FÉLIX, MARÍA

(1911 or '14?-2002)

One of the great personalities of Mexican cinema, María de los Angeles Félix was born in Sonora, one of 16 children (12 surviving infancy). The family later moved to Guadalajara; while they were living there, María met and married Enrique Alvarez, at the time a traveling salesman for Max Factor cosmetics. Félix and Alvarez had a son, future actor Enrique Alvarez Félix, but the marriage soon broke up. Félix traveled to Mexico City, where she was "discovered" by Fernando Palacios. She made her film debut opposite Jorge Negrete in 1941'sEl peñon de las ánimas. Over the next 29 years, Félix was one of the top stars of Mexican cinema. After she starred in the title role ofDoña Bárbara(1943), Félix was nicknamed "La Doña," a sobriquet she carries to this day. She took home three Best Actress Arieles - forEnamorada(1947),Río Escondido(1949),Doña Diabla(1951) - and was nominated forEl monje blanco(1946) andCamelia(1955). Félix also made a fair number of films in Europe during the late 1940s and 1950s. Her last film wasLa generala(1970), after which she retired from the screen, although she remains a conspicuous public figure, spending most of her time in Paris. In addition to Enrique Alvarez, María Félix's husbands included composer Agustín Lara and actor Jorge Negrete.