The son of a teacher mother and a veterinary professor father, Barcelona-born Joaquim Gutiérrez Ylla made his acting debut at age 12 in the Spanish telenovela "Poblenou." The young actor subsequently took a break from onscreen work to earn a degree at the Universidad Pompeu Fabra, before returning to the small screen in the series "El cor de la ciutat." Gutiérrez made a highly acclaimed stage debut in a 2002 production of Mark Ravenhill's feisty drama "Some Explicit Polaroids," for which he received that year's Butaca Award for Best Supporting Actor. He has gone on to play major roles in Spanish productions including (appropriately enough for a burgeoning sex symbol) Romeo in "Romeo and Juliet." Gutiérrez's first film role, in Daniel Sçnchez Arévalo's "Darkbluealmostblack," saw him play a young man beset by family responsibilities and sexual confusion, whose troubles multiply when his infertile brother requests his help in impregnating his incarcerated girlfriend. This challenging undertaking netted Gutiérrez widespread film festival exposure and a slew of awards, including the 2007 Goya Award for Best New Actor. He went on to star in Arévalo's follow-up film, "Cousinhood," released in 2011, as well as further high-profile Spanish television productions, short films and the Spanish/Columbian mystery thriller "La cara oculta."