Angélica María facts for kids

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal family name is Hartman and the second or maternal family name is Ortíz.

Quick facts for kids Angélica María
María in 1965
Born	(1944-09-27) September 27, 1944 (age 80) New Orleans, Louisiana, U.S.
Other names	La Novia de México
Citizenship	United States (by birthplace) Mexico (from mother)
Occupation	Actress singer
Years active	1950–present
Children	Angélica Vale
Musical career
Genres	Rock and roll pop latin ballad
Instruments	Vocals

Angélica María Hartman Ortiz (born September 27, 1944) is a famous Mexican singer and actress. People often call her "La Novia de México" (Mexico's Sweetheart). She started acting as a child in movies during the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema. Later, in the 1960s, she became a huge star for teenagers. This was thanks to her TV shows, movies, and popular songs. She sang rock and roll and pop ballads. Some of her big hits include "El hombre de mi vida" and "Reina y cenicienta".

Angélica María has won many awards for her work. These include a special Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. This shows how much she has achieved in TV, movies, and music.

Angélica María's Early Life

Angélica María was born in 1944 in New Orleans, Louisiana, in the U.S. Her father was an American businessman named Arnold Hartman. Her mother, Angélica de Jesús Ortiz Sandoval, produced plays for the theater. When Angélica María was five years old, her parents got divorced. She then moved to Mexico City with her mother.

How Angélica María Started Acting

Angélica's aunt, Yolanda Ortiz, helped her get into Mexican movies. A movie producer named Gregorio Wallerstein was looking for a boy for his new film. Little Angélica told him, "Give me a haircut, and I'm that boy!" The producer was charmed by her. He let her audition, and she got the part in the movie Pecado ("Sin").

After that, she acted in many more movies. She even won an important award called the Premio Ariel when she was only six years old. This was for her role in the movie Mi Esposa y la Otra ("My Wife and the Mistress"). She also appeared in her first fotonovela, which is like a comic book with photos, called Rayito del Sol ("Little Sunray"). She sang in two more movies, including Los Gavilanes with the famous actor Pedro Infante. He told her she would be a great actress because she spoke with her eyes.

Becoming a Teen Idol

In 1955, Angélica María started acting in plays. Her first play was La mala semilla (The Bad Seed). When she was 16, she began acting in telenovelas, which are like long TV soap operas. Her first telenovela was Cartas de amor (Love Letters).

She also acted in musicals and even in "lucha libre" (Mexican wrestling) movies. People started calling her La novia de la juventud (Youth's girlfriend). After her first musical, a journalist gave her the nickname La Novia de México (Mexico's Sweetheart). This special name has stayed with her ever since.

Angélica María's Singing Career

After doing a few musicals, Angélica María decided to focus more on singing. She worked with her mother, who was also her manager. They teamed up with a new songwriter named Armando Manzanero. In 1962, she released her first album, Eddy Eddy. It became a huge hit!

She then started touring and making movies with other teen idols like César Costa and Enrique Guzmán. She became one of the biggest stars in Latin America. Later, she met the singer Juan Gabriel, who became a very famous artist. They recorded songs together, and one of their singles, Tú sigues siendo el mismo, sold a million copies in the United States. Angélica María has recorded many albums throughout her career. Her singing career continued through 2013 with her album "With Your Love."

Angélica María's Acting Career

Angélica María continued to be a very busy actress. In 1965, she filmed a movie in Spain. Then she came back to Mexico to make more films and record her sixth album. She starred in successful movies like 5 de chocolate y 1 de fresa. She also played the main role in the 1968 movie Corazón salvaje (Wild Heart). This movie made her famous even in places like China!

In 1971, she starred in the telenovela Muchacha italiana viene a casarse (Italian girl comes to get married). This show helped open up the Spanish TV market in the United States. It was also very popular in Central and South America. She also acted in another big telenovela called Ana del aire, where she played a flight attendant.

In 1977, she made a telenovela version of Corazón salvaje. She also released two albums and performed in a play called Papacito Piernas Largas (Daddy Long-legs). This play was so popular that it sold out over 1000 times!

Angélica María continued to act in many TV shows and telenovelas. She even acted with her daughter, Angélica Vale, in several productions. In 1990, she performed in a play called Mamá ama el rock (Mom loves rock) with her daughter and Ricky Martin. She has appeared in many other popular shows, including Agujetas de color de rosa and Rosalinda. More recently, she has appeared in shows like Aurora and Qué Bonito Amor.

María in 2016

From 2012 to 2013, Angélica María played 'Amalia Mendoza' in Qué Bonito Amor. She acted alongside stars like Danna García and Jorge Salinas.

