María Elena Enríquez Ruiz (18 August 1944 - 3 February 2024), known as Helena Rojo,[1] was a Mexican actress and model.[2]

Helena Rojo
Born
María Elena Enríquez Ruiz

(1944-08-18)18 August 1944
Mexico City, Mexico
Died3 February 2024(2024-02-03) (aged 79)
Mexico City, Mexico
NationalityMexican
Occupation(s)Actress, Model

Biography

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Born in Mexico City, Mexico, she began her career as a model in 1961. Toward the end of the decade, she studied drama with renowned Mexican directors Carlos Ancira and José Luis Ibáñez, making her film debut in 1968 in the film El Club de los suicidas. That same year, Rojo appeared in her second film, Los Amigos. She continued working as a model and appearing in small film roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s.[citation needed]

In 1969, she signed an exclusivity contract with Productora Cinematográfica Marte. Later, she began expanding her acting career into television and theater. In 1974, her first television role was the lead in the telenovela Extraño en su pueblo.[citation needed]

Rojo's cinematic career led her to work with the most important Mexican film directors of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Felipe Cazals, Arturo Ripstein, Rafael Corkidi, Alberto Bojórquez, Marcela Fernández Violante, and Jorge Fons.[citation needed]

Rojo worked with international talents, such as German director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski, with a role in the film Aguirre, the Wrath of God. She also appeared in the film Foxtrot (1976), directed by Arturo Ripstein, alongside actors Charlotte Rampling, Peter O'Toole, and Max von Sydow.[citation needed]

In 2006, she appeared in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, playing a mother who tries to steer her son away from the stepmother who has eyes for him in a "faux" telenovela watched on TV by the main character's family.[citation needed]

Rojo died after a battle with cancer on 3 February 2024, at the age of 79.[3]

Filmography

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Films

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Year Title Character Note
1968 Los amigos Film
1970 Las bestias jóvenes Film
1970 El club de los suicidas Film
1970 Cruz de amor Vicky Film
1971 Siempre hay una primera vez Isabel Film
1971 Eye for an Eye Rina Pittman Film
1971 Una vez, un hombre... Susana Film
1972 End of the Party Elena Film
1972 Victoria Film
1972 Queen Doll Carmen Film
1972 Indio Film
1972 Mirage Film
1972 Angels and Cherubs Angela Film
1972 El payo - un hombre contra el mundo! Lupe Film
1972 Aguirre, the Wrath of God Inez Film
1973 The Cubs Tere Film
1973 Aquellos años Carlota Film
1973 Los Perros de Dios Laura Film
1975 Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary Greta Film
1975 The House in the South Elena Film
1975 Darker Than Night Pilar Film
1976 The Great Adventure of Zorro[2] Helena Film
1976 The Far Side of Paradise Alexandra Film
1978 The Children of Sanchez Film
1979 Crónica íntima Film
1980 La Sucesion Mariana Film
1980 Misterio Silvia Film
1981 Noche de juerga Dolores Film
1982 En el país de los pies ligeros Film
1983 Pajaros de ciudad Film
1988 Don't Panic/Dimensiones ocultas Mrs. Smith Film
1988 Reto a la vida Elena Film
1988 Lovers, partners & Spies Duchess Film
1990 El motel de la muerte Film
1992 Muerte ciega Alisa Film
1992 Una Luz en la escalera Adriana Bernal Film
1992 Los Años de Greta Nora Film
1992 Mas alla del deseo Josefa Film
1993 Guerrero negro Eva Film
1994 Una luz en la escalera Adriana Film
1994 Luces de la noche Tina Film
2008 Amor letra por letra Fabiola Film
2009 Borderline Shanti Film
2010 Catarsis La madre Film

