A GOYA-nominated actress has revealed she is living on a park bench in Marbella and is often forced to beg for money at traffic lights.
Monica Cervera, 48, is best known for her lead role in the 2004 Alex de la Iglesia film Crimen Ferpecto.
Her performance in the comedy-horror saw her nominated for ‘best new actress’ at the Goya awards – Spain’s answer to the Oscars or BAFTAs.
Cervera is also known for her work in Ramon Salazar’s 2002 film Piedras.
Her most recent acting role was in 2016, playing the recurring character Mariajo Rivas in the Spanish television series La Que Se Avecina.
However she shocked fans this week when she told Colombian magazine Semana that she is currently living on the streets.
Cervera described her homelessness as a personal decision.
She has a family — among them a 14-year-old son — and a home to return to in Marbella, although for unspecified reasons she has decided to live on her own.
Cervera insisted that her wishes be respected and that she be left in peace to live how she’s chosen.
“I don’t even want to hear the words ‘television’ or ‘cinema,’” she told Semana.
“I was there once, but I don’t ever want to go back.”
Now, she’s found herself sleeping on a bench with her only belongings: a backpack and some clothes.
Her Instagram account reveals some of the details of her new life.
A recent post shows a slideshow of artwork over The Pixies’ song “Hey.”
One image depicts a skeleton and gravestone with the phrase “at my funeral, take the bouquet off my coffin and throw it into the crowd to see who is next.”
Another frame shows the painting “The Maiden” by Austrian art nouveau artist Gustav Klimt, while another is a selfie taken in what looks like a park at night, her hair appearing short and matted.
“You are a strong woman, so head up and onward, everything will be fine,” one comment on a recent post reads.
Some pictures and videos show celebrities and famous works of art, while others show her feet or backpack on the park bench.
In one video, posted on New Year’s Eve, she slowly curls her arm into a middle finger while loud noises can be heard in the background.
“I don’t need anything from anyone,” she told Semana.
Despite her independence, Cervera acknowledged she could use some support from local safety nets.
She also admitted to sometimes asking for money next to the Costa del Sol city’s traffic lights.
According to the magazine, her situation has been reported to the Red Cross, although she has yet to receive a response.
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