Angélica María's Personal Life

In 1974, Angélica María met a Venezuelan singer and comedian named Raúl Vale. They got married in April 1975. Their wedding was the first to be shown on TV in Mexico! That same year, Angélica María set a record in New York City. Her show at Madison Square Garden sold out twice in one day. This record has not been broken since. In November 1975, her daughter, Angélica Vale, was born. Her daughter also became a famous actress, comedian, and singer.

In 2003, Angélica María wrote a book about her life. It shared many details about her career as an actress and her personal journey. The book was published in 2005. Angélica María can speak Spanish, English, and French very well.

International Tours and Other Work

In 1980, Angélica María created a show called La historia del cine (The history of cinema). In this show, she sang, danced, and played 15 different characters. She even changed her outfits 15 times without leaving the stage! She then took this show on tour all over North and South America. In 1982, she acted in her first English-language film, Matar a un extraño ("To kill a stranger"). She also presented another show called La magia de Angélica María (The magic of Angélica María).

In 2006, she joined a show called "Los Grandes del Rock." She also worked with her daughter, Angélica Vale, again in the telenovela La fea mas bella (The Prettiest Ugly Girl). This show was a huge success! In 2009, they acted together as mother and daughter in another TV series called Mujeres asesinas (Murderous women).

Angélica María has also been a judge on the Spanish-language version of The X Factor in the United States. In 2014, she joined the cast of the film Ruta Madre. She also became a regular cast member of the TV series Graves (TV series) in 2016.

Music Albums

Angélica María has released many music albums throughout her career. Here are some of them:

1962: Angélica María
1962: Angélica María Vol.2
1963: Angélica María Vol.3
1964: Angélica María Vol.4
1965: Angélica María Vol.5
1968: Cuando me enamoro
1973: Tonto
1986: El Hombre de Mi Vida
1990: Reina y Cenicienta
2004: Boleros Reloaded
2013: Con Tu Amor

Film and TV Appearances

Angélica María has acted in many movies and TV shows. Here are some of her most notable roles:

TV Shows

1964: Premier Orfeon
1975: Los Grandes Años del Rock And Roll
1989: Tres generaciones
2013–2014: El Factor X (as a judge)
2016: Graves
2023: The Lincoln Lawyer

Telenovelas

1960: Cartas de amor (Main role)
1971–1972: Muchacha italiana viene a casarse (Main role)
1973–1974: Ana del aire (Main role)
1977: Corazón salvaje (Main role)
1981: El hogar que yo robé (Main role)
1994–1995: Agujetas de color de rosa (Co-star)
1996: Bendita mentira (Main role)
1999: Rosalinda (Adult main role)
2006–2007: La fea más bella (Co-star)
2011: Mi Corazón Insiste (Supporting role)
2012–2013: Qué bonito amor (Co-star)

Hollywood Films

1982: To Kill a Stranger as Christina Carver
2003: Sea of Dreams as Rina
2017: Coco as Elena Rivera (Spanish voice)

Mexican Films

1950: Pecado as Miguelito
1951: Mi Esposa y la Otra as Carmelita
1954: Los gavilanes as Florecita
1964: Mi héroe as Mané
1967: 5 de chocolate y 1 de fresa as Esperanza/Brenda/Domitila
1967: Corazón salvaje (1968)
2019: Como caído del cielo as herself

Theatre Plays

Angélica María has also performed in many plays:

1955: La mala semilla
1974–1975: Gigi as Colette
1977–1979: Papacito piernas largas Daddy Long Legs
1990–1991: Mamá ama el rock
1996: La mujer del ano Woman of the Year as Tess Harding

Interesting Facts

Angélica María is famously known as La Novia de México (Mexico's Sweetheart).
She was one of the biggest stars in movies and TV during the 1960s and 1970s. She also sold the most records in Mexico during that time. Even today, she is still very respected and loved in Mexico.
Angélica María has a star on the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City's Plaza de las Estrellas. This is a special honor for her work in theater, film, TV, and music. She and her daughter, Angélica Vale, are one of the few mother-daughter pairs to receive this honor.
Both Angélica María and Angélica Vale have stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Their stars are located at 7060 Hollywood Boulevard.

Awards and Recognitions

Angélica María has received many important awards for her amazing talent.

Premios TVyNovelas

She has won three Premios TVyNovelas, which are major awards for Mexican television.

1997: Won Best First Actress for Bendita mentira.
She was also nominated for her roles in Rosalinda and La Fea Más Bella.

Premios Excelencia Musical

2008: She received a special Musical Excellence award from the Latin Recording Academy. This is like an honorary Latin Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.

Premios People en Español

2013: Won Best Supporting Actress for her role in Qué Bonito Amor.