018
as Concursante
Maestros de la costura
2018
as Invitada
Brillantissime
2018
as Charline
The Exchange
2017
as Dómina
Toc Toc
2017
as Ana María
Madame
2017
as Maria
Lord, Give Me Patience
2017
as María Ramos
The White Princess
2017
as Isabella I of Castile
En tu cabeza
2016
as Milagros (Vecina)
Almodóvar, todo sobre ellas
2016
as Self
10 Years with Bebe
2016
as self
Julieta
2016
as Marian
Stranded
2015
as Mercè
Spy Time
2015
as Madre de Katia
Just a Little Chemistry
2015
as Bárbara Sullivan
French Cinema Mon Amour
2015
as Self
Graziella
2015
as Graziella
Anchored
2015
as Palmira
The Material Boy
2015
as Self
Do Not Disturb
2014
as Maria
Love of My Loves
2014
as Carmina
Untied! Reflections on Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
2014
as Self
Planeta Calleja
2014
as Self - Guest
Jack and the Cuckoo-Clock Heart
2014
as Luna (voice)
Three Many Weddings
2013
as Madre de Ruth
Me resbala
2013
as Herself - Guest
I Don't Know Whether to Slit My Wrists or Leave Them Long
2013
as Lola
&Me
2013
as Edurne's Mother
Run a way
2012
as La benemérita
Bright Spin
2012
as Amie de Patrick
Danse avec les stars
2011
as Self - Candidate
Miss Tacuarembo
2010
as Patricia Peinado
Gigola
2010
as Dominique
No Pasaran
2009
as Inès
Broken Embraces
2009
as Julieta
The one that is coming
2007
as María Luisa Romero
Les Aristos
2006
as La duchesse Maria de Malaga i Benidorm
My Friends
2006
as La mère de Marie
Caterina e le sue figlie
2005
as Estrella Toledo
20 Centimeters
2005
as La Frío
Do you know Claudia?
2004
as Aldo's Claudia
Double zéro
2004
as Le Monocle
People - Jet set 2
2004
as Pilar
Leave Your Hands on My Hips
2003
as Myriam Bardem
Dead Weight
2002
as Pauline Reggio
L'origine du monde
2001
as The Sphynx
The Mule
2000
as La Colombienne
The Damned Rib
1999
as Margarita
Nag la Bombe
1999
as Leïla
The Loss of Sexual Innocence
1999
as Blind Woman
Foul Play
1998
as Concepcion Alibera
Talk of Angels
1998
as Elena
Franchesca Page
1998
as Veronica
La Femme du cosmonaute
1997
as Catherine
Airbag
1997
as Carmiña, mujer de Pazos en una fotografía
A Body in the Woods
1996
as Teniente Cifuentes
The Worker and the Hairdresser in a Whirlwind of Sex and Politics
1996
Chicken Park
1996
as Necrophilia
Pastas Ardilla
1996
as Rossy
The Flower of My Secret
1995
as Rosa
Peggio di così si muore
1995
as Myrna
What's It All About
1995
as Librarian
Prêt-à-Porter
1994
as Pilar
Kika
1993
as Juana
Rose rosse per una squillo
1993
as Juliette
Mutant Action
1993
as Invitada de lujo
Sam's Enough
1992
as Chichi
Aquí, el que no corre... vuela
1992
The Naked Target
1992
as Dama 2
The Family Jewels
1991
as Donatella
Madonna: Truth or Dare
1991
as Self
In The Rose Garden
1990
as Rosy
Don Juan, My Dear Ghost
1990
as Viuda de Prodini
Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!
1990
as Camello en Vespa
Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
1988
as Marisa
Law of Desire
1987
as Locutora tele
Second to Nun
as Madame Laduree
Le vieux juif Blonde
as Voyante