RIP

Elsa Pataky, Antonio Banderas, and more pay tribute to Spanish actor Eusebio Poncela

The 79-year-old actor died of cancer this week

"Matices" was one of the last performances of Poncela's career

AUGUST 28, 2025 12:53 PM EDTAUG 28, 2025, 12:53 PM EDT

Spanish actors are sending their condolences to one of their greatest. Elsa Pataky, Antonio Banderas, and more have shared moving tributes following the death of Eusebio Poncela, the 79-year-old actor known for his work in films like "Matador" and "Arrebato."

Eusebio Poncela and Antonio Banderas on the set of "La Ley del Deseo"

Banderas shared a moving tribute on his Instagram, also mentioning the death of Veronica Echegui, the 42-year-old Spanish actress who died earlier this month.

He shared a post with some images of himself and Poncela on the sets of one of their films. The pair worked together twice, on the movies "La Ley Del Deseo" and "Matador," both directed by Pedro Almodovar.

Pataky shared a tribute celebrating the life of Poncela

Banderas wrote the tribute in Spanish. "I find myself in the makeup trailer for the movie I'm shooting in London when I learn of the death of Eusebio Poncela. After Veronica Echegui, Manolo de la Calva, Jose Manuel Gorospe, death comes to remind us of how ephemeral life is," he wrote.

"Eusebio leaves behind magnificent and beautiful work as an actor. With him I worked in "La Ley del Deseo," a story from Almodovar that we shot in a Madrid that feels far away, filled with rupture, fun, and tears that marked life of extraordinary new colors. Rest in peace, my emigmatic and beloved friend."

Elsa Pataky also shared a tribute, highlighting the TV show "Matices," one of the last works that Poncela did in his career.

"Hasta siempre," wrote Pataky. "RIP. I'll miss you, Maestro!"

The two recently worked on the show "Matices"

The beloved Argentine musician Fito Paez shared a tribute on social media. “Eusebio Poncela was one of the greatest actors in the world. All my love to his family and friends in this sad hour. I'll take our time together with me."

More details about Poncela's life and career

Poncela died in his home this Wednesday, after a cancer diagnosis made a year ago.

He was a prolific actor, known for his villains and his work in theater, cinema, and television. He starred in productions like "Romeo and Juliet," the movie "Martin (Hache)," and more.

In recent years, he took a backseat and began having smaller roles in TV shows and films, including "Matices," where he shared the screen with Pataky in her first Spanish role in years.

Poncela alongside his 'Martin Hache' costars, Cecilia Roth and Juan Diego Botto