Santiago Segura Explained

Birth Name:	Santiago Segura Silva
Birth Date:	17 July 1965
Birth Place:	Madrid, Spain
Years Active:	1989–present

Santiago Segura Silva (born 17 July 1965) is a Spanish filmmaker and actor. He also worked to a lesser extent as a television presenter, voice actor and comic book writer, as well as being a collector of original comic books.^[1]

At 12, he began making films with a Super-8 camera, and, after a recommendation from Fernando Trueba, began to make films in 35 mm, funded by his appearances in TV game shows.

He earned early recognition for his performance as a metalhead in 1995 film The Day of the Beast (billed as a "satanic comedy"),^[2] which won him the Goya Award for Best New Actor.

Great success would come with his directorial feature debut, 1998 dark action comedy and box-office hit Torrente, the Dumb Arm of the Law, in which he stars as José Luis Torrente, a racist, homophobic, xenophobic, and fascist former police cop.^[3] The film, that won Segura the Goya Award for Best New Director, was followed by four sequels (Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella, , and ) that made the highest-grossing Spanish film series.

He then went on to direct films with a lighter tone, likewise churning domestic box-office hits with children comedies such as Father There Is Only One (and its two sequels) and The Kids Are Alright.^[4]

Life and career

Santiago Segura Silva was born in Madrid on 17 July 1965.^[5] He was raised in the city's district of Carabanchel.^[6] After studying Arts at the Complutense University of Madrid,^[7] he decided to pursue a career as a filmmaker and in 1989 he directed the short Relatos de medianoche with a budget of 7000 pesetas (around US$50). In 1992 he went on to direct his first professional short Evilio, followed with Perturbado in 1993.

Segura is a recurring actor in the works of directors Alex de la Iglesia and Guillermo del Toro.

In 1993, he had a small role in Alex de la Iglesia's film Acción mutante. Two years later, he starred in El día de la Bestia, from the same director and that role made him famous in Spain.^{[8] [9]} In 1998 he directed the film that brought him to stardom, Torrente: El brazo tonto de la ley (1998), in which he also acted as the lead character José Luis Torrente, a sleazy crime-fighter.^[10] Its popularity led to a sequel ()^[11] and a computer game (Torrente: El juego).^[12]

Torrente 2: Misión en Marbella made €22,838,500 at the Spanish box office, becoming the highest grossing Spanish film of all time.^[13] , the third film in the series, was released in September 2005. Its advertising campaign parodied Batman Begins, using the phrase "Torrente Acabado" ("Torrente Finished"). Although he declared Torrente 3: El protector would be the last of the Torrente series, Torrente 4 was released in 2011.^[14] In 2010, he played the title role in El gran Vázquez,^[15] based on the life of the legendary cartoonist/wastrel Manuel Vázquez Gallego.^[16]

In 2014 he released with Alec Baldwin as guest star,^[17] and was the top release of 2014 in Spain.^{[18] [19]}

He has since made his way into American culture by making appearances in movies such as Pacific Rim, Hellboy, and Blade II (all of them by Del Toro), Perdita Durango (by De la Iglesia), Jack and Jill and .

He has also dubbed video games to Spanish, like Jack Black's role in Brütal Legend.^[20]

Because of his success, Santiago Segura has become a producer.^[21] He owns Amiguetes Entertainment company, he is associated with the theater in Estación del Norte in Madrid,^[22] and has produced Promedio rojo (2004) (featuring Nicolás López)^{[23] [24]} and Aquí mando yo... y punto com.^[25]

In 2018 he appeared in the third season of MasterChef Celebrity.^[26] He was the 10th contestant to be eliminated.^[27]

Filmography

Film

Year	Work	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1998	Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley (Torrente, the Dumb Arm of the Law)					^[28]
2001	(Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella)					^[29]
2005					Also uncredited executive producer	^[30]
2011						^[31]
2014						^[32]
2018	Sin rodeos (Empowered)					^[33]
2019	Padre no hay más que uno (Father There Is Only One)					^[34]
2020	Padre no hay más que uno 2 (Father There Is Only One 2)					^[35]
2021	¡A todo tren! Destino Asturias (The Kids Are Alright)
2022	Padre no hay más que uno 3 (Father There Is Only One 3)
A todo tren 2: Sí, les ha pasado otra vez (The Kids Are Alright 2)					^[36]
2023	Vacaciones de verano (Summer Vacation)					^[37]
	Padre no hay más que uno 4 (Father There Is Only One 4)

Producer only

Year	Work	Role
2001	I Murder Seriously	Co-producer
2002	Promedio rojo	Producer
2003	Una de zombies
2004	The Amazing World of Borjamari and Pocholo
2006	Dance Machine
2010	Unresolved Sexual Tension
2016	Three-60

Short film

Year	Work	Director	Writer	Producer	Notes
1989	Relatos de la medianoche				Also cinematographer and editor
1992	Evilio
1993	Perturbado
1995	Evilio vuelve (el purificador)
2015	Consumo Responsable (Nivel 7)				Advertising short

Associate producer

• Wild Flower (2012)

