I starred in Pan’s Labyrinth

I starred in Pan’s Labyrinth

Author: BBC World Service March 11, 2026 Duration: 11:03

In 2006, Ivana Baquero starred in Guillermo del Toro’s Spanish-language film Pan’s Labyrinth.

The film tells the story of an 11-year-old girl who meets mythical creatures on a quest to achieve immortality and return to the underworld as a princess.

However, it isn’t your typical fairy tale. Set in 1944, against the backdrop of Franco’s fascist Spain, the film is hard-hitting and at times violent.

Ivana Baquero speaks to Tim O’Callaghan about starring in the film when she was an 11-year-old.

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(Photo: Ivana Baquero at the premiere of Pan’s Labyrinth in 2006. Credit: Reuters/Fred Prouser)


Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by and curious about the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more. Recent episodes explore everything from how the Excel spreadsheet was developed, the creation of cartoon rabbit Miffy and how the sound barrier was broken.We look at the lives of some of the most...
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