Mar adentro
Rueda returned to Madrid and worked as a salesperson and a model until she became a TV presenter. After that she worked as an actress on television, including the show "Los Serrano", and eventually acted in films. She won a Goya Award in 2004 for her role as Julia in "The Sea Inside". She received another Goya nomination for her role in the 2007 film, "The Orphanage". Rueda played the lead role of the Spanish thriller "Julia's Eyes", which was produced by Guillermo del Toro. She also starred in Oriol Paulo's thriller "The Body".