As an actor

• Relatos de medianoche (1989, Short)
• Eduardo (1990, Short)
• Evilio (1992, Short)
• El cobrador del gas sólo llama una vez (1992, Short)
• Acción mutante (1993) .... Ezequiel
• Everyone Off to Jail (1993) .... Ecologista
• Perturbado (1993, Short)
• Todo es mentira (1994) .... Vendedor
• Evilio vuelve (1994, Short) .... Evilio
• Cuernos de mujer (1995) .... Ciego
• El día de la Bestia (1995) .... José María
• Two Much (1996) .... Paparazzi
• Matías, juez de línea (1996) .... Antidisturbios 1
• Killer Barbys (1996) .... Baltasar
• Tengo una casa (1996) .... Guardia 1
• La buena vida (1996)
• Sólo se muere dos veces (1997) .... Amilibia
• Airbag (1997) .... Candidato Paiño
• Perdita Durango (1997) .... Shorty Dee
• Torrente: El brazo tonto de la ley (1998, actor, writer and director) .... Torrente
• La niña de tus ojos (1998) .... Castillo
• Muertos de risa (1999) .... Nino
• París-Tombuctú (1999) .... El Cura
• Pídele cuentas al rey (1999) .... Vagabundo
• La mujer más fea del mundo (1999) .... El presidente de la República (uncredited)
• El corazón del guerrero (1999) .... Netheril / Carlos José
• Sabotage! (2000) .... Cyrille Léotard
• Obra maestra (2000) .... Benito Cañaveras
• (2001, actor, writer, director and producer) .... Torrente
• Girl from Rio (2001) .... Paulo
• Manolito Gafotas en ¡Mola ser jefe! (2001) .... Himself (uncredited)
• Blade II (2002) .... Rush
• Asesino en serio (2002, co-producer) .... Padre Gorkisolo
• Zero/infinito (2002) .... (voice)
• El oro de Moscú (2003) .... Íñigo Fuentes
• Beyond Re-Animator (2003) .... Speedball
• Tiptoes (2003) .... Motel Manager
• Una de zombis (2003, actor and producer) .... Padre Pelayo / Entrecot / Himself
• Noin (2003) .... Himself
• (2004) .... Santiago
• Hellboy (2004) .... Train Driver
• Isi Disi (2004) .... Isi
• Promedio rojo (2004, producer) .... Doctor
• Di que sí (2004) .... Oscar Vázquez
• El asombroso mundo de Borjamari y Pocholo (2004, actor and producer) .... Borjamari
• (2005, actor, writer, director and producer) .... Torrente
• Bienvenido a casa (2006)
• La máquina de bailar (2006) .... Johnny
• Isi & Disi, alto voltaje (2006) .... Isi
• Ekipo Ja (2007) .... Santiago Segura
• Asterix at the Olympic Games (2008) .... Docteurmabus
• (2008) .... Distinguished Buyer
• Manolete (2008) .... Guillermo
• King Shot (2009)
• Tensión sexual no resuelta (2010) .... Hacker (uncredited)
• The Last Circus (2010) .... Padre-Payaso tonto
• El gran Vázquez (2010) .... Vázquez
• (2011) .... Torrente
• Koma (2011) .... Vendedor
• Jack and Jill (2011) .... Eduardo (uncredited)
• As Luck Would Have It (2011) .... David Solar
• Pa' Habbo (2011)
• El Chef (2012) .... Juan
• Pacific Rim (2013) .... Wizened Man
• Gente en sitios (2013)
• Witching & Bitching (2013) .... Miren
• Torrente V: Operación Eurovegas (2014) .... Torrente
• Pos eso (2014) .... Damián / Obispo / Satán (voice)
• Rey Gitano (2015) .... Conde de Segura
• The Strain (2015, TV Series) .... Evil Boxing Coach
• My Big Night (2015) .... Benítez
• Wild Oats (2016) .... Carlos
• The Queen of Spain (2016) .... Castillo
• Herederos de la bestia (2016)
• Casi leyendas (2017) .... Axel
• You Only Live Once (2017) .... Tobías López
• Los resucitados (2017) .... Don Lorenzo, Conde de Evilio
• Las grietas de Jara (2018) ... Mario Borla^[38]
• Sin rodeos (2018)
• Padre no hay más que uno (2019) .... Javier
• Little Red Riding Wolf (2023) .... Pharmacist

