Angélica Aragón (born July 11, 1953) is a Mexican actress of telenovelas and such films as Dune, A Walk in the Clouds, Bella, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, Vivir un poco, Mirada de mujer, Novia que te vea, and the blockbuster film Sexo, pudor y lágrimas.

Early life[link]

Aragón was born Angélica Espinoza Stransky in Mexico City, the daughter of composer José Ángel Espinoza. Aragón was raised in a family of intellectuals. She attended The Modern American College, The Sierra Nevada School and The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts (LAMDA) for almost seven years. She also lived in India, where she studied at The National Dance Academy and the Kerala Kelandam Dance School.

Career (movies and tv)[link]

Back in Mexico, Aragón joined the ranks of Televisa and made several telenovelas in the 1980s and 1990s while she acted in films such as Toy Soldiers with Tim Robbins, The Evil That Men Do with Charles Bronson and the cult film Dune. She played mostly roles of socialite women and also the role of a noble indigenous woman in De frente al sol ("Looking straight at the Sun"). She played the role of the wife of songwriter Álvaro Carrillo in the motion picture Sabor a mí (With the Flavor of Me), alongside José José, "El Príncipe de la Canción", who played the songwriter in the movie. Her telenovelas career includes successful hits as Vanessa (1982), with Lucía Mendez, Chispita (1983), Vivir un poco (1985), Días sin luna (1989), Mas alla del puente (1993) with Katy Jurado and Cañaveral de Pasiones. At the age of 44, after years of not receiving lead roles in Televisa, a company that focuses mainly on younger stars, she obtained a role on the second telenovela of new station TV Azteca titled Mirada de mujer ("A woman's glance") portraying, ironically, an aging woman who is neglected by her husband and finds love in the arms of a younger man. Such bold move paid-off and the telenovela was a big success. She also appeared in the sequel Mirada de mujer: El regreso, as well as the film Sexo, pudor y lágrimas.

In 2006 Angélica participated in the film Bella which received the top prize at the 2006 Toronto International Film Festival by winning the highly-coveted Peoples Choice Award. As of 2007, Angélica is working as a director of Sueña (Dream), a play which is shown at the Independence Theatre in Mexico City, with Irma Lozano, Aarón Hernán and Miguel Garza.

Telenovelas[link]

• A Corazón Abierto as Elena (2011)
• Ni una vez mas as Azalea (2005-6)
• Mirada de mujer: El regreso as María Inés Domínguez de San Millán (2003)
• Por tí (2002)
• Todo por amor as Carmen (2000)
• Marea brava (1999)
• La chacala (1998) as The Devil
• Mirada de mujer as María Inés Domínguez de San Millán (1997)
• Cañaveral de Pasiones as Josefina, director (1996)
• Agujetas de color de rosa as Bertha (1994)
• Más allá del puente as Chole (1994)
• De frente al sol as Chole (1992)
• En carne propia as Magdalena Ovalle de Muriel (1990)
• Días sin luna as Lucía (1990)
• La casa al final de la calle as Leonor Altamirano Najera (1989)
• Cuna de lobos as Amelia Larios(1986)
• Vivir un poco as Andrea Santos de Merisa-Oregon (1985)
• Principessa as Fernanda (1984)
• Chispita as Lucía (1983)
• La fiera as La Costeña (1983)
• Vanessa as Luisa (1982)
• El hogar que yo robé as Genoveva (1981)
• Sandra y Paulina as Isabel (1980)
• El amor tiene cara de mujer (1971)

Films[link]

Hollywood[link]

• Bella as the mother (2006)
• Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights (2004)
• Picking Up the Pieces as Dolores (2000)
• A Walk in the Clouds as María José Aragón (1996)
• The Harvest as Dr. Emma (1993)
• Toy Soldiers as Presidenta López (1984)
• Samson and Delilah as Niji (1984)
• The Evil That Men Do as María (1984)
• Dune as Bene Gesserit Sister (1984)

Mexican cinema[link]

