Lupe Ontiveros
Encyclopedia
Lupe Ontiveros is an American film and television actress. Ontiveros has acted in numerous films and television shows, most often playing a maid or, more recently, an all-knowing grandmother; she estimates she has played a maid between 150 and 300 times on screen.
, the daughter of Luz "Lucita" Castanon and Juan Moreno, middle-class Mexican
immigrants who overcame a lack of formal education and were owners of a tortilla factory and two restaurants in El Paso. She graduated from El Paso High School
and went on to study at Texas Woman's University
in Denton, Texas, where she received a bachelor's degree in social work
. Ontiveros was raised Roman Catholic. After her marriage, she and her husband moved to California
to realize his dream of starting an automotive business. During a period of professional dissatisfaction with her social service career, Ontiveros was trying to decide whether to go back to school for a nursing degree when she saw an article about a need for local film "extra
s". With her husband's encouragement, she began with that simple job and parlayed it into a long stage and screen career.
Prior to acting, Ontiveros worked for 18 years as a social worker, and she continues as an activist with many of the same causes with which she worked in that profession, such as domestic violence
prevention and AIDS
awareness and prevention, among other health issues.
actors, she is proud of the work she has done each time she has played a maid or other working-class character: "I'm proud to represent those hands that labor in this country. I've given every maid I've ever portrayed soul and heart." In part because of her history in this role, she was chosen as the narrator for the documentary Maid in America.
One of Ontiveros' most prominent early movie roles was in the 1983 Gregory Nava
film El Norte
, in which she played a seamstress and maid who acts as mentor to a newly arrived immigrant girl from Guatemala
. In a 2004 interview with the Dominican
newspaper Listin Diario, she called El Norte "the film that always will remain in me... [it] tells the immigrants' story" when asked to name her favorite film from her long career. She played the housekeeper Rosalita, a Hispanic maid hired to assist in the packing and moving of the Walsh family in the hit adventure film
The Goonies
(1985) and a housekeeper in Dolly Dearest
(1992).
Ontiveros worked with Nava in subsequent films, including My Family/Mi Familia
(1995) and Selena
(1997). In the latter film, she portrayed Yolanda Saldívar
, the convicted murderer of Tejano
singer Selena
. She also appeared in the Academy Award winning film As Good as It Gets
.
In 2000, she was featured in the film Chuck & Buck
, in which she played Beverly, a tough theater director who puts on a play written by one of the film's main characters. She has said in multiple interviews she accepted the role even before seeing the script, solely on the basis of being asked to play a character who was not defined by Hispanic ethnicity. For that role, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the 2000 Independent Spirit Awards
.
She co-starred with America Ferrera
in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves
as the overbearing mother of Ferrera's character. Her performance received excellent reviews and earned her and her co-star a Special Jury Prize at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival
. She and Ferrera appeared together again in the family comedy Our Family Wedding
.
prime time
soap opera
series Desperate Housewives
as Juanita Solis, Gabrielle's suspicious mother-in-law. She received an Emmy nomination as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for this role. In 2004 she also began a role as Abuela Elena, the grandmother of the title characters in the animated PBS children's series Maya & Miguel
. The multicultural and bilingual series later introduced a deaf character, Marco, after a sign language
-themed episode was suggested by the actress, who has two hearing impaired
adult sons.
The actress was one of the stars of the WB
's Greetings from Tucson
, playing the grandmother in an upwardly mobile family of mixed Irish
and Mexican
heritage. She previously had recurring guest roles on the series Veronica's Closet
, for which she won an ALMA Award
in 1998, and on the short-lived soap opera Pasadena
. She also has been a guest star on Hill Street Blues
, Red Shoe Diaries
, Resurrection Blvd.
, Cory in the House
, and King of the Hill
, among many other series.
in her first major theatrical role. She went on to reprise the role on Broadway
— the first Mexican American theatrical production ever to play there — and in the 1982 film version
. She was a founding member of the Latino Theater Company.
insurance company announced that Ontiveros would be the featured presenter in a new health-education DVD
to be available in English and Spanish. She also has promoted higher education
for Latinos through advertisements for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in 2002 and participation in a 2003 campaign to increase access to the 2004 Hispanic Scholarships Directory across southern California.
She and her husband are the parents of three adult sons and reside in Pico Rivera, California
.
Early life
Ontiveros was born Guadalupe Moreno in El Paso, TexasEl Paso, Texas
El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...
