Carmen Machi / Carmen Mother

Abstract

Carmen Machi is one of Spain’s most renowned actresses, with an extensive career spanning film, television, and theatre. She rose to fame through the character Aída García García in 7 vidas and its spin-off Aída, where she portrayed a working-class, resilient mother figure—embodying a notion of the “authentic Spanish woman.” This role cemented her status as a character actress often associated with marginal and peripheral identities, distant from conventional beauty standards. Nevertheless, Machi has demonstrated remarkable versatility, taking on both comedic and dramatic roles, in leading and supporting capacities. The video essay focuses on her maternal portrayals, a recurring element in her career, to explore the tensions between typecasting and diversity. It reveals how Machi reconfigures the archetype of the Spanish mother across different genres and contexts, while also reflecting contemporary feminist debates on motherhood and media representation.