Aitana Sánchez-Gijón is performing in ‘Malquerida’ at Málaga’s Teatro del Soho CaixaBank. The production brings her back to Jacinto Benavente’s classic, 35 years after she played Acacia, the daughter; now she takes the role of Raimunda, the mother. The change reverses her earlier position in the drama: she moves from portraying the daughter central to the crisis to the mother facing events inside the family home.
The Málaga run also marks Sánchez-Gijón’s debut at Antonio Banderas’s theatre. Adapted by Juan Carlos Rubio and directed by Natalia Menéndez, the production was also staged at Madrid’s Teatro Español from 13 March to 26 April 2026. In that staging, Lucía Juárez played Acacia and Juan Carlos Vellido played Esteban, the stepfather. Benavente’s drama centres on a rural household destabilised by Esteban’s desire for Acacia, turning the home into the setting for family crisis and violence.
Between performances in Málaga, Sánchez-Gijón was seen enjoying the Costa del Sol. Images published by Lecturas showed her relaxing on Marbella’s beaches. Recent months have also included work on Pedro Almodóvar’s film ‘Amarga Navidad’. Sánchez-Gijón plays Mónica, an assistant to filmmaker Raúl, portrayed by Leonardo Sbaraglia. Mónica takes leave to care for her girlfriend, Elena, then challenges Raúl over his decision to use Elena’s suicide attempt in a screenplay.
In comments attributed to an interview with El Español at Cannes, Sánchez-Gijón described caring for others as basic to Mónica: “Her basic quality is caring for others, and that interested me a lot.” She also spoke about women’s position around male artists, saying, “We have been in the background, nurturing and sustaining creators.” Her remarks illuminate the film’s concern with who gets to shape creative work and whose labor gets seen.
Family remains part of Sánchez-Gijón’s public life. She has two children, Bruna and Teo; her son Teo Lucadamo has pursued acting and had a small extra appearance in ‘Amarga Navidad’ before later screen work, including ‘La bola negra’. The film thus connects the next generation of the family to Sánchez-Gijón’s own screen career.
Interest in the private lives of Spanish public figures remains high. The temporary leave of TVE journalist Silvia Intxaurrondo, for example, also drew impressive public attention (read more about Intxaurrondo’s break from television).
‘Malquerida’ remains a touchstone in Spanish theatre, and Sánchez-Gijón’s connection to the play in two roles, first as the daughter and now as the mother, gives her return a distinct generational dimension. Under Antonio Banderas’s direction, Teatro del Soho CaixaBank is a prominent venue for major productions in Andalusia. Marbella and the wider Costa del Sol remain popular destinations for artists and tourists. The region is a cultural and leisure hub in Spain.
