This dissertation explores the evolution of the most noteworthy female celebrities and influential women in Spanish popular culture, from the Francoist dictatorship (1939-1975) to neoliberal democracy (1976-2015). Each chapter focuses on a different celebrity that embodies a specific historical timeframe: Lola Flores the Francoist Dictatorship (1939-1975), Carmen Maura the transition to democracy (1975-1996), Lucía Etxebarria the goverment of the conservative Partido Popular (1996-2004), and Belén Esteban the economic crisis of 2008 and the end of the bipartisanship (2000-2015). These women are analized across four different media: cinema, music, literature, and television; so we can understand the role they played in the social, cultural and political transformations of Spain. The study focuses on women because female figure, from the private sphere and its emotions, has inherently embodied the state of the country since the 19th century. Therefore, it shows how these women have a unique correlation with the politics of their historical time and how they reach the public through affect. -- Abstract.
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