José Sacristán retires from film at age 88

Spanish actor José Sacristán, aged 88, has announced his retirement from film acting, citing a desire to avoid the early morning schedules required for movie productions. While he is stepping away from the screen, he intends to continue his artistic career through theater.

Sacristán is currently preparing to write, direct, and star in a new stage production titled ‘El hijo de la cómica’, a show inspired by the life of his late friend, Fernando Fernán-Gómez.

Recently, the actor was honored with the Film-Historia Prize from the University of Barcelona. Reflecting on his long career and humble beginnings, Sacristán shared that he left school at age 13 to support his family in post-war Spain. Before finding success in acting, he worked as a mechanic and a turner, noting that his roots in a peasant family in Castilla shaped his work ethic.