Lupe Ontiveros facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lupe Ontiveros
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Ontiveros in 2008
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| Born |
Guadalupe Moreno
September 17, 1942 El Paso, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | July 26, 2012 (aged 69) Whittier, California, U.S.
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| Resting place | Rose Hills Memorial Park |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1968–2012 |
| Spouse(s) |
Elías Ontiveros
(m. 1966) |
| Children | 3 |
Guadalupe Ontiveros (born Moreno; September 17, 1942 – July 26, 2012) was an American actress. She was well-known for her roles as Rosalita in the movie The Goonies and as Yolanda Saldívar in the film Selena.
Lupe Ontiveros acted in many films and TV shows. She often played characters like a maid or, later in her career, a wise grandmother. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work on Desperate Housewives. She also received praise for her role in Chuck & Buck, winning an award for Best Supporting Actress.
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Early Life and Education
Lupe Ontiveros was born in El Paso, Texas. Her parents, Luz "Lucita" Castañón and Juan Moreno, were immigrants from Mexico. They started a tortilla factory and two restaurants in El Paso.
Lupe graduated from El Paso High School. She then studied at Texas Woman's University in Denton, Texas. She earned a bachelor's degree in social work. She grew up in the Roman Catholic faith.
Moving to California
After getting married, Lupe and her husband moved to California. Her husband wanted to start a business there. Lupe was working as a social worker but felt she needed a change. She thought about going back to school to become a nurse.
Then, she saw an article about needing film extras. With her husband's encouragement, she took the job. This small start led to a long career on stage and screen. Before acting, she was a social worker for 18 years. She continued to support causes like preventing domestic violence and raising AIDS awareness.
Acting Career Highlights
Lupe Ontiveros once said she played a maid about 150 times. She wanted to see more different roles for Latina actors. She felt proud to represent working people. She said, "I've given every maid I've ever portrayed soul and heart." Because of her many maid roles, she narrated the documentary Maid in America.
Notable Film Roles
One of Lupe's first important movie roles was in the 1983 film El Norte. She played a seamstress and maid who helped a young immigrant girl from Guatemala. In an interview, she called El Norte her favorite film. She said it "tells the immigrants' story."
In 1985, she played Rosalita, a housekeeper, in the popular adventure film The Goonies. She also appeared in Dolly Dearest (1992) and had a small part in Blood In Blood Out (1993).
Lupe worked again with director Gregory Nava in My Family/Mi Familia (1995) and Selena (1997). In Selena, she played the character of Yolanda Saldívar. She also appeared in the Academy Award-winning film As Good as It Gets.
In 2000, Lupe starred in Chuck & Buck. She played Beverly, a tough theater director. She took the role because the character was not defined by her Hispanic background. For this role, she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.
Lupe also co-starred with America Ferrera in the 2002 film Real Women Have Curves. She played the main character's strict mother. Her acting earned her and Ferrera a special award at the Sundance Film Festival. They later appeared together in Our Family Wedding.
Television Appearances
Lupe Ontiveros had a recurring role in the TV show Desperate Housewives (2004–05). She played Juanita Solis, Gabrielle's suspicious mother-in-law. This role earned her an Emmy nomination.
From 2004, she voiced Abuela Elena in the animated children's series Maya & Miguel. This show was about different cultures and was bilingual. Lupe, who had two deaf sons, suggested an episode about sign language. This led to the show introducing a deaf character.
She also played a grandmother in Greetings from Tucson. Lupe had guest roles in many other shows, including Veronica's Closet, Hill Street Blues, and King of the Hill.
Stage Performances
Lupe started her acting career in community theater in Los Angeles. In 1978, she got a big role as Dolores in Luis Valdez's play Zoot Suit. She later performed this role on Broadway. It was the first Mexican American play to be shown there. She also appeared in the 1982 film version. Lupe was a founding member of the Latino Theater Company.
Charity Work and Advocacy
Lupe Ontiveros was involved in charity work. In 2006, she presented a health-education DVD for Kaiser Permanente, available in English and Spanish. She also promoted higher education for Latinos. She appeared in advertisements for the Hispanic Scholarship Fund and helped increase access to scholarship directories.
Personal Life
Lupe Ontiveros and her husband, Elías Ontiveros, had three sons: Alejandro, Elias, and Nicholas. They lived in Pico Rivera, California.
Death
Lupe Ontiveros passed away on July 26, 2012, at Presbyterian Hospital in Whittier, California. She was 69 years old and had been battling liver cancer. Her memorial service was held on August 2, 2012. Many co-actors, including Eva Longoria, Edward James Olmos, and Wilmer Valderrama, attended. She was buried at Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier.
Filmography
Lupe Ontiveros appeared in many films and television shows throughout her career. Here are some of her notable works:
Selected Film Roles
- 1983 – El Norte as Nacha
- 1985 – The Goonies as Rosalita
- 1991 – Dolly Dearest as Camilla
- 1993 – Blood In Blood Out as Carmen
- 1995 – My Family as Irene
- 1997 – Selena as Yolanda Saldívar
- 1997 – As Good as It Gets as Nora
- 2000 – Chuck & Buck as Beverly Franco
- 2002 – Real Women Have Curves as Carmen Garcia
- 2010 – Our Family Wedding as Momma Cecilia
Selected Television Roles
- 1978–1980 – The White Shadow as Mrs. Gomez (3 episodes)
- 1981–1984 – Hill Street Blues as Mrs. Uribe (3 episodes)
- 1997 – Veronica's Closet as Louisa (4 episodes)
- 2002–2003 – Greetings from Tucson as Magdalena Tiant (22 episodes)
- 2004–2007 – Maya & Miguel as Abuela Elena (voice)
- 2004, 2012 – Desperate Housewives as Juanita 'Mama' Solis (8 episodes)
- 2011 – Los Americans as Lucia Valenzuela (8 episodes)
- 2012 – Rob as Abuelita Dana (8 episodes)
Images for kids
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Lupe Ontiveros in 2008
See Also
In Spanish: Lupe Ontiveros para niños