, the daughter of Luz "Lucita" Castanon and Juan Moreno, middle-class Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
immigrants who overcame a lack of formal education and were owners of a tortilla factory and two restaurants in El Paso. She graduated from El Paso High School
El Paso High School
El Paso High School is the oldest operating high school in El Paso, Texas and is part of the El Paso Independent School District. It serves the West-Central section of the city, roughly west of the Franklin Mountains and north of Interstate 10 to the vicinity of Executive Center Boulevard...
and went on to study at Texas Woman's University
Texas Woman's University
Texas Woman's University is a co-educational university in Denton, Texas, United States with two health science center branches in Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas...
in Denton, Texas, where she received a bachelor's degree in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
. Ontiveros was raised Roman Catholic. After her marriage, she and her husband moved to California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to realize his dream of starting an automotive business. During a period of professional dissatisfaction with her social service career, Ontiveros was trying to decide whether to go back to school for a nursing degree when she saw an article about a need for local film "extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
s". With her husband's encouragement, she began with that simple job and parlayed it into a long stage and screen career.
Prior to acting, Ontiveros worked for 18 years as a social worker, and she continues as an activist with many of the same causes with which she worked in that profession, such as domestic violence
Domestic violence
Domestic violence, also known as domestic abuse, spousal abuse, battering, family violence, and intimate partner violence , is broadly defined as a pattern of abusive behaviors by one or both partners in an intimate relationship such as marriage, dating, family, or cohabitation...
prevention and AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
awareness and prevention, among other health issues.
Film career
Ontiveros has said that although she wants to see a more diverse set of roles made available to LatinaLatino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
actors, she is proud of the work she has done each time she has played a maid or other working-class character: "I'm proud to represent those hands that labor in this country. I've given every maid I've ever portrayed soul and heart." In part because of her history in this role, she was chosen as the narrator for the documentary Maid in America.
One of Ontiveros' most prominent early movie roles was in the 1983 Gregory Nava
Gregory Nava
Gregory Nava is a film director, producer and screenplay writer, of Mexican and Basque heritage.-Education:...
film El Norte
El Norte (film)
El Norte is an American and British film, directed by Gregory Nava. The screenplay was written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The movie was first presented at the Telluride Film Festival in 1983, and its wide release was in January 1984....
, in which she played a seamstress and maid who acts as mentor to a newly arrived immigrant girl from Guatemala
Guatemala
Guatemala is a country in Central America bordered by Mexico to the north and west, the Pacific Ocean to the southwest, Belize to the northeast, the Caribbean to the east, and Honduras and El Salvador to the southeast...
. In a 2004 interview with the Dominican
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
newspaper Listin Diario, she called El Norte "the film that always will remain in me... [it] tells the immigrants' story" when asked to name her favorite film from her long career. She played the housekeeper Rosalita, a Hispanic maid hired to assist in the packing and moving of the Walsh family in the hit adventure film
Adventure film
Adventure films are a genre of film.Unlike pure, low-budget action films they often use their action scenes preferably to display and explore exotic locations in an energetic way....
The Goonies
The Goonies
The Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The premise surrounds a band of pre-teens who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon hoping to save...
(1985) and a housekeeper in Dolly Dearest
Dolly Dearest
Dolly Dearest is a 1992 direct-to-video horror film starring Denise Crosby and Rip Torn.-Synopsis:American Elliot Wade becomes the new owner of the "Dolly Dearest" factory in Mexico...
(1992).
Ontiveros worked with Nava in subsequent films, including My Family/Mi Familia
My Family (film)
My Family is an American drama film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The motion picture stars Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, and others. It also features Jennifer Lopez in her second film role....
(1995) and Selena
Selena (film)
Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
(1997). In the latter film, she portrayed Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar
Yolanda Saldívar is a Mexican American woman who was convicted in 1995 of the murder of Tejano music singer Selena at a Days Inn motel in Corpus Christi, Texas on March 31, 1995.- Early life :...
, the convicted murderer of Tejano
Tejano
Tejano or Texano is a term used to identify a Texan of Mexican heritage.Historically, the Spanish term Tejano has been used to identify different groups of people...
singer Selena
Selena
Selena Quintanilla-Pérez , known simply as Selena, was a Mexican American singer-songwriter. She was named the "top Latin artist of the '90s" and "Best selling Latin artist of the decade" by Billboard for her fourteen top-ten singles in the Top Latin Songs chart, including seven number-one hits...
. She also appeared in the Academy Award winning film As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets
As Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks and produced by Laura Ziskin. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with an asthmatic son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist. The screenplay was...
.
