Ofelia Medina

1. Biography

Ofelia Medina's early life was marked by a strong family background and a burgeoning interest in the arts, which she pursued despite initial familial opposition, eventually leading her to extensive training and a multifaceted career.

1.1. Early Life and Birthplace

María Ofelia Medina Torres was born on March 4, 1950, in Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico. She is one of five children, with four siblings named Arturo, Leo, Ernesto, and Beatriz. When she was eight years old, her family relocated to Mexico City, where she completed her elementary, middle, and high school education. Medina has shared in interviews that her father initially opposed her pursuit of an artistic career, but she was able to follow her passion with the steadfast support of her mother.

1.2. Education and Early Training

Medina's artistic training began early at the Academia de Danza Mexicana, where she graduated as a performer and teacher specializing in contemporary dance and regional classical dance. In 1961, at the age of eleven, she joined a children's pantomime group established by Alejandro Jodorowsky, whom she credits as her first teacher. Her academic pursuits continued at the National Preparatory School of UNAM in 1968. Seeking to further hone her craft, Medina studied acting with the renowned Lee Strasberg in Los Angeles in 1977. Subsequently, she moved to Europe to continue her training at the Odin Teatret in Denmark, broadening her artistic horizons.

2. Career

Ofelia Medina's professional journey spans several decades and encompasses a wide array of artistic disciplines, establishing her as a significant figure in Mexican and international entertainment.

Ofelia Medina at the "1 MINUTE X NO MORE BLOOD" event

2.1. Acting Career

Medina has built an extensive career as an actress across film, television, and theatre, taking on diverse and impactful roles that have garnered her critical acclaim.

2.1.1. Film

Medina made her professional artistic debut in the production H3O, a collaboration with Alejandro Jodorowsky. Her film career began in Mexico in 1968 with the movie La Paz. She later ventured into Hollywood cinema, making her debut there ten years later in The Big Fix (1978). Her international work also includes the French film Couleur Havane (1999), the Philippine short film Valentina (2004), and the Canadian production Diplomatic Immunity (1992), for which she received a Genie Award nomination.

One of her most iconic roles was portraying the celebrated artist Frida Kahlo in Paul Leduc's 1984 film Frida, naturaleza viva. This role was pivotal in her career and also influenced her later activism. Other notable Mexican films include Patsy, mi amor (1969), Las Pirañas aman en Cuaresma (1969), Paraíso (1970), Las puertas del paraíso (1971), El águila descalza (1971), Muñeca reina (1972), El hombre de los hongos (1976), Gertrudis Bocanegra (1992), Nocturno a Rosario (1992), Un Muro de Silencio (1993), Voces inocentes (2004), Club eutanasia (2005), Agua con sal (2005), I Love Miami (2006), Caleuche: El llamado del mar (2006), La leyenda de la Nahuala (2007), Las buenas hierbas (2010), Colombiana (2011), Memoria de mis putas tristes (2011), Macho (2016), Nadie sabrá nunca (2018), and Plan V (2018). She also appeared in Before Night Falls (2000) as a landlady, No Man's Land (2021), and Al Mas Alla (2008).

2.1.2. Television

Medina's television career began when producer Ernesto Alonso cast her in the series Landrú. This was quickly followed by her leading role in the melodrama Lucía Sombra (1971), which established her as a "romantic heroine." She continued to work with Ernesto Alonso in productions such as La hiena (1973), alongside Amparo Rivelles, and Paloma (1975), with Andrés García.

In 1977, her portrayal of a hunchback in the telenovela Rina, co-starring Enrique Álvarez Félix, garnered significant public and critical acclaim. Other notable television appearances include Las máscaras (1971), La señora joven (1972), Toda una vida (1981), La gloria y el infierno (1986), Para toda la vida (1996), and A Corazón Abierto (2012). In 2008, she appeared in the "Mónica, cornered" episode of the series Mujeres Asesinas, playing Beatriz, the mother of the character portrayed by Iran Castillo. She also participated in the telenovelas Los Rey (2012) and Secretos de familia (2013) on TV Azteca, and in Tanto amor (2015) as Silvia Iturbide Vda. by Lombardo.

