Pinal, Silvia

(1931 - )

   one of the most versatile and respected actresses in Mexico, Silvia Pinal was born in Guaymas; her father was a military officer, journalist, and government official. She had studied opera and made a few radio and stage appearances, but Pinal's professional career began when - at the age of 16 - she married actor and producer Rafael Banquells. By the time they divorced (in 1952), Pinal had appeared in a number of films (her debut was in Bamba, 1948) and stage plays. In the mid-1950s she was one of Mexico's most popular actresses; she continued to work steadily on the screen into the 1970s (and sporadically since, but continues to appear on the stage). Pinal has also served as a representative in the Mexican legislature, and is the producer of the long-running TV series "Mujer - Casos de la vida real." In addition to her marriage to Banquells (with whom she had a daughter, actress Silvia Pasquel), Pinal has been married to entrepreneur Gustavo Alatriste (from 1961-67; their daughter was Viridiana Alatriste, an actress who is now deceased), singer and actor Enrique Guzmán (from 1967-76; their daughter Alejandra Guzmán is a pop singer and their son Luis Enrique is a composer) and Tulio Hernández, governor of the state of Tlaxcala (from 1982-95). Pinal won Best Actress Arieles for Locura pasional and La dulce enemiga, she was also nominated for Un extraño en la escalera; her first Ariel was the Best Female Co-Star prize for Un rincón cerca del cielo.