In 2000, she was featured in the film Chuck & Buck
Chuck & Buck
Chuck & Buck is a 2000 comedy-drama film written by and starring Mike White, and directed by Miguel Arteta. The title is a reference to the nickname that poet Charles Bukowski was known as in literary circles—Chuck Buk.-Plot:...
, in which she played Beverly, a tough theater director who puts on a play written by one of the film's main characters. She has said in multiple interviews she accepted the role even before seeing the script, solely on the basis of being asked to play a character who was not defined by Hispanic ethnicity. For that role, she was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture at the 2000 Independent Spirit Awards
Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards , founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glass pyramids containing suspended shoestrings representing the paltry budgets of independent films. In 1986, the event was renamed the Independent Spirit...
.
She co-starred with America Ferrera
America Ferrera
America Georgina Ferrera is an American actress, best known for playing the lead role in the television comedy series Ugly Betty...
in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves
Real Women Have Curves
Real Women Have Curves is a 2002 American movie starring America Ferrera. Directed by Patricia Cardoso and produced by George LaVoo from a screenplay by LaVoo and Josefina Lopez , it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award in addition to Special Jury Prizes for both...
as the overbearing mother of Ferrera's character. Her performance received excellent reviews and earned her and her co-star a Special Jury Prize at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival
The Sundance Film Festival is a film festival that takes place annually in Utah, in the United States. It is the largest independent cinema festival in the United States. Held in January in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, as well as at the Sundance Resort, the festival is a showcase for new...
. She and Ferrera appeared together again in the family comedy Our Family Wedding
Our Family Wedding
Our Family Wedding is a romantic comedy film starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Lance Gross, Shannyn Sossamon and Regina King...
.
Television
Ontiveros had a recurring role in the 2004-05 season of AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
prime time
Prime time
Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast programming during the middle of the evening for television programing.The term prime time is often defined in terms of a fixed time period—for example, from 19:00 to 22:00 or 20:00 to 23:00 Prime time or primetime is the block of broadcast...
soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
series Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives
Desperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
as Juanita Solis, Gabrielle's suspicious mother-in-law. She received an Emmy nomination as Best Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for this role. In 2004 she also began a role as Abuela Elena, the grandmother of the title characters in the animated PBS children's series Maya & Miguel
Maya & Miguel
Maya & Miguel is a children's television animated series for children aged 6-12 produced by Scholastic Studios. It appears on PBS as part of the PBS Kids GO! lineup and on the CBBC channel in the UK...
. The multicultural and bilingual series later introduced a deaf character, Marco, after a sign language
Sign language
A sign language is a language which, instead of acoustically conveyed sound patterns, uses visually transmitted sign patterns to convey meaning—simultaneously combining hand shapes, orientation and movement of the hands, arms or body, and facial expressions to fluidly express a speaker's...
-themed episode was suggested by the actress, who has two hearing impaired
Hearing impairment
-Definition:Deafness is the inability for the ear to interpret certain or all frequencies of sound.-Environmental Situations:Deafness can be caused by environmental situations such as noise, trauma, or other ear defections...
adult sons.
The actress was one of the stars of the WB
The WB Television Network
The WB Television Network is a former television network in the United States that was launched on January 11, 1995 as a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Tribune Broadcasting. On January 24, 2006, CBS Corporation and Warner Bros...
's Greetings from Tucson
Greetings from Tucson
Greetings from Tucson is a television sitcom which aired on The WB during the 2002-2003 season. The series was executive produced by Rob LaZebnik, Peter Murrieta, Howard Klein and David Miner....
, playing the grandmother in an upwardly mobile family of mixed Irish
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
and Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
heritage. She previously had recurring guest roles on the series Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet
Veronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :...
, for which she won an ALMA Award
Alma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
in 1998, and on the short-lived soap opera Pasadena
Pasadena (TV series)
Pasadena is an American primetime soap opera originally broadcast in the U.S. from September to November 2001 on Fox.-Summary:The series starred Alison Lohman as Lily McAllister, an initially naïve young woman who witnesses a stranger's suicide and begins to investigate the secrets being hidden by...
. She also has been a guest star on Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues
Hill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
, Red Shoe Diaries
Red Shoe Diaries
Red Shoe Diaries is an erotic drama series that aired on the American cable television network Showtime from 1992 to 1997 and distributed by Playboy Entertainment overseas...
, Resurrection Blvd.
Resurrection Blvd.
Resurrection Blvd. is an American dramatic series which aired on Showtime for three seasons from 2000 to 2002.-Plot:In East Los Angeles, California, the Santiago family has had three generations of boxers within the family. They continue their battle to become boxing champions while struggling with...
