A telenovela (Spanish: [telenoˈβela], Portuguese: [telenoˈvɛlɐ], English pronunciation: /ˌtɛlənoʊˈvɛlə, ˌtɛlənəˈvɛlə/) is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão (Spanish and Portuguese words for television), and novela, a Spanish word for "novel". Telenovelas are a distinct genre different from soap operas, for telenovelas have an ending and come to an end after a long run (generally less than one year). The telenovela combines drama with the 19th century feuilleton and the Latin American radionovela. The medium has been used repeatedly to transmit sociocultural messages by incorporating them into storylines.

Recent telenovelas have evolved in the structure of their plots and in the themes they address. Couples who kiss each other in the first minutes of the first episode sometimes stay together for many episodes before the scriptwriter splits them up. Moreover, previously taboo themes like urban violence, racism, and homosexuality have begun to appear in the newest telenovelas.

Maite Perroni Beorlegui (born March 9, 1983) is a Mexican actress and singer/songwriter, who is best known for starring in Rebelde, Cuidado con el Ángel, Mi Pecado with Triunfo del Amor and Cachito de Cielo. She gained international fame as a member of the Latin Grammy nominated pop group RBD. Univision named Maite Perroni as the new Queen of the Telenovelas in 2009.

Maite Perroni Beorlegui was born in Mexico City but she grew up in Guadalajara, until the age of 12,when her family moved back again in Mexico City. She has two siblings, Adolfo and Francisco, who are three and nine years younger than she is.

Perroni studied acting at Televisa's Centro de Educación Artistica (CEA) in the year 2000, completing two years of a three year course.

Perroni made her acting debut in Rebelde, a remake of the acclaimed Argentinean novela Rebelde Way. She portrayed Guadalupe "Lupita" Fernández, a teenage girl from a lower class family who gets the opportunity to study at the fictitious Elite Way School. Rebelde ran from 2004 to 2006, filming 440 episodes.

María Gabriela "Gaby" Espino Rugero (born November 15, 1977) is a Venezuelan actress and model. She best known for her roles in telenovelas.

Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Gaby Espino is the daughter of a chemical engineer and a publicist. Her parents divorced when she was young. She is the oldest of five children, she has a sister, Andreina, two paternal half-brothers, Gustavo and Mariano and a maternal half-sister, Nelly.

Due to her fascination of animals, she originally planned to become a veterinarian. She later decided to study odontology, but changed her mind and began studying public relations, before deciding to become an actress.

Gaby Espino married Venezuelan actor Cristobal Lander on June 14, 2007. On July 9, 2008, they welcomed their first child, a daughter named Oriana Lander.

During the filming of Mas Sabe el Diablo in 2009, Espino was linked to her co-star, Jencarlos Canela. In early 2010, Espino and Lander separated and it was rumored that it was because of Canela and Espino's relationship. Canela and Espino denied this and stated they were just friends.

Jacqueline Bracamontes van Hoorde (born December 23, 1979) is a Mexican actress, model and former winner of Nuestra Belleza México.

Jacqueline Bracamontes was born in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico to Jesus Bracamontes, the former coach of the popular Mexican soccer team Chivas Rayadas del Guadalajara, and Jacqueline van Hoorde, a Mexican of Belgian descent. She is the oldest of three children, she has a sister Alina, and a brother, Jesus, Jr. Her father is currently a soccer analyst for the Hispanic-American television network Univision.

After high school, Bracamontes moved to France to study French. She then returned to Mexico and studied Communication Science at the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente. While there, she began working as a model. She speaks Spanish, French and English fluently.

After seeing her on a magazine cover, Lupita Jones, ex-Miss Universe, contacted her and asked her to enter the Nuestra Belleza México. Bracamontes went on to win the state and national beauty titles and to represent Mexico in Miss Universe 2001, which took place in Puerto Rico.