Emelia Pérez Castellanos (10 November 19211 January 2015), known professionally as Ninón Sevilla, was a Cuban-Mexican actress and dancer.

Early life

Sevilla was born and raised in Centro Habana, a popular section of Havana. As a youth, she thought about becoming a missionary nun, but after she started dancing with success in nightclubs and cabarets, she opted for a career in show business. She adopted her stage name in tribute to the legendary French courtesan Ninon de Lenclos and began to work in the chorus of the Cuban comedians Mimí Cal and Leopoldo Fernández, respectively known as "Nananina" and "Tres Patines" .

Career

Sevilla came to Mexico as part of a show starring the Argentinean singer

Libertad Lamarque Libertad Lamarque Bouza (; 24 November 1908 – 12 December 2000) was a Mexican-Argentine actress and singer, one of the icons of the Golden Age of Argentine and Mexican cinema. She achieved fame throughout Latin America, and became known as " ...

. Her number in the show was so successful that she was soon booked in other spectacles in Mexico City. While performing in the Teatro Lírico, producer Pedro Arturo Calderón saw Sevilla on stage and offered her a film contract. Her debut in cinema was in 1946 in ''Carita de Cielo'' with María Elena Marqués and Antonio Badú. From that moment, Sevilla became the exclusive star of Producciones Calderón, and although she had offers from

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc., also known as Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures and abbreviated as MGM, is an American film, television production, distribution and media company owned by amazon (company), Amazon through MGM Holdings, founded o ...

and

Columbia Pictures Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. is