, Cory in the House
Cory in the House
Cory in the House is an American television sitcom, which aired on the Disney Channel from January 12, 2007 to September 12, 2008 and was a spin-off from the Disney show That's So Raven. The show focuses on Cory Baxter, who moved from San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C., after Victor...
, and King of the Hill
King of the Hill
King of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
, among many other series.
Theater
After deciding she wanted an acting career, Ontiveros began in earnest, following up full-day sessions at her first career with evening work at Nosotros, a community theater in Los Angeles. In 1978, she was cast as Dolores in Luis Valdez’s historic play Zoot SuitZoot Suit (play)
Zoot Suit is a play written by Luis Valdez, featuring incidental music by Daniel Valdez and Lalo Guerrero, the "father of Chicano music." Zoot Suit is a fictionalized version of the real-life Sleepy Lagoon murder trial – when a group of Chicano youths were charged with a murder that they did...
in her first major theatrical role. She went on to reprise the role on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
— the first Mexican American theatrical production ever to play there — and in the 1982 film version
Zoot Suit (film)
Zoot Suit is a 1981 filmed version of the Broadway play Zoot Suit. Both the play and film were written and directed by Luis Valdez. The film stars Daniel Valdez, Edward James Olmos — both reprising their roles from the stage production — and Tyne Daly. Many members of the cast of the...
. She was a founding member of the Latino Theater Company.
Personal life
In August 2006, the Kaiser PermanenteKaiser Permanente
Kaiser Permanente is an integrated managed care consortium, based in Oakland, California, United States, founded in 1945 by industrialist Henry J. Kaiser and physician Sidney Garfield...
insurance company announced that Ontiveros would be the featured presenter in a new health-education DVD
DVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
to be available in English and Spanish. She also has promoted higher education
Higher education
Higher, post-secondary, tertiary, or third level education refers to the stage of learning that occurs at universities, academies, colleges, seminaries, and institutes of technology...
for Latinos through advertisements for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund in 2002 and participation in a 2003 campaign to increase access to the 2004 Hispanic Scholarships Directory across southern California.
She and her husband are the parents of three adult sons and reside in Pico Rivera, California
Pico Rivera, California
Pico Rivera is a city located in southeastern Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is situated approximately 11 miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles, on the eastern edge of the Los Angeles basin, and on the southern edge of the area known as the San Gabriel Valley...
.
Actress
- 2010
- Our Family WeddingOur Family WeddingOur Family Wedding is a romantic comedy film starring Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera, Carlos Mencia, Lance Gross, Shannyn Sossamon and Regina King...
.... Momma Cecilia
- Our Family Wedding
- 2009
- Hacia la vida .... Soledad
- ReaperReaper (TV series)Reaper is an American television series that focuses on Sam Oliver, a "reaper" who works for the Devil by retrieving souls that have escaped from Hell.The series originally ran on the CW from September 25, 2007 to May 26, 2009....
.... Ben's Grandmother (2 episodes, 2009) - SouthlandSouthland (TV series)Southland is an American drama series created by writer Ann Biderman and produced by Warner Bros. Television. It premiered on NBC on April 9, 2009...
.... Marta Ruiz (1 episode, 2009) - Crawlspace
- 2008
- Days of WrathDays of WrathDays of Wrath is a 2008 drama film starring Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Laurence Fishburne and Wilmer Valderrama. The film is directed by Celia Fox, and written by Mitchell Kapner and Michael Markee.-Plot:...
.... Anita - WeedsWeeds (TV series)Weeds is an American television comedy created by Jenji Kohan and produced by Tilted Productions in association with Lionsgate Television. The central character is Nancy Botwin , a widowed mother of two boys who begins selling marijuana to support her family after her husband dies suddenly of a...
.... Nun (1 episode, 2008) - Juan Frances: Live! .... Nena
- Days of Wrath
- 2007:
- Universal Signs .... Claire
- This ChristmasThis Christmas (film)This Christmas is a 2007 Christmas comedy-drama film produced by and distributed by Screen Gems. Written, produced and directed by Preston A. Whitmore II, it is a Christmastime story that centers around the Whitfield family, whose eldest son has come home for the first time in four years...
.... Rosie - Dark MirrorDark Mirror (film)Dark Mirror is a 2007 horror-thriller film, which was directed by Pablo Proenza, and stars Lisa Vidal, David Chisum, Christine Lakin, Lupe Ontiveros and Joshua Pelegrin, with a brief cameo by Daeg Faerch.- Plot :...
