Rocío Banquells (Spanish pronunciation: [roˈsi.o βaŋˈkels]; born María del Rocío Banquells Nuñez; 22 June 1958) is a Mexican pop singer, politician, and actress, best known for her work on television, the stage and cinema of Mexico and Latin America. Her mezzo voice is one of the most versatile voices from Mexico. She sings operetta, ranchera, rock, and ballads.

Rocío Banquells
Born
María del Rocío Banquells Núñez

(1958-06-22) 22 June 1958 (age 66)
Occupation(s)Singer, actress, politician
Years active1970-present
Spouses
Pedro Méndez
(m. 1979; div. 1984)
Jorge Berlanga
(m. 1985; div. 2005)
Children2
Parent(s)Rafael Banquells
Dina de Marco
RelativesSylvia Pasquel
(half-sister)
Alfredo Adame
(brother-in-law)
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
Labels
Federal Deputy
from Mexico City's 14th district
In office
1 September 2021 – 31 August 2024
Preceded byAlfonso Ramírez Cuéllar
Succeeded byCarlos Hernández Mirón
Personal details
Political partyCitizens' Movement (since 2022)
Other political
affiliations
PRD (until 2022)

Early life and career

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Born in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico, in 1958, Banquells is the daughter of Cuban actor and director Rafael Banquells and the actress Dina de Marco. She is half-sister of the actress Sylvia Pasquel (daughter of Rafael Banquells and Silvia Pinal). Her other siblings are Jose Manuel, Janette, Mary Paz, Ariadne and Rafael Jr.[1]

Banquells began her career as a special guest in the 1968 Banquells's telenovela Gutierritoz. She moved to the stage in the early 1970s. In 1978 she starred in the musical Sound of Music along with the Mexican singer Lupita D'Alessio. Other stage performances of Rocío are in the Mexican versions of Grease, Evita, and Jesus Christ Superstar.[citation needed]

In 1979, Banquells starred in the Mexican telenovelas's international success Los ricos tambien lloran, alongside Verónica Castro. Banquells's other memorable TV performances are Bianca Vidal (1983) and La fiera (1984). She realized memorable interpretations especially in playing evil characters. In 1985 she began her musical career with the album Rocío Banquells, that includes the 1980s superhits Este hombre no se toca, Luna Mágica and Abrazame.[citation needed]

Banquells continued her musical career during the late 1980s and early 1990s. In 1997 a legal conflict caused the Banquells retirement for over 10 years. In 2006, Banquells returned in the Televisa reality show Cantando por un sueño, and in 2007 returned with a new album named Nací para ti, recorded live in the Teatro de la Ciudad in Mexico City. In the same year, she returned to TV in the telenovela Pasión. In 2009-2010 Banquells starred in the Mexican version of the successful musical Mamma Mia! as Donna.[citation needed]

In 2012, Banquells returned with the show Noches de Cabaret, along with the Mexican singers Lucía Méndez and Manoella Torres.[2] For her work in the recording industry, stage and television Banquells' handprints and star have been embedded onto the Paseo de las Luminarias in Mexico City, alongside her half-sister Sylvia Pasquel.[citation needed]

Political career

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Banquells was a candidate from the Va por México coalition (made up of the National Action Party, the Institutional Revolutionary Party, and the Party of the Democratic Revolution, to which she belonged) for the 14th congressional district of Mexico City based in Tlalpan and was elected in June 2021 after obtaining nearly 40% of the votes.[3] From September 2021 to August 2024 she was a federal deputy in the Congress of the Union.[4] In February 2022 she switched from the PRD to the Citizens' Movement party.[5]

Personal life

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Banquells was married twice. The first time to Pedro Mendez from 1979 to 1984, father of her daughter Pamela, and the second the producer Jorge Berlanga from 1985 to 2005, father of her son Rodrigo.[6]