2.1.3. Theatre

Medina has a profound connection to theatre, performing in various plays and also writing and directing her own productions. She directed and starred in The night that never existed by Humberto Robles, which won the 2014 Emilio Carballido National Dramaturgy Prize. She has been a part of the group "Mujeres sin Fear" and participated in their show Mujeres sin Fear: We are all Atenco, which addressed the repression in San Salvador Atenco in May 2006.

Since 2000, Medina has frequently performed as Frida Kahlo in the play Cada quien su Frida. In 2007, she toured Denmark with this production, performing in Århus, Copenhagen, and Odense. Her other theatre credits include The Vagina Monologues and Intimately, Rosario de Chiapas, the latter being a work she both wrote and directed. In 2009, she premiered Mexican Voices in Rome, Italy, where she brought to life various historical female figures from Mexico, including Frida Kahlo, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, and Rosario Castellanos.

2.2. Singing and Screenwriting

Beyond her acting, Ofelia Medina has also contributed to the music and film industries as a singer and screenwriter. She has released musical works, showcasing her vocal talents. Additionally, Medina has ventured into screenwriting, developing a script for a film inspired by the realities of a Mayan community.

2.3. Directing Career

In July 2016, Ofelia Medina announced her plans to make her directorial debut in film. She stated that she would begin shooting her first film as a director at the end of that year. The project is based on a story she herself scripted, focusing on a boy from a Mayan community and drawing inspiration from the real-life experiences of indigenous peoples.

3. Activism and Social Engagement

Ofelia Medina is a dedicated advocate for social causes, human rights, and the welfare of marginalized communities, reflecting a strong commitment to social justice. Her activism has been a significant part of her public life, often intertwining with her artistic career.

3.1. Support for Indigenous Peoples

Medina has shown unwavering commitment to supporting indigenous communities in Mexico. In 1985, she co-founded the "Committee of Solidarity with marginalized ethnic groups," which was the first Mexican organization dedicated to defending the human rights of indigenous peoples in the country. This committee initiated its work with a seminar on hunger in Mexico and later focused on advocating for indigenous prisoners in Mexican jails, alongside organizing cultural activities with indigenous communities. Her deep involvement with indigenous issues was partly inspired by her role as Frida Kahlo in the 1983 film Frida, naturaleza viva, through which she stated she learned "about the love of the Indians of Mexico, about communism and surrealism."

In 1990, she co-founded the Trust for the Health of Indigenous Children of Mexico, A.C. (FISANIM). That same year, FISANIM launched a nutrition program in Zapatista communities in Chiapas, demonstrating her practical engagement with improving the lives of indigenous people.

3.2. Human Rights Advocacy

Ofelia Medina's work extends to broader human rights advocacy. Her activities with the Committee of Solidarity with marginalized ethnic groups led to her receiving threats due to her outspoken defense of human rights in Mexico. She has consistently used her public platform to give a voice to those who are often unheard, believing that fame serves to empower the marginalized.

She is currently a member of several prominent organizations dedicated to human rights and peace, including the Academy of Human Rights, the Foundation of the Committee for Solidarity with Marginalized Ethnic Groups, the United Nations Peace Council, and the Group of 100. In 2006, she participated in the documentary Juárez: the city where women are disposable, which shed light on severe human rights issues.

4. Personal Life

Ofelia Medina's personal life includes her marriages and family relationships, which have been part of her journey alongside her public career.

4.1. Marriage and Family

Ofelia Medina has been married twice. Her first marriage was to film director Alex Philips Jr., from 1973 to 1978, ending in divorce. She later married actor Pedro Armendáriz Jr. in 1981, a marriage that lasted until his death in 2011. She has two children.

Toda Una Vida (1982)
Sor Juana Hoy (1996)

7. External links

[http://www.ofeliamedina.com/ Official website]
[https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0575754/ Ofelia Medina at IMDb]