.... Grace - Cory in the HouseCory in the HouseCory in the House is an American television sitcom, which aired on the Disney Channel from January 12, 2007 to September 12, 2008 and was a spin-off from the Disney show That's So Raven. The show focuses on Cory Baxter, who moved from San Francisco, California to Washington, D.C., after Victor...
.... Mama Martinez (2 episodes, 2007) - Tortilla HeavenTortilla HeavenTortilla Heaven is an independent comedy film written and directed by Judy Hecht Dumontet. It was first released in theaters on March 16, 2007 in Los Angeles.-Plot:...
.... Adelfa
- 2006:
- A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo StoryA Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo StoryA Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story is a 2006 LGBT biography television film directed by award-winning director Agnieszka Holland and aired on Lifetime Television. The story documents the real life of Gwen Araujo, born Edward Araujo, Jr., a transgender teenager who was murdered after it was...
(TV) .... Mami
- A Girl Like Me: The Gwen Araujo Story
- 2005:
- Mind of MenciaMind of MenciaMind of Mencia is an American television comedy series on the cable channel Comedy Central. Hosted by Carlos Mencia, it aired from 2005 to 2008.- History :...
.... Carlos's Mom (1 episode, 2005) - Testing Bob (TV) .... Secretary
- Desperate HousewivesDesperate HousewivesDesperate Housewives is an American television comedy-drama series created by Marc Cherry and produced by ABC Studios and Cherry Productions. Executive producer Cherry serves as Showrunner. Other executive producers since the fourth season include Marc Cherry, Bob Daily, George W...
.... Juanita Solis (6 episodes, 2004–2005) - RebaReba (TV series)Reba is an American sitcom starring Reba McEntire, which ran from 2001 to 2007. For the show's first five seasons, it ran on The WB, with the show transitioning to The CW in its last year.-Synopsis:...
.... Penny (1 episode, 2005)
- Mind of Mencia
- 2004:
- Maya & MiguelMaya & MiguelMaya & Miguel is a children's television animated series for children aged 6-12 produced by Scholastic Studios. It appears on PBS as part of the PBS Kids GO! lineup and on the CBBC channel in the UK...
.... Abuela Elena (1 episode, 2004) - 30 Days Until I'm Famous (TV) .... Rosa Moreno
- Maya & Miguel
- 2002
- Greetings from TucsonGreetings from TucsonGreetings from Tucson is a television sitcom which aired on The WB during the 2002-2003 season. The series was executive produced by Rob LaZebnik, Peter Murrieta, Howard Klein and David Miner....
.... Magdalena (5 episodes, 2002–2003) - Mr. St. NickMr. St. NickMr. St. Nick is a 2002 Christmas comedy-fantasy film starring Kelsey Grammer. It was produced by Hallmark Entertainment and shown on ABC in the United States...
(TV) .... Tia Sophia - Resurrection Blvd.Resurrection Blvd.Resurrection Blvd. is an American dramatic series which aired on Showtime for three seasons from 2000 to 2002.-Plot:In East Los Angeles, California, the Santiago family has had three generations of boxers within the family. They continue their battle to become boxing champions while struggling with...
.... Lupe (1 episode, 2002) - PassionadaPassionadaPassionada is a 2002 romantic comedy film. It is directed by Dan Ireland and stars Jason Isaacs, Sofia Milos and Emmy Rossum, co-starring Seymour Cassel and Theresa Russell. The story is by David Bakalar, and the screenplay is by Jim Jermanok and Steve Jermanok...
.... Angelica Amonte - PasadenaPasadena (TV series)Pasadena is an American primetime soap opera originally broadcast in the U.S. from September to November 2001 on Fox.-Summary:The series starred Alison Lohman as Lily McAllister, an initially naïve young woman who witnesses a stranger's suicide and begins to investigate the secrets being hidden by...
.... Pilar (4 episodes, 2001–2002) - The Brothers GarcíaThe Brothers GarciaThe Brothers García is an American sitcom that premiered in 2000 on Nickelodeon and ended in 2004. It was among the first projects of Sí TV, an effort to produce programming featuring Latino characters, however being aimed at a diverse audience...
.... Abuelita / ... (3 episodes, 2000–2002) - Leap of FaithLeap of Faith (TV series)Leap of Faith is a half-hour single-camera comedy that aired on NBC during early 2002. It aired right after Friends on NBC's Thursday comedy block, Must See TV...
.... Lupe (1 episode, 2002) - King of the HillKing of the HillKing of the Hill is an American animated dramedy series created by Mike Judge and Greg Daniels, that ran from January 12, 1997, to May 6, 2010, on Fox network. It centers on the Hills, a working-class Methodist family in the fictional small town of Arlen, Texas...
