Biography
Emilio Aragón hails from one of Spain’s most beloved artistic families, whose talents have been shared across Europe, Latin America, and the U.S. for generations. His great-grandfather, Gabriel, was a young seminarian from the bourgeoisie of 19th-century Granada. Just as he was about to become a priest, he abandoned his vocation for love. Virginia Foureaux, a remarkable equestrienne and daughter of the owner of the "Grand Cirque Foureaux," was the catalyst for this life-changing decision. Gabriel joined the circus and traveled halfway around the world to be with her. However, Virginia set a high bar: after several marriage proposals, she declared, "I will only marry the most famous clown in Europe." Determined, Gabriel embraced this challenge, becoming the renowned Gran Pepino and pioneering a new era in clown history. The clown and equestrienne married and had 15 children, launching a lineage of celebrated comedy artists who turned their craft into a family legacy. Among them were Pompoff, Thedy, and Emig; their children Gaby, Fofó, and Miliki, the latter being Emilio Aragón’s father.
In 1945, Miliki and his two brothers traveled to Cuba on a four-month contract, marking their entry into the burgeoning medium of television. This opportunity evolved into a 27-year career filled with success across Cuba, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, and the United States. They shared stages with legends like Buster Keaton and appeared on prominent TV shows such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Jack Paar Show. Born into this nomadic, artistic family in Havana in 1959, Emilio Aragón grew up surrounded by music, comedy, rehearsals, stages, and TV studios. His upbringing, combined with attending various schools in different countries, fostered his generous and enterprising spirit. These diverse experiences created a rich cultural mosaic—languages, music, faces—that shaped his holistic artistic vision.
From the start of his career, Emilio expressed life through music. His professional stage debut featured a mute character, relying solely on an instrument to communicate. Since then, Emilio Aragón has become one of Spain’s most versatile and esteemed artists. He excels both in front of and behind the camera, producing, writing, and directing highly successful television scripted series. In classical music, he was commissioned by Plácido Domingo to orchestrate songs from the Grammy-winning album "Pasión Española." Emilio has conducted Spain’s leading symphony orchestras and composed works such as his latest cantata, "Largo Suspiro de Vida" (Long Sigh of Life), premiered in January 2011 with text by Nobel laureate José Saramago.
In 2007, Emilio ventured into film production with "Carlitos y el campo de los sueños" (Carlitos and the Field of Dreams), which garnered numerous international awards. As a musician, writer, actor, and producer, his extensive audiovisual experience naturally led him to filmmaking. His directorial debut, "Pájaros de Papel" (Paper Birds), a lifelong dream, earned him a nomination for Best First Director at the 2011 Goya Awards. Today, film directing is his primary focus.
Emilio holds a Cum Laude degree in History and an Honorary PhD in Art from the University of Suffolk in Boston, recognizing his contributions to communications and the arts. He serves as Vice President of the Action Against Hunger Foundation, traveling frequently to witness and promote the organization’s work firsthand. These visits have resulted in documentaries broadcast on television, including "Mil colores y una esperanza" (A Thousand Colors and One Hope) in Guatemala (Channel 2, 2003), "Mali, el corazón del Sahel" (Mali, the Heart of the Sahel) in Mali (Antena 3, 2004), and "Armenio" (Armenian), aired on La Casa Encendida in July 2010.
Additionally, Emilio presides over the Stanza Foundation, which supports projects aimed at enriching children’s musical education, such as the CD "The Brave Tin Soldier" and the ballet "Snow White." He is a board member of the Dales la Palabra Foundation, which established Tres Olivos, Spain’s first integrated school for children with hearing impairments, and serves on the advisory board of Intermon Oxfam.
7 wins and 11 nominations
