Trivia

Due to his starring in The French Connection (1971) and that he did much of his acting work in French films, many Americans perceived him as a Frenchman, when he was in fact very much Spanish.

Got his part in The French Connection after his name was mixed up with that of actor Francisco Rabal; Rabal himself turned out to be unavailable at the time, so Rey was retained for the role.

Thanks to his work with Luis Buñuel he was the first Spanish actor who gained international fame.

Was also a voice actor, and provided the Castilian Spanish dubbed voice for Laurence Olivier in Hamlet (1948) and The Prince and the Showgirl (1957); for Henry Fonda in The Longest Day (1962), and for the character "Jim" in the animated feature When the Wind Blows (1986) (John Mills in the original). He also dubbed himself into Spanish in the roles he performed in other languages, as well as other Spanish actors in Spanish movies whose voice was deemed unsuitable for the screen.

Became the favorite leading actor of Luis Buñuel in the latter half of the director's career.

(1992-1994) President of the Spanish Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Member of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1975

Studied architecture.

Had a son, Fernando Casado Campolongo.

The January 16, 1974, edition of Variety, in the Film Production section, reports the movie The Captive began filming Sep. 13, 1973, producer/director Herb Freed, starring Rey, 'Oliver Reed (I)', and, Curt Jurgens. No evidence the movie was ever released.