.... Anne (1 episode, 2002) - Real Women Have CurvesReal Women Have CurvesReal Women Have Curves is a 2002 American movie starring America Ferrera. Directed by Patricia Cardoso and produced by George LaVoo from a screenplay by LaVoo and Josefina Lopez , it debuted at the Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award in addition to Special Jury Prizes for both...
.... Carmen Garcia
- Greetings from Tucson
- 2001
- StorytellingStorytelling (film)Storytelling is a 2001 film, directed by Todd Solondz. It features original music by Belle & Sebastian, later compiled on an album of the same name...
.... Consuelo ('Non-fiction') - Gabriela .... Grandma Josie
- La olla
- Storytelling
- 2000
- Strippers .... Credit Message
- Luminarias .... Tia Tonia
- Picking Up the PiecesPicking Up the PiecesPicking Up the Pieces is a 2000 film directed by Alfonso Arau and starring Woody Allen.-Story:Allen plays Tex, a butcher who kills his unfaithful wife Candy, played by Sharon Stone. After cutting up the body, Tex buries most of her body parts in the desert in New Mexico. A blind woman accidentally...
.... Constancia - Chuck & BuckChuck & BuckChuck & Buck is a 2000 comedy-drama film written by and starring Mike White, and directed by Miguel Arteta. The title is a reference to the nickname that poet Charles Bukowski was known as in literary circles—Chuck Buk.-Plot:...
.... Beverly Franco - The Egg Plant Lady .... Connie
- 1999
- Candyman 3: Day of the DeadCandyman 3: Day of the DeadCandyman 3: Day of the Dead is a 1999 straight-to-DVD horror film directed by Turi Meyer. It is the third film in the Candyman series.-Plot:...
(V) .... Abuela - As Good as It GetsAs Good as It GetsAs Good as It Gets is a 1997 American romantic comedy film directed by James L. Brooks and produced by Laura Ziskin. It stars Jack Nicholson as a misanthropic, obsessive-compulsive novelist, Helen Hunt as a single mother with an asthmatic son, and Greg Kinnear as a gay artist. The screenplay was...
.... Nora Manning - Veronica's ClosetVeronica's ClosetVeronica's Closet is a sitcom which aired on NBC from September 25, 1997, to June 27, 2000.The show starred Kirstie Alley as Veronica “Ronnie” Chase, the head of her own lingerie company.- Season one :...
.... Louisa (4 episodes, 1997) - The BraveThe BraveThe Brave is a film adapted from the Gregory McDonald novel of the same title directed by and starring Johnny Depp.This film was Depp's directorial debut. He co-wrote the screenplay with his brother, directed and acted in it. The film was first shown at the 1997 Cannes Film Festival where it...
.... Maria - Dave's WorldDave's WorldDave's World is an American sitcom that aired on CBS from 1993 to 1997. The series was based on the writing of Miami Herald columnist Dave Barry.-Plot:...
.... Bingo Lady (1 episode, 1997) - SelenaSelena (film)Selena is a 1997 American biographical drama film about the life and career of the late Tejano music star Selena, a recording artist who was well known in the Mexican-American and Hispanic communities in the United States and Mexico before she was shot to death at the age of twenty-three.The movie...
.... Yolanda Saldivar
- Candyman 3: Day of the Dead
- 1996
- Caroline in the CityCaroline in the CityCaroline in the City is an American situation comedy that ran from September 21, 1995 to April 26, 1999 on the NBC television network. It starred Lea Thompson as cartoonist Caroline Duffy. The series premiered in the two-hour Thursday night block led by Friends.-Premise:Caroline Duffy is a...
.... Rosa (1 episode, 1996) - Red Shoe DiariesRed Shoe DiariesRed Shoe Diaries is an erotic drama series that aired on the American cable television network Showtime from 1992 to 1997 and distributed by Playboy Entertainment overseas...
(1 episode, 1996)
- Caroline in the City
- 1995
- My FamilyMy Family (film)My Family is an American drama film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The motion picture stars Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, and others. It also features Jennifer Lopez in her second film role....
.... Irene
- My Family
- 1993
- La carpa .... La Vendedora
- DudleyDudley (TV Series)Dudley is an American Primetime television series starring Dudley Moore and Joanna Cassidy. The series premiered April 16, 1993 on CBS, temporarily replacing on Friday primetime-slot the series Major Dad, and was canceled May 14, 1993, just one episode before its regular ending.-Synopsis:The...
