How did Rosa Maria Sarda die? Netflix's 'So My Grandma's a Lesbian!' was the Spanish actress's last movie

In her biography titled 'An Incident Unimportant, she wrote, 'The only thing left for me to do is die'
PUBLISHED JAN 22, 2021
Rosa Maria Sarda called herself a 'vocational actress' (Getty Images)
Rosa Maria Sarda called herself a 'vocational actress' (Getty Images)

Rosa Maria Sarda was a huge asset to the Spanish community. Her acting and comic presence made a huge impact. The actress was born in Barcelona in 1941 and was the older sister of Javier Sarda, a journalist and writer. On June 11, 2020, at the age of 78, the talented actress died in Barcelona.

Rosa Maria Sardà, Penélope Cruz, and Loles León in 'La niña de tus ojos' (1998)(IMDb)

While she called herself a "vocational actress," she started acting at the age of 24. She was known for her works on 'All About My Mother' (1999), 'Les nits de la tieta Rosa' (1980), and 'Anita Takes a Chance' (2001). The actress was married to Josep Maria Mainat and is the mother of actor Pol Mainat. She also has two older brothers Fede Sardà and Juan. According to IMDb, the actress considered herself a socialist, and also considers Dora Santacreu and Carlos Lucena her acting masters.

Sarda, in 2019, wrote in her biography titled 'An Incident Unimportant, "The only thing left for me to do is die."

How did Rosa Maria Sarda die?

Spanish actress Rosa Maria Sarda visits Dajla's Saharan refugee camp during the 7th Sahara International Film Festival on May 2, 2010, in Dakhla, Morocco. (Getty Images)

The actress, who had won two Goya Awards for 'Sin Verguenza' (2002) and 'Why Do They Call It Love When They Mean Sex?' (1993), had suffered from cancer, which is what eventually took her life. In 2014, Sarda was diagnosed with lymphoma.

She was also the recipient of the Academy Gold Medal in 2010 and the Max Honor in 2015.  While the actress was known for her comedy, she didn't shy away from dramatic roles. Speaking of her illness and her biography, Sarda said in an interview with El País: "When I wrote this, I did not know that I would be doomed to die of cancer. But the bug is still there, I have a new treatment, but I am very tired. Next year, I will see what I do. Anyway, I stop the medication and it lasts whatever, after all, I’m 78 years old. The only thing left for me to do is die."

She also added, "But as the last sentence of my book says, ‘how complicated it is to die in the first world, and how expensive”.

Many Spanish big names paid tribute to Sarda including the President of the Spanish government, Pedro Sánchez. He wrote, "It leaves us one of the most beloved and memorable actresses in our country. Rosa María Sardà, history in capital letters of our culture, an example of good sense, a fighting woman, with strong convictions and great social commitment. Miss you. All my love for your family."



 

The last movie the star worked in was the 2019 film 'My Grandma's a Lesbian!', where she plays the role of Celia. The movie is set to premiere on Netflix on January 22, 2021. You can watch the trailer for 'So My Grandma's a Lesbian!' aka 'Salir del Ropero' below:



 

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