Francisco Gattorno facts for kids

Francisco Alejandro Gattorno Sánchez (born October 12, 1964), known as Francisco Gattorno, is a Cuban actor. He has starred in many films and telenovelas, which are like long TV dramas, in both Cuba and Mexico. He is well-known across Latin America and among Hispanic audiences in the United States.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Francisco Gattorno grew up in Santa Clara, Cuba. His father was from the Canary Islands, and his mother's family had French roots. From a young age, Francisco loved Cuban culture, especially its music and sports. However, acting and directing became his main passion.

He studied acting in Cuba and later in Mexico. In the early 2000s, he also became a citizen of Mexico.

First Steps in Film

Francisco Gattorno started his acting career in films. In 1985, when he was 21, he appeared in the Cuban movie Una Novia para David (which means "A Girlfriend for David"). Three years later, he acted in El Verano de la Señora Forbes ("The Summer of Miss Forbes"). This film helped him become known in Mexico and was also shown in the Netherlands. In 1989, he had a small part in Papeles Secundarios ("Secondary Roles").

Expanding His Horizons

Gattorno's acting journey took him to Spain for the 1992 film Me Alquilo Para Soñar. In 1993, he worked on another Cuban film called Sueño Tropical. By this time, he was a recognized actor in Cuba.

Later in 1993, Gattorno traveled to Chile for a short film called Los Perros Tambien Tienen Hambre. The year 1994 was a big one for him because he moved to Mexico. There, he acted in the famous film Fresa y Chocolate ("Strawberry and Chocolate"), a movie about an unusual friendship between two men with very different ideas. Francisco Gattorno played the character Miguel in this film.

Rise to Telenovela Stardom

After moving to Mexico, Francisco Gattorno began acting in Televisa's popular telenovelas. In 1995, he played Josè Maria in La Dueña. He worked alongside famous Mexican actors like Angélica Rivera and Eduardo Santamarina. It was also on this show that he met actress Cynthia Klitbo, who later became his first wife.

International Success

In 1996, Gattorno starred in Tu y Yo with actors like Maribel Guardia and Joan Sebastian. This telenovela became a huge international hit, especially popular among Hispanic viewers in the United States.

Following Tu y Yo, he acted in Cañaveral de Pasiones. In this show, he worked with fellow Cuban actor César Évora and other well-known Mexican actors. Cañaveral de Pasiones was an important step in Gattorno's career.

Continued Popularity

In 1998, Francisco Gattorno appeared in the action film Engaño Mortal and played Alvaro San Roman in the telenovela Preciosa. He and César Évora worked together again in 1999's Laberintos de Pasion. This was another big hit for Televisa. That same year, he also acted in Entre la Tarde y la Noche.

In 2000, Gattorno made his Hollywood debut in the film Before Night Falls. The next year, in 2001, he traveled to Colombia to play Andres Bustamante in Amantes del Desierto. Around this time, he met Belmaris González Suazo, a Cuban ballet dancer. They later married and have two daughters, Isabella and Carolina Alicia.

Gattorno continued his work in 2001 with El noveno mandamiento. In 2002, he was part of a popular telenovela for teenagers called Cómplices al rescate. He acted alongside Daniela Luján and Belinda Peregrin in this romantic story about young people trying to fix relationships.

Television Appearances and Theater

By 2002, Francisco Gattorno's fame led him to appear on the covers of major Spanish-language magazines in the United States. He finished 2002 and started 2003 with another hit teenage telenovela, Clase 406.

After a break from telenovelas, he appeared on talk shows like Don Francisco Presenta and El Gordo y La Flaca in 2004. He also co-hosted El Escandalo del Mediodia for a week. He returned to acting in the telenovela Las Lloronas and appeared on Cristina Saralegui's Christmas special.

In September 2004, Gattorno began working with the Spanish Repertory Theatre in New York. He debuted in the play Ana en el trópico by Cuban writer Nilo Cruz. He also performed in the comedy Las quiero a las dos and the play Escrito y Sellado.

Recent Projects

In 2005, Gattorno hosted Premios Lo Nuestro, a major award show watched across Latin America. He also joined Telemundo as a new star in their show Tierra de Pasiones, where he played Pablo Gonzalez. He worked with actors like Gabriela Spanic and Saul Lizaso.

Gattorno played Roberto in the 2005 movie La Migra. In 2006, he starred in the new Telemundo version of La Viuda de Blanco, playing Sebastian Blanco alongside Itatí Cantoral. He also starred in the Panamanian film Chance, which won an international award in 2010.

In 2009, he returned to Mexican telenovelas in Mi Pecado, playing Rodolfo Huerta. He also appeared in Atrévete a soñar. In 2012, he joined the cast of Abismo de pasion, which was a new version of Cañaveral de Pasiones. He played Braulio. Later in 2012, he joined Amores verdaderos (telenovela) as Santino "Salsero" Roca. In 2013, he was part of the telenovela Lo Que La Vida Me Robó, playing Sandro Navarez.

Francisco Gattorno owns property in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida.

Filmography

Television

See also

In Spanish: Francisco Gattorno para niños