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Mexican movie star María Félix became an icon during the golden age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s. She was the incarnation of the strong female character.
Maria didn't need Hollywood to become a star - in fact she turned down 3 big movie roles.
According to The Guardian, Maria passed on lead roles in "Duel in the Sun" (1946), "The Barefoot Contessa" (1954), and "The Legend of Lylah Clare" (1968), which subsequently went to Jennifer Jones, Ava Gardner, and Kim Novak.
Instead, she focused on Spanish-speaking roles, starred in 47 films, and died at 88, leaving a multi-million dollar fortune.
Maria did it her way.
When asked why she turned down the Hollywood roles, Maria said that she was not willing to downplay her Mexican heritage or be another stereotype.
This wasn't the first time Maria showed her strength.
According to estateofmariafelix.com, as a child she rode horses with her brothers - unusual for girls back then; when her parents didn't approve of her acting, she pursued it anyway.
Then as a young mother, her first husband was unfaithful and controlling so she divorced him despite the social punishment she faced; and as a single mother, her ex-husband took her only son against her wishes but with determination got him back 4 years later.
Born in Alamos in 1914, one of 16 children of a wealthy family, they moved to Guadalajara, where she became the university carnival queen at 15.
After moving to Mexico City as a single mother, she worked for a plastic surgeon who used her as a model to attract clients.
It was with her 3rd film, "Doña Barbara" (1943), that Maria's star began to rise. It's about a woman who seeks revenge against the men who brutally raped her, and she does so with shrewdness and business acumen.
The film was a hit and Maria was nicknamed La Doña.
But she was both loved and hated for playing strong female characters.
The media would often accuse her of being morally corrupt. Maria survived the misogyny for 4 decades and become a beloved legend.
Maria paved the way for female voices in cinema.
Maria didn't need Hollywood to become a star - in fact she turned down 3 big movie roles.
According to The Guardian, Maria passed on lead roles in "Duel in the Sun" (1946), "The Barefoot Contessa" (1954), and "The Legend of Lylah Clare" (1968), which subsequently went to Jennifer Jones, Ava Gardner, and Kim Novak.
Instead, she focused on Spanish-speaking roles, starred in 47 films, and died at 88, leaving a multi-million dollar fortune.
Maria did it her way.
When asked why she turned down the Hollywood roles, Maria said that she was not willing to downplay her Mexican heritage or be another stereotype.
This wasn't the first time Maria showed her strength.
According to estateofmariafelix.com, as a child she rode horses with her brothers - unusual for girls back then; when her parents didn't approve of her acting, she pursued it anyway.
Then as a young mother, her first husband was unfaithful and controlling so she divorced him despite the social punishment she faced; and as a single mother, her ex-husband took her only son against her wishes but with determination got him back 4 years later.
Born in Alamos in 1914, one of 16 children of a wealthy family, they moved to Guadalajara, where she became the university carnival queen at 15.
After moving to Mexico City as a single mother, she worked for a plastic surgeon who used her as a model to attract clients.
It was with her 3rd film, "Doña Barbara" (1943), that Maria's star began to rise. It's about a woman who seeks revenge against the men who brutally raped her, and she does so with shrewdness and business acumen.
The film was a hit and Maria was nicknamed La Doña.
But she was both loved and hated for playing strong female characters.
The media would often accuse her of being morally corrupt. Maria survived the misogyny for 4 decades and become a beloved legend.
Maria paved the way for female voices in cinema.