Óscar Jaenada

Jaenada began acting at the age of 13, performing in Shakespeare plays. The memory of his grandmother taking him to the Rívoli Cinema made him want to become an actor, as he commented in the magazine Fotogramas. He trained with the theater group l'Endoll de Esplugues de Llobregat. Jaenada moved to Madrid to improve his career prospects, and got a job as a waiter at the Hard Rock Café. He obtained several television roles, appearing in 7 vidas and Hospital Central, before landing roles in feature films. Some of his early roles were in such productions as Lisístrata (2002) and Descongélate (2003). Shortly afterwards, Achero Mañas offered him the leading role in November (2003). Jaenada was a candidate for the Goya Awards in 2004 as best actor for his role in this production but couldn't attend the ceremony as he was in Argentina filming El juego de la verdad. Upon his return to Spain, he was offered several roles in comedies. Among them was the lead in the film XXL (2004). He also obtained a permanent role in the series Javier ya no vive solo. Just as Jaenada was beginning to feel pigeonholed as a comedian, Jaime Chávarri sent him a script for a film about the life of flamenco singer Camarón de la Isla. The role involved singing, and the actor had doubts about accepting since he could not sing. He eventually took the role upon the urging of his brother Victor, a visual artist.