.... Marta (4 episodes, 1993) - Blood In Blood OutBlood in Blood outBlood In Blood Out is a 1993 crime-drama film directed by Taylor Hackford. It follows the intertwining lives of the three Chicano relatives, Miklo , Cruz and Paco from 1972 to the mid 1980s...
......Carmen (Drug Dealer) - Rio Diablo (TV) .... Ducna
- 1992
- Universal SoldierUniversal Soldier (1992 film)Universal Soldier is a 1992 American science fiction action film directed by Roland Emmerich and starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren as soldiers who kill each other in Vietnam but are reanimated in a secret Army project along with a large group of other previously dead...
.... Gregor's Maid - Tales from the CryptTales from the Crypt (TV series)Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
.... Madame Leona (1 episode, 1992)
- Universal Soldier
- 1991
- Great PerformancesGreat PerformancesGreat Performances, a television series devoted to the performing arts, has been telecast on Public Broadcasting Service public television since 1972...
.... Parranda (pastore) (1 episode, 1991) - Dolly DearestDolly DearestDolly Dearest is a 1992 direct-to-video horror film starring Denise Crosby and Rip Torn.-Synopsis:American Elliot Wade becomes the new owner of the "Dolly Dearest" factory in Mexico...
.... Camilla - How Else Am I Supposed to Know I'm Still Alive? .... Lupe
- Great Performances
- 1990
- A Show of ForceA Show of ForceA Show of Force is a 1990 thriller, directed by Bruno Barreto. The film is based on events and theories surrounding the Maravilla Hill case in Puerto Rico adapted from Anne Nelson's book, "Murder Under Two Flags."-Plot:...
.... Pepita - Grand Slam TV series .... Grandma Gomez (unknown episodes)
- A Show of Force
- 1989
- Those She Left BehindThose She Left BehindThose She Left Behind is a 1989 made-for-TV movie about a father forced to raise his newborn daughter alone after the unexpected death of his wife in childbirth...
(TV) .... Rosa
- Those She Left Behind
- 1988
- Punky BrewsterPunky BrewsterPunky Brewster was an American sitcom about a girl named Punky Brewster being raised by her foster parent...
.... Mrs. Aragon (1 episode, 1988) - CBS Schoolbreak SpecialCBS Schoolbreak SpecialCBS Schoolbreak Special is an American anthology series for teenagers that aired on CBS from April 1980 to January 1996. The series originally premiered under the title CBS Afternoon Playhouse, and was later changed during the 1984 - 85 season...
.... Mrs. Rojas (1 episode, 1988) - Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss?Who's the Boss? is an American sitcom created by Martin Cohan and Blake Hunter, which aired on ABC from September 20, 1984 to April 25, 1992...
.... Margarita (1 episode, 1988) - Hallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of FameHallmark Hall of Fame is an anthology program on American television, sponsored by Hallmark Cards, a Kansas City based greeting card company. The second longest-running television program in the history of television, it has a historically long run, beginning in 1951 and continuing into 2011...
.... Remedios Acosta (1 episode, 1988)
- Punky Brewster
- 1987
- I Married DoraI Married DoraI Married Dora is an American sitcom which appeared on the ABC television network. It premiered on September 22, 1987, and its final first-run episode aired on December 18, 1987. The series was created by Michael J...
(2 episodes, 1987) - Born in East L.A.Born in East L.A.Born in East L.A. is a 1987 American comedy film written and directed by Cheech Marin of the Cheech & Chong comedy team.The film is about an American of Chicano descent whom authorities deport to Tijuana...
.... Rudy's mother - The Rosary MurdersThe Rosary MurdersThe Rosary Murders is a 1987 neo-noir mystery film starring Donald Sutherland as Father Koesler, based upon the novel by William X. Kienzle....
.... Sophie - 1986
- When the Bough Breaks (TV) .... Cruz
- FameFame (1982 TV series)Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
.... Mrs. Castillo (1 episode, 1986) - 1985
- The GooniesThe GooniesThe Goonies is a 1985 American adventure-comedy film directed by Richard Donner. The screenplay was written by Chris Columbus from a story by executive producer Steven Spielberg. The premise surrounds a band of pre-teens who live in the "Goon Docks" neighborhood of Astoria, Oregon hoping to save...
.... Rosalita - Little TreasureLittle TreasureLittle Treasure is a 1985 American action drama starring Ted Danson, Margot Kidder and Burt Lancaster. The film, written and directed by Alan Sharp, deals with the strained relationship between a bank robber father and his daughter, a stripper.-Plot:...