Television

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Year Title Character Note
1974 Extraño en su pueblo Isaura Main role
1976 Mañana será otro dia Paola Supporting role
1977 La venganza[4] María Olivares/Alejandra Balmaseda Lead role
1978 La hora del silencio Bárbara Main role
1981–1982 Extraños caminos del amor Isabela Main role
1984–1985 La traición Antonia Guerra Main role
1992 Las secretas intenciones Antonieta Alcantara Main cast
1995–1996 Retrato de familia Cecilia Mariscal Main role
1997 Gente bien Rebeca Balmori Main cast
1998–1999 El privilegio de amar Luciana Duval Main role
2000 Ramona Doña Ramona Gonzaga Viuda de Moreno Main cast
2000 Abrázame muy fuerte Damiana / Juliana Guillen Main cast
2003 Amor real Doña Augusta Curiel de Penalver y Beristain Main cast
2004–2005 Inocente de ti Rebeca/Raquel Linares Robles Main cast
2005–2006 Peregrina Sabina Supporting role
2006–2007 Mundo de Fieras Miriam de Rivas del Castillo Main role
2007 Amor sin maquillaje Inés Rivera Supporting role
2008–2009 Cuidado con el ángel Cecilia de Velarde Main cast
2009–2010 Corazón salvaje Leonarda Montes de Oca de Vidal Main cast
2010–2011 Triunfo del amor Herself Guest star
2010 Locas de amor Norma
2012 Por Ella Soy Eva Eugenia Mistral de Caballero Main cast
2014 The Color of Passion Milagros Fuentes de Escalante Main cast
2016 Corazón que miente Sara Sáenz Vda. de Castellanos Main cast
2016–2017 La candidata Natalia de San Román Main cast
2017 El vuelo de la victoria Maria Isabel Viuda de la Peña Recurring role
2019 Por amar sin ley Lucia Carvajal Guest star (season 2)
2019 El corazón nunca se equivoca Dora Ortega Fabela Main cast
2021 Te acuerdas de mí Alicia Limantour Guest star
2022 Esta historia me suena Emma Episode: "Torero"
María Félix: La Doña Señora Russek
2023 Amores que engañan Lorena Episode: "El preferido de mamá"[5]
Vencer la culpa Ángeles Román Main cast
2024 El Conde: Amor y honor Guadalupe de Gaitán Guest star (Filmed in 2022)[6]

Theater performances

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  • Mujeres de Ceniza (Women of ashes)
  • Dios mio hazme viuda por favor (God please make me a widow)
  • Las muchachas del club (The Club Girls)
  • Cuentas muertas (Dead accounts)
  • El cartero (The Mailman)
  • Bajo cero (Below zero)
  • 10, el marido perfecto (10, The Perfect Husband)
  • Lecciones para casadas (Lectures for Married Women)
  • Se infiel y no mires con quien (Be Unfaithful with Whomever)
  • Cena de Matrimonios (Dinner with Married Couples)
  • Me enamoré de una bruja (I fell in love with a Witch)
  • La mujer del pelo rojo (The Redheaded Woman)
  • Pecado en la isla de las cabras (Sin on the Isle of Goats)
  • La Ronda de las Arpías (Song of the Harpies)
  • Una oferta inmoral (Indecent Proposal)
  • Yo miento, tú mientes, todos mentimos (I Lie, You Lie, We All Lie)

Ariel Awards

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  • Won – 1972 Best Supporting Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Fin de Fiesta
  • Nominated – 1973 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Los Cachorros
  • Won – 1981 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Misterio
  • Nominated – 1992 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Muerte Ciega

TVyNovelas Awards

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  • Nominated 1985 – Best Leading Actress – La Traición
  • Nominated 1996 – Best Leading Actress – Retrato de Familia
  • Won 1999 – Best Leading Actress – El privilegio de Amar
  • Won 2001 – Best Senior Actress – Abrázame muy Fuerte
  • Won 2005 – Best Antagonistic Actress – Inocente de Ti
  • Nominated 2006 – Best Senior Actress – Peregrina
  • Won 2007 – Best Senior Actress – Mundo de Fieras
  • Won 2009 – Best Senior Actress – Cuidado con el ángel
  • Nominated 2010 – Best Senior Actress – Corazón Salvaje
  • Nominated 2013 – Best Senior Actress – Por ella soy Eva
  • Nominated 2015 – Best Senior Actress – El Color de la Pasión
  • Won 2017 – Best Senior Actress – La Candidata

References

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  1. ^ "Efemérides de Espectáculos del 18 de agosto". 20minutos.com.mx. 17 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b de Anda, Raúl Jr. (12 February 1976), La gran aventura del Zorro (Adventure, Drama), Rodolfo de Anda, Helena Rojo, Pedro Armendáriz Jr, Ricardo Carrión, Cine Visión, Estudios América, Radeant Films, retrieved 7 June 2021
  3. ^ Valdés Doria, María Luisa; González, Alexandra (3 February 2024). "Muere Helena Rojo, famosa actriz mexicana; esto sabemos". Milenio (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  4. ^ Telenovela La Venganza - 1977, 23 December 2017, archived from the original on 17 December 2021, retrieved 7 June 2021
  5. ^ "Serie "Amores que Engañan" regresa a Lifetime con una nueva temporada". newsreportmx.com (in Spanish). 1 June 2023. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
  6. ^ "Telemundo Presents The Cast For 'El Conde: Amor Y Honor'". telemundo.com. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 4 February 2024.
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