Actor Juan Codina case on rape and assault allegations archived
Three complaints filed against actor Juan Codina (Madrid, 1968), who for decades has run one of the country's most prestigious acting schools, have just been archived by the courts. Both the sexual assault cases and the assault case. Codina participated in the studio bearing his name until the case
Provisional dismissal for Juan Codina: judge archives rape and assault cases
The investigating magistrate number 20 of Madrid, Adelaida Medrano Aranguren, has provisionally archived three complaints filed against actor and pedagogue Juan Codina, born in Madrid in 1968, according to ABC. The cases included two complaints of sexual assault and one of assault and battery, all filed by students of his acting school in the Lavapiés neighbourhood.
Codina directed the centre located at 30 Calle Argumosa for decades, considered one of the most prestigious in the country. Among his former students are Carmen Machi and Hugo Silva. The actor has Max Theatre awards and credits in productions such as the film 'La virgen roja' and the series 'Las abogadas' and '30 monedas'. He withdrew from the profession when the case came to public attention; the then-directors of the studio, Carlos Bravo and Eva Carrera, removed him. The centre subsequently changed its name to Estudio de Actores.
The origin: complaints from autumn 2024
The case emerged in late 2024, amid public scrutiny of the Errejón case, when actress Miranda Yorch recounted on social media that she had been raped by her mentor. In her complaint, Yorch specified that the events dated back to 29 June 2019, when she was a man—the actress is transgender—and that Codina was her teacher and director of the centre.
The National Institute of Performing Arts and Music (Inaem) activated the sexual harassment protocol in autumn 2024 following complaints from three actresses who participated in the production 'The Seagull', by Anton Chekhov, at the Valle-Inclán theatre in Madrid, which depends on the Ministry of Culture. The school itself opened an internal investigation that concluded that "there is insufficient evidence to verify the existence of a non-consensual sexual relationship on the premises".
First complaint: Miranda Yorch's account
In the provisional dismissal order, which ABC has accessed, magistrate Medrano Aranguren details that on the night of the alleged events both had been drinking and smoking. According to Yorch's account, Codina followed her to the bathroom, kissed her on the neck and took her into a locked cubicle, where they had sexual relations on several occasions. The actress stated that she did not resist because she "was in a state of shock" and that she did not report it until five years later due to health reasons and lack of emotional readiness. She described Codina as someone who "generated excitement and attraction" amongst the student body, but also "fear and respect" due to his violent character.
The judge does not perceive "the presence of minimum and necessary rational indications of criminality that would support the account provided by the aggrieved party". She points out contradictions in Yorch's statements and highlights that, at the start of the following academic year, between October 2019 and March 2020, the actress maintained a consensual sexual relationship with Codina, visiting his home voluntarily "and with full knowledge of its purpose". The complainant herself acknowledged that it was not a romantic relationship, "because she never felt emotional affinity towards the defendant".
The magistrate concludes that "it does not seem credible that someone who has been a victim of sexual assault would then, and for months, engage in a consensual relationship with their attacker". She adds that the time elapsed between the events, 29 June 2019, and the complaint, 25 November 2024, without clear justification, also prevented the collection of biological samples for analysis of the case. In her statements, Yorch also indicated that meetings with students in which alcohol and cocaine were consumed were frequent at Codina's home, and left open the possibility that other students had been victims through chemical incapacitation.
Second complaint: slaps and dragging during classes
The second complaint was filed by a student identified as A. G. R. According to her account, between January and February 2024, Codina struck her twice across the face during a class; in late March and early April, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her across the floor. The teacher allegedly justified these practices as part of his teaching method, based on the school of Russian playwright Chekhov.
The events could constitute a minor offence of assault and battery, as there was no medical report of injuries. However, the complaint was filed in November 2024, which means that the events would have been time-barred one year after they occurred.
Third complaint: attempted kiss in June 2021
Another student reported that on 24 June 2021, Codina embraced her and her partner at the time and attempted to kiss them on the mouth. She alleged that the actor had taken advantage of her boyfriend's severe drug addiction at that time, as he allegedly had done with other students in vulnerable situations.
The magistrate characterises these events as "generic" and points out that, "precisely because of their vagueness, it is not possible to perceive the presence of libidinous intent on the part of the defendant that would have caused psychological harm to the victim or prejudice to her sexual freedom".
Source: ABC