Discography

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Collaborations

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  • No me puedo escapar de ti - (1987) Duet with Luis Miguel
  • La Bella y la Bestia (Beauty and the Beast) (1992) - Duet with Manuel Mijares
  • Las numero uno (2007) - Duet with many female singers
  • Todo por amor - (2008) Duet with Armando Manzanero

Filmography

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Year Title Role Notes
1973 Los que ayudan a Dios Valeria Supporting Role
Adorables Mujercitas Roberta Ojeda Castro Film
1974 Ha llegado una intrusa Special Appearance
1975 Barata de primavera Patricia Supporting Role
1976 Mi hermana la Nena Mónica Co-Protagonist
1978 Ladronzuela Gilda Main Antagonist
1979-1980 Los ricos tambien lloran Esther Izaguirre de Salvatierra Main Antagonist
1980 Querer volar Erika Protagonist
1981-1982 Juegos del Destino Sofía Protagonist
1982-1983 Bianca Vidal Mónica Rondán/Sandra Main Antagonist
1983-1984 La Fiera Brenda del Villar Main Antagonist
1996-1997 Te dejare de Amar Regina Sandor Protagonist / Antagonist
2006 Cantando por un sueño Herself TV show, Winner
Cantando por un sueño:Reyes De La Canción TV show, 5th Place
2007-2008 Pasión Ofelia de Márquez Co-Protagonist
2008-2009 Cuidado con el Angel Isabella Rojas Antagonist
2010 Mujeres Asesinas 3 Elena Episode:"Elena, protectora"
2010-2011 Cuando me enamoro Josefina "Fina" Álvarez de Monterrubio Main Antagonist
2013 Corazón Indomable Carola Canseco Antagonist
2016 Un camino hacia el destino Lupe Gonzalo Supporting Role
2020-2021 La mexicana y el güero Maria Dolores Santoyo Special Appearance

Dubbing

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Year Title Character
1979 Unico: Black Cloud and White Feather Unico

Theater

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Year Title Role
1970 Cosas de mamá y papá
Los años imposibles
1972 El día que secuestraron al Papa
1973-74 Vaselina (Grease) Licha
1975 La novicia rebelde (The Sound of Music) Maria Von Trapp/Liesl
Ciao Valentino
1977 Lili Lili
1978 El país de las sonrisas
1979 Anita la huerfanita (Annie)
1980 Aló!... Aló!... número equivocado
Godspell
1981-82 Evita Evita Perón
1982 Un gran final (A Chorus Line)
1983 Jesuscristo Superestrella (Jesus Christ Superstar) Mary Magdalene
1984 Todo se vale (Anything Goes)
1997-98 Evita Evita Perón
2007 Los monólogos de la vagina
2008 La Bella y la Bestia, el musical de Broadway (Beauty and the Beast) Mrs. Potss
2009-10 Mamma Mia! Donna Sheridan

Awards and nominations

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Premios ACE

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Year Category Result
1988 Rhythm artist most outstanding regional Won
1991 Best album of the year
1993 Best music video
1993 Artist of ranchera music
Year Category Telenovela Result
1984 Best Female Antagonist Bianca Vidal Won
1988 Best Female TV-Singer
2011 Best Female Antagonist Cuando me enamoro

References

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  1. ^ [1] Archived 2020-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Rocío Banquells
  2. ^ [2] Lucía Méndez acompañada de Rocío Banquells y Manoella Torres, presenta sus Noches de Cabaret
  3. ^ "Rocío Banquells vence a Ramírez Cuellar y Alfredo Adame en Tlalpan". El Financiero (in Spanish). 8 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Perfil: Dip. María Del Rocío Banquells Núñez, LXV Legislatura". Sistema de Información Legislativa (SIL). SEGOB. Retrieved 30 June 2024.
  5. ^ Erika Flores (21 February 2022). "Diputada Rocío Banquells renuncia al PRD y se suma a Movimiento Ciudadano". Milenio.
  6. ^ [3] Archived 2020-02-07 at the Wayback Machine Rocío Banquells
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