Argentine Actor Héctor Alterio Passes Away at 96

Argentine actor Héctor Alterio died this Saturday at the age of 96 in Madrid, as announced by his family in a statement released by the production company of his final show, "Una pequeña historia."

"With profound sorrow we wish to inform you that today, December 13th in the morning, Héctor Alterio has left us," stated his family in the text published by Pentación Espectáculos on Facebook. "He departed in peace after a long and full life dedicated to his family and to art, remaining professionally active until today. May he rest in peace," it added.

The actor, who also held Spanish nationality, "was one of the most outstanding performers of his generation," affirmed the Academy of Film on its website. He was a member of the Academy, which awarded him the Goya of Honor for his career in 2004.

"I deeply regret the passing of Héctor Alterio, an immense and beloved actor, who left an indelible mark on film, theater, and television. His talent and his humanity will remain alive in each of his works," wrote Spanish President Pedro Sánchez on X.

Alterio, born in Buenos Aires in 1929, made his stage debut in 1948. Although he achieved fame in film, he continued to perform on stage until shortly before his passing.

In 1975, just before the start of the dictatorship in Argentina, he went into exile in Spain after receiving death threats from the Triple A (the Argentine Anticommunist Alliance).

It was then that he began his extensive connection with Spanish cinema, starring in films such as El crimen de Cuenca and A un Dios desconocido, the latter earning him the Best Actor award at the San Sebastián Film Festival. He subsequently obtained Spanish citizenship.

However, he never ceased participating in numerous films in his native country, including La historia oficial (Luis Puenzo, 1985), which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.