Jordi Mollà

Jordi Mollà Perales was born on July 1, 1968, in L’Hospitalet de Llobregat, Catalonia, Spain. His foundational training in acting took place at the Institut del Teatre, which he supplemented with further studies in Italy, Hungary, and England. Mollà is fluent in several languages including Catalan, Spanish, English, Italian, and French, enhancing his versatility in various international projects. His acting career began in 1988, steadily building a filmography that would later gain international recognition.

Mollà’s breakout role occurred in 1992 with Bigas Luna’s comedy-drama “Jamón, jamón,” where he portrayed the jilted lover of Penélope Cruz’s character. This performance marked the beginning of a series of critically acclaimed roles in Spanish cinema, including “Stories from the Kronen” and “La Celestina,” the latter earning him his first Goya Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His role in “The Lucky Star” brought him broader recognition, securing a Premios Ondas and a Butaca Award for Best Catalan Actor, along with another Goya nomination for Best Actor. He received further Goya nominations for “Second Skin” and “El cónsul de Sodoma,” establishing him as a prominent figure in Spanish acting.

His transition to Hollywood began in 2001 with the biographical crime film “Blow,” where he played a drug trafficker character. He continued to take on significant roles in major Hollywood productions such as Michael Bay’s “Bad Boys II” (2003), where he co-starred with Will Smith and Martin Lawrence, and was praised by co-star Gabrielle Union. Mollà has since appeared in films like “Elizabeth: The Golden Age,” “Knight and Day,” “Che: Part 2,” “Colombiana,” “Riddick,” “In the Heart of the Sea,” and “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” Beyond acting, Mollà is also a self-taught painter, with his artwork exhibited in galleries such as Carmen de la Guerra, Picasso Mio, and Cold Creation, and has directed several short films and written two books, including his feature directorial debut “88” in 2012.