.... Market Voice #1
- I Married Dora
- 1984
- Jessie .... Mary Velasco (1 episode, 1984)
- a.k.a. PabloA.k.a. Pabloa.k.a. Pablo is an American sitcom that aired on ABC from March to April 1984.-Synopsis:Produced by Norman Lear, it focuses on struggling Hispanic stand-up comic Paul Rivera and his large Mexican American family, who still called him by his given name Pablo...
.... Mrs. Alvarez (1 episode, 1984)
- 1981
- Hill Street BluesHill Street BluesHill Street Blues is an American serial police drama that was first aired on NBC in 1981 and ran for 146 episodes on primetime into 1987. Chronicling the lives of the staff of a single police precinct in an unnamed American city, the show received critical acclaim and its production innovations ...
.... Mrs. Uribe / ... (3 episodes, 1981–1984) - El NorteEl Norte (film)El Norte is an American and British film, directed by Gregory Nava. The screenplay was written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The movie was first presented at the Telluride Film Festival in 1983, and its wide release was in January 1984....
.... Nacha - ABC Afterschool SpecialABC Afterschool SpecialThe ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were...
.... Mrs. Nunez (1 episode, 1983)
- Hill Street Blues
- 1982
- The Border .... Madam in Whorehouse
- American PlayhouseAmerican PlayhouseAmerican Playhouse is an anthology television series periodically broadcast by Public Broadcasting Service in the United States.It premiered on January 12, 1982 with The Shady Hill Kidnapping, written and narrated by John Cheever and directed by Paul Bogart...
(1 episode, 1982)
- 1981
- Zoot SuitZoot Suit (film)Zoot Suit is a 1981 filmed version of the Broadway play Zoot Suit. Both the play and film were written and directed by Luis Valdez. The film stars Daniel Valdez, Edward James Olmos — both reprising their roles from the stage production — and Tyne Daly. Many members of the cast of the...
.... Dolores
- Zoot Suit
- 1980
- B. J. and the Bear .... Mexican Maid (1 episode, 1980)
- Cheech & Chong's Next MovieCheech & Chong's Next MovieCheech & Chong's Next Movie is the second feature-length film by Cheech and Chong, released in 1980. It was directed by Tommy Chong.-Plot:...
.... Old Lady
- 1978
- The White ShadowThe White ShadowThe White Shadow is an American drama television series that ran on the CBS network from November 27, 1978, to March 16, 1981.-Overview:...
.... Mrs. Gomez (3 episodes, 1978–1980) - California SuiteCalifornia Suite (film)California Suite is a 1978 American comedy film directed by Herbert Ross. The screenplay by Neil Simon is based on his play of the same title...
.... Maid - At the Hotel - The Boss' Son .... Maria
- The Big FixThe Big FixThe Big Fix is a 1978 film directed by Jeremy Kagan and based on the novel by Roger L. Simon, who also wrote the screenplay. It starred Richard Dreyfuss as private detective Moses Wine and co-starred Susan Anspach and John Lithgow...
.... Maid - SoapSoap (TV series)Soap is an American sitcom that originally ran on ABC from 1977 to 1981.The show was created as a parody of daytime soap operas, presented as a weekly half-hour prime time comedy. Similar to a soap opera, the show's story was presented in a serial format and included melodramatic plot elements such...
.... Lady in Airport (1 episode, 1978)
- The White Shadow
- 1977
- The World's Greatest LoverThe World's Greatest LoverThe World's Greatest Lover is a 1977 comedy film starring Gene Wilder and Carol Kane.-Plot:Set in the silent film era, Rainbow Studios figure they are losing revenue to a rival studio because they don't have Rudolph Valentino...
.... Whore #2 - Eight Is EnoughEight Is EnoughEight Is Enough is an American television comedy-drama series which ran on ABC from March 15, 1977 until August 29, 1981. The show was modeled after syndicated newspaper columnist Thomas Braden, a real-life parent with eight children, who wrote a book with the same name...
.... Mariana (1 episode, 1977) - AliceAlice (TV series)Alice is an American sitcom television series that ran from August 31, 1976 to July 2, 1985 on CBS. The series was based on the 1974 film Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore. The show stars Linda Lavin in the title role, a widow who moves with her young son to start her life over again, and finds a job...
.... Maria Fernanadez / ... (2 episodes, 1977)
- The World's Greatest Lover
- 1976
- Charlie's AngelsCharlie's AngelsCharlie's Angels is a television series about three women who work for a private investigation agency, and is one of the first shows to showcase women in roles traditionally reserved for men...
.... Maid (1 episode, 1976)
- Charlie's Angels