Accolades

Year	Award	Category	Work	Result
1996	10th Goya Awards	Best New Actor	The Day of the Beast		^[39]
1999	13th Goya Awards	Best New Director	Torrente, the Dumb Arm of the Law		^[40]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Nombela . Carolina G. . 2020-08-01 . Santiago Segura, en cifras . 2024-06-24 . Forbes España . es.
2. Book: Kercher, Dona. Latin Hitchcock: How Almodóvar, Amenábar, De la Iglesia, Del Toro, and Campanella Became Notorious. 139. 2015. Columbia University Press. 978-0-231-17208-0.
3. Book: Egea, Juan F.. Filmspanism. A Critical Companion the Study of Spanish Cinema. 2020. Routledge. London and New York. 9780367111526. 83.
4. Web site: Santiago Segura vuelve a salvar la taquilla del cine español con 'Padre no hay más que uno 3'. eldiario.es. Javier. Zurro. 18 July 2022.
5. Web site: Santiago Segura: "No me gusta que me entrevisten, ni hablar de mí mismo". Telemadrid. 14 September 2015.
6. Web site: Santiago Segura recuerda el bullying que sufrió a los 14 años en 'Sábado Deluxe'. Semana. 13 April 2020. Alina. Varela.
7. Web site: Santiago Segura. NNDB. Soylent Communications. 15 July 2011.
8. 'El día de la Bestia': 20 años con el Anticristo . Yago . García . 20 October 2015 . 13 September 2018 . . . es.
9. News: La bestia anda suelta . Diego . Galán . 15 March 2003 . 13 September 2018 . . es . PRISA.
10. News: Santiago Segura será "el brazo tonto de la ley", en su debú como director . Winston . Manrique Sabogal . 24 July 1997 . 13 September 2018 . . es . . Madrid.
11. Santiago Segura nos habla de "Torrente 2: Misión en Marbella" . Guzmán . Urrero . 12 August 2010 . 13 September 2018 . The Cult . es.
12. News: Mejor Videojuego basado en una película . 4 July 2008 . 13 September 2018 . . es.
13. News: 'Torrente 2' logra el récord de taquilla de un filme español en un fin de semana . 3 April 2001 . 13 September 2018 . . es . . Madrid.
14. News: Rolfe. Pamela. Santiago Segura's 'Torrente 4: Lethal Crisis' Breaks Box-Office Record in Spain. 15 July 2011. The Hollywood Reporter. 14 March 2011.
15. News: Santiago Segura protagoniza 'El gran Vázquez', basada en la vida del dibujante de los cómic de 'Anacleto' . 28 October 2009 . 13 September 2018 . . Madrid . es.
16. News: Santiago Segura presenta la faceta más oscura de Manuel Vázquez . 18 September 2010 . 13 September 2018 . EFE . EFE . . es . San Sebastián.
17. Web site: Santiago Segura presenta a Alec Baldwin como nuevo fichaje de 'Torrente 5' . Atresmedia Cine . 11 July 2018 . Madrid . 13 September 2018 . es.
18. News: 'Torrente 5', el mejor estreno de 2014 . Rocio . García . 6 October 2014 . Madrid . 13 September 2018 . . . es.
19. News: El cine español consigue en 2014 la mejor taquilla de su historia . 10 December 2014 . 13 September 2018 . . es.
20. News: Santiago Segura, doblador de Brutal Legend: "Soy un 'catacaldos' de los videojuegos" . Daniel G. . Aparicio . 26 October 2009 . 13 September 2018 . . es.
21. News: Santiago Segura: así construyó un simple figurante el imperio Torrente . Marta . Medina . 13 March 2018 . 13 September 2018 . . es . Titania Compañía Editorial, S.L..
22. News: El 'holding' de Santiago Segura: restaurantes, un teatro, pisos... . Cote . Villar . 1 April 2015 . 13 September 2018 . . es . Unidad Editorial Información General S.L.U..
23. Web site: Promedio rojo . 13 September 2018 . . es.
24. Web site: Promedio rojo . 13 September 2018 . . 30 March 2017 . es.
25. News: TVE encarga una comedia a la productora de Santiago Segura . Xabier . Migelez . 20 September 2017 . 13 September 2018 . . es . Titania Compañía Editorial, S.L..
26. News: Mario Vaquerizo, Boris Izaguirre y Santiago Segura participarán en 'MasterChef Celebrity' . EFE . EFE . Madrid . 20 April 2018 . 13 September 2018 . . Henneo . es.
27. News: Santiago Segura, décimo expulsado de MasterChef Celebrity . 5 November 2018 . 8 November 2018 . . es . Unidad Editorial Información General, S.L.U..
28. Web site: Torrente, el brazo tonto de la ley. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
29. Web site: Torrente 2, misión en Marbella. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
30. Web site: Torrente 3, el protector. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
31. Web site: Torrente 4. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
32. Web site: Torrente 5. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
33. Web site: Sin rodeos. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
34. Web site: Padre no hay más que uno. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
35. Web site: Padre no hay más que uno 2: La llegada de la suegra. Catálogo de Cinespañol. Instituto de la Cinematografía y de las Artes Audiovisuales. 27 January 2021.
36. Web site: Concluye el rodaje de 'A todo tren 2: Ahora son ellas', en el que Santiago Segura ha cedido la dirección a Inés de León. Audiovisual451. 10 August 2022.
37. Web site: La comedia veraniega de Santiago Segura marca este jueves los estrenos semanales. Agencia EFE. 6 July 2023. Marisa. Montiel.
38. Web site: Las grietas de Jara: gran sutileza emotiva. La Nación. Diego. Batlle. 17 January 2018.
39. Web site: Premios Goya: cómo convertirse en una estrella de la noche a la mañana. El Confidencial. 31 January 2019.
40. News: Los Goya de-la polémica, muy repartidos. El País. Elsa. Fernández-Santos. Rocío. García. 23 January 1999.