The years passed and his physique is well suited to play characters aggressive and rude. After a brief appearance in the controversial The Ages of Lulu (Bigas Luna, 1990), became one of the principal actors of this fetish and so, with that 18 years later became his wife Penelope Cruz and Jordi Molla, starred in Jamón, jamón (1992), a film that catapulted the trio to fame.

He won in 1994, the Silver Frames for Best Actor Golden Balls of Bigas Luna, the Award for Best Actor at the San Sebastian Festival by days numbered and the detective and death and the Prize Fernando Rey for Outstanding Performance by Days numbered. A year later, and by the latter film won the Goya for Best Male Artist of the cast and the Union Prize for Best Actor Actors, as well as Silver Frame by Word of mouth, through which he won the Goya the protagonist Best Actor in 1996.

After getting in December 1997 Audience Award for Best Actor at the Gala of the European Film Academy in January 1998 competes for the Goya for Best Actor for Flesh. In 1999 would work with Molla in Second Skin.

Mondays in the Sun and The Sea Inside

In 2003 won the Goya for Best Actor for his role in leading Mondays in the Sun, sharing the stage with Luis Tosar, also won a Goya for this film. At the ceremony of delivery of the prize has its say-along with other colleagues, against the war and the invasion of Iraq. In 2004 again won Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival, this time for his role in The Sea Inside, which also repeated the Goya for Best Actor.

Jump to the international film

In 2006 he starred in Love in the Time of Cholera, Mike Newell directed with a dash of South African Ronald Harwood and filmed in Cartagena de Indias. In 2008 he starred alongside including Scarlett Johansson and three years later became his wife Penelope Cruz, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, directed by New Yorker Woody Allen.

In 2008 he won a Golden Globe for the Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the film No Country for Old Men from Joel and Ethan Coen. Also, this same film won the BAFTA the best supporting actor and finally the Oscar in the same category, the first Spanish actor to win such an award. After receiving the award, publicly thanked his teacher Corazza your help to write the character. That same year he won the National Film Award. Among his latest projects is Biutiful with whom he won the Goya for best actor.