• Tequila (2011)
• El Atentado (2010)
• Recién Cazado (2010)
• Todos Hemos Pecado (2009)
• Guadalupe (2006)
• La mujer de mi hermano (2005)
• Tres (2005)
• Zapata: El sueño de un héroe as Waitress #1 (2004)
• Desnudos (2004)
• El crimen del padre Amaro as Augustina Sanjuanera (2002)
• ¿Y si Cristóbal despierta? as Mariana (2000)
• El grito as Blanca (2000)
• Crónica de un desayuno as Paloma (1999)
• Sexo, pudor y lágrimas as Carlos' mother (1999)
• Entre la tarde y la noche (1999)
• Fibra óptica as Doña Carmen (1998)
• Ámbar as Adrianina (1997)
• De muerte natural (1996)
• En el aire as Teresa (1995)
• Cilantro y perejil as Teresa (1995)
• Sucesos distantes as Irene Gorenko (1994)
• Novia que te vea as Oshinika's Mother (1993)
• Gertrudis Bocanegra (1992)
• Pueblo de madera as a corner shop owner (1990)
• Goitia, un dios para sí mismo (1988)
• La furia de un dios (1987)
• Lamberto Quintero as María de los Ángeles (1987)
• Sabor a mí" as Ana María (1987)

Political activities[link]

Aragón is an activist, mainly in Mexico but also outside Mexico. She has been working pro women (against sexual abuse, in favor of the obtainment and promotion of better labor and socioeconomic conditions for women). A lot of manifiestos (statements) have been signed by Angélica Aragón, alongside the signatures of many other writers, directors, actors, actresses and, in general, Mexican and foreign intellectuals.

External links[link]

• Angélica Aragón at the Telenovela Database
• Angélica Aragón at the Internet Movie Database
• Angélica Aragón- photos

Angélica
Born	(1973-11-30) November 30, 1973 (age 38) Santo André, São Paulo,  Brazil
Occupation	Presenter, actress, singer
Years active	1987–present
Website
Angélica

Angélica (born Angélica Ksyvickis on November 30, 1973 in Santo André, São Paulo, Brazil) is a Brazilian Presenter, actress and singer.

Angélica's career began at 4, when she won a contest to choose Brazil's most beautiful child at a popular variety show presented by Chacrinha. At 13, she became famous for replacing Xuxa as the presenter of the kids show "Club of the Child". Her popularity exploded when her hit single I go by taxi cab (remake of Joe le taxi, by French singer Vanessa Paradis) topped the Brazilian charts. I go by taxi cab becoming a big hit has since become a classic, and is remembered by most of the Brazilian population, even though more than 20 years have lapsed since its release. Likewise, in 1991, her new album named "Angelica" increased her popularity with the song "Sweet cotton and Guarana". She also starred on the popular mini-series The Guarani.

Angélica has sold millions of discs, 14 albums was released between 1988 to 2001, over 13 millions of copies.

In 1993, she joined the second most popular channel in Brazil, SBT presenting the kids variety show "Home of Angelica", which was a big hit. More popular than ever she also presented the popular teen game show "Pass or Repass" and "Animal TV".

In 1996 she signed a 7 years contract with media-giant Rede Globo to present her own show, Angel Mix, every weekday morning, which was followed by "Hunting Talents", a soap opera starring her like Fairy Belle. The ratings were robust, making Angélica even more famous than Xuxa; this was the first time any TV hostess had surpassed her in popularity. Sales of her merchandising and CDs were also huge.

But soon, after the initial boom, the ratings began to decline and she changed the format of the show several times. While in 1996 Angélica was unbeatable among kids, in 1997 she lost popularity to Chiquititas (that year, Angelica's album sold 300,000 copies vs. 800,000 copies by the Chiquititas cast), but she was still very popular until 1999. In 1998, she had 250 products linked to her name and made more money than Xuxa due to licensing (the Angélica shoes by Grendene sold over 1 million pairs in 5 months; in the same period her cereal sold over 7 million boxes and her nail polish sold 4 million). The success of her products was even more remarkable because unlike Eliana (3rd on the list) and Gugu Liberato (4th), she didn't promote her product-line during her show.

Finally, she decided to end her career as a child show hostess and, with only three months left for her contract with Globo to expire, she was chosen as the presenter for Video Game (game for teenagers), a five minute segment on Vídeo Show. Video Game was a game-show whereby two celebrities would compete head-on throughout the entire week. The segment caused Video Show's ratings to double, and what was supposed to be a 2001 summer-only, 5 minute segment, became a 20 minute block (half of the show); it is still aired and has managed to keep up its impressive ratings.

Due to the success of Vídeo Show, Angelica's popularity heightened again, leading to her being in a lot of advertising campaigns and appearing on magazine covers. She also presented the first two seasons of Fame, Brazilian version of Operación Triunfo (Operation Triumph).

Since her well-received return to TV, presenting Vídeo Show, Rede Globo began planning projects for her, but her own show finally started in April 2006. "Stars" is a show where Angélica interviews stars and shows their intimacy (house, hobbies, etc.). The show is #1 in its time-slot in the states which show the program and airs every Saturday before TV Xuxa.

Acting career[link]

Angélica had her first acting role on the successful mini-series, "The Guarani" at Rede Manchete. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, she had roles in several Os Trapalhões (The Goofy ones) movies (The Goofies movies were always major hits).

In 1996 she starred in the kids drama show "Hunting Talents", which aired daily after "Angel Mix". While the show was a big hit for three years when the show was declinated it was replaced by "Bamboo Place", where she played a super-hero, which flopped.

She returned to acting in 1998; she had a starring role in "Simon, the Goofy Ghost", with Didi (The leader of the Goofy ones), only the best receivied by the public.

At the end of 1998, at the peak of her popularity, she starred in a special and highly-promoted live special popular sitcom Sai de Baixo (Get out from under) and in 2001 she had a recurring role on soap opera "An angel who dropped from the heaven", where she played an angel: Angelina.

In 2004, Angélica was again one of the biggest TV presenters in Brazil thanks to "Vídeo Game" and Globo decided to release another movie with her in the leading role, but the teen-oriented movie, "Summer Show" (which she starred in with Luciano Huck) didn't achieve expected success, in part due to it being rated PG-14.

In 2011 she is ten years making "Video Game" and five years making "Stars", a TV program interviewing celebrities.

In the news[link]

Angélica has two sons: Joaquim (born March 8, 2005), and Benício (born November 3, 2007). Benício was named after Argentine model Valeria Mazza's son. This name was chosen in honour to the artist Murilo Benício, who is great Angélica's friend.

Filmography[link]

• "The women from Rio" (2010) .... Maria Teresa
• "Xuxa and the Fantastic Mistery of the Ugly Princess" (2009) .... Rapunzel
• "Summer Show" (2004) .... Andréa
• "Fame.bis" (Brazilian Idols) (2002) TV Series .... Presenter
• "Fame" (Brazilian Idols) (2002) TV Series .... Presenter
• "Xuxa and the Elves" (2001) .... Melissa
• "An angel who dropped from the Heaven" (2001) Soap Opera .... Angelina
• "Bamboo Place" (2000) TV Series .... Herself
• "Digimon Adventure Opening Credit" (1999) .... Angelica the Explorer who possess the power to split into three
• "Bewitched Flora" (1999) TV Series .... Bewitched Flora
• "Buzzing on TV" (1999) .... Angel
• "Simon, the Goofy Ghost" (1998) .... Herself
• "Hunting Talents" (1996) TV Series .... Fairy Belle
• "Sai de Baixo" (Get out from the under place) - Chez Cassandra (1996) TV episode .... Herself
• "The Guarani" (1991) (mini) TV Series .... Cecília
• "A Goofy School" (1990) .... Tammy
• "The Goofy ones in the Land of the Monsters" (1989) .... Herself
• "The Goofy Heroes - An Adventure on the Jungle" (1988) .... Herself
• "Avenida Paulista" (an avenue similar to 5TH Avenue, but in São Paulo, state of São Paulo, Brazil) (1982) (mini) TV Series .... Anamaria (child)

References[link]

External links[link]

• Angélica's official website (in Portuguese, translate using Google)
• Angel's news (in English, translation by Google)
• Angélica at the Internet Movie Database