María Conchita Alonso facts for kids

Quick facts for kids María Conchita Alonso
Alonso in 2011
Born	María Concepción Alonso Bustillo (1955-06-29) June 29, 1955 (age 70) 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 Conchita Alonso (born María Concepción Alonso Bustillo on June 29, 1955) is a famous actress and singer. She was born in Cuba but grew up in Venezuela, and later became a U.S. citizen. She has had a long career in movies, television, music, and theater.

Alonso is known for her role as Amber Mendez in the 1987 movie The Running Man. She was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for her acting in the 1996 film Caught. As a singer, she has earned several gold and platinum albums, which means she sold a huge number of records. She has also been nominated for three Grammy Awards.

She was one of the first entertainers from Latin America to become a star in both Spanish-speaking and English-speaking countries. In 1995, she made history as the first Latin American actress not born in the U.S. to star in a Broadway musical. She played the character Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

Before she became a famous entertainer, she competed in beauty pageants. She represented Venezuela at the Miss World 1975 competition and finished in the top seven.

Early Life and Pageants

María Conchita Alonso was born in Cienfuegos, Cuba, on June 29, 1955. Her parents were Ricardo Alonso and Conchita Bustillo. When she was five years old, her family moved to Venezuela.

She started her public life in beauty contests. In 1971, she won the title of Miss Teenager World. In 1975, she was the first runner-up in the Miss Venezuela pageant. This allowed her to compete in the Miss World pageant that same year, where she placed as a top-seven finalist.

A Career in Music and Movies

Alonso in 1986

Alonso's career took off in both music and acting. She became a star who was successful in both Spanish and English.

Success as a Singer

Alonso's first gold album was Love Maniac, which came out in 1979. A gold album means it sold over 500,000 copies. She released it under the stage name Ámbar. She had number-one songs like "Love Maniac" and "The Witch."

A famous moment in her music career was when she was asked to sing "Vamos a Bailar" for the movie Scarface. She also wrote the Spanish lyrics for the song. It became a huge hit for Spanish-speaking audiences.

Her 1984 album, María Conchita, made her a singing star around the world. It also earned her the first of her three Grammy Award nominations.

Starring in Hollywood Films

Alonso made her first Hollywood movie in 1984. She starred with the famous actor Robin Williams in Moscow on the Hudson.

After that, she appeared in many other popular movies, including:

• Extreme Prejudice (1987)
• The Running Man (1987)
• Colors (1988)
• Predator 2 (1990)
• The House of the Spirits (1993)
• Chasing Papi (2003)

Television and Stage Work

In 1995, Alonso starred in the Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. This was a major achievement, as she was the first Latin-born actress to have a lead role in a Broadway show.

She also appeared in many TV shows. In 2006, she played the mother of Gabrielle Solis on the popular show Desperate Housewives. She also hosted the VH1 show ¡Viva Hollywood! in 2008.

Recent and Current Projects

Alonso continues to be active in the entertainment world. She appeared in the 2013 movie The Lords of Salem.

She is currently touring in Mexico with a show called 'Despechadas'. She also performs a solo show called 'Sin Verguenza', where she talks about her life. A new album with a tropical sound is planned for release in the fall of 2025.

Political Views

María Conchita Alonso is known for sharing her political opinions. She has spoken about issues she cares about in the United States and in Latin America.

Support for Causes

Alonso has often shown her support for the rights of LGBT people. She has said that the LGBT community was very supportive of her when she started her music career.

Opinions on Political Leaders

Alonso has been a strong critic of some political leaders. She has spoken out against Fidel Castro of Cuba and former Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez. She disagreed with how they governed their countries.

In 2010, she wrote an open letter to actor Sean Penn, who she starred with in the movie Colors. In the letter, she questioned his support for Hugo Chávez.

Politics in the United States

In U.S. politics, Alonso has supported the Republican Party. In 2008, she endorsed John McCain for president. She said she was worried that his opponent, Barack Obama, would create economic policies similar to those in Cuba and Venezuela.

She has also shown her support for Donald Trump, endorsing him in the 2020 presidential election.

Filmography

Discography

Singles

See also

In Spanish: María Conchita Alonso para niños