María Conchita Alonso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids María Conchita Alonso
Alonso (right) at LA Pride 2011
Born	María Concepción Alonso Bustillo (1957-06-29) June 29, 1957 (age 68) Cienfuegos, Cuba
Occupation	Singer, actress
Years active	1971–present
Title	Miss World Venezuela 1975
Beauty pageant titleholder
Major competition(s)	Miss World Venezuela 1975 (Winner) Miss World 1975 (Top 7)
Musical career
Genres	Latin pop adult contemporary dance-pop pop rock

María Concepción Alonso Bustillo (born June 29, 1957), known as María Conchita Alonso, is a famous Cuban-American actress and singer. She also won a beauty pageant, representing Venezuela at Miss World 1975 where she placed in the top seven.

Many people know her for playing Amber Mendez in the 1987 action movie The Running Man. She has been in many movies and TV shows. She was even nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 1996 for her role in Caught. As a singer, she has earned several gold and platinum records, meaning her music sold a lot! She has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

María Conchita Alonso was the first Latin American actress not born in the United States to star in a musical on Broadway. She performed in Kiss of the Spider Woman in 1995.

Early Life and Pageants

María Conchita Alonso was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, on June 29, 1957. Her parents were Ricardo Alonso and Conchita Bustillo. When she was five years old, in 1962, her family moved to Venezuela. This move happened after the Cuban Revolution.

She first got into show business when she won the title of Miss Teenager World in 1971. Later, in 1975, she became Miss World/Venezuela. She then competed in the Miss World pageant and finished as the sixth runner-up.

Her Career in Music and Acting

Alonso in 1986

María Conchita Alonso's first big music success was the song Love Maniac in 1979. It became a number one hit and helped her get a gold album. She released this music under the name Ámbar. After that, her songs "The Witch" and "Dangerous Rhythm" also became popular.

She was asked by Giorgio Moroder to write Spanish lyrics for his song "Vamos a Bailar." This song was for the movie Scarface. It quickly became a favorite among Spanish speakers. Her first two albums as Ámbar and her first solo album were in English.

Her second album, María Conchita, came out in 1984. This album made her a huge singing star in Spanish-speaking countries. It also earned her the first of three Grammy Award nominations.

In 1986, she sang the United States national anthem at a special FIFA UNICEF charity soccer match. This event took place at the Rose Bowl in California.

Acting in Movies and TV

María Conchita Alonso started her Hollywood movie career in Moscow on the Hudson (1984) with Robin Williams. She then starred in many other films. These include Touch and Go (1986) and Extreme Prejudice (1987).

She also appeared in The Running Man (1987), Colors (1988), and Predator 2 (1990). In 1995, she made history by being the first Latin-born actress to star in a Broadway show. She played Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Later, she acted in romantic comedies like Chasing Papi (2003). She also played Lucía, the mother of Gabrielle Solis, in the TV show Desperate Housewives in 2006. She was also a guest star in the movie El Muerto and appeared in Material Girls (2006).

In 2008, María Conchita Alonso hosted VH1's ¡Viva Hollywood! with Carlos Ponce. She also played Sam in the werewolf horror film Wolf Moon. In 2013, she appeared in Rob Zombie's movie The Lords of Salem. Her recent work includes a short film called The Secret of Joy. This film helps raise awareness about pediatric cancer.

Standing Up for What She Believes

María Conchita Alonso has often spoken out in support of LGBT rights. She has shared how much she appreciates her LGBT fans. She once said, "I was very much supported by the community when I first came out with my music."

She has also been a strong critic of some political leaders. For example, she spoke out against Cuba's Fidel Castro and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. She described Chávez as a "dictator" and compared him to Hitler. She appeared on TV shows like Hannity's America and The O'Reilly Factor to share her views.

In 2010, she wrote an "Open Letter to Sean Penn" online. She questioned his support for Hugo Chávez. In 2011, she had a strong discussion with Penn at an airport. She called him a "communist" because of his political views.

In 2016, María Conchita Alonso stated that she did not support either Donald Trump or Hillary Clinton for president. She felt neither candidate was suitable. She ended up supporting Gary Johnson in that election.

Filmography

Discography

Singles

See also

In Spanish: María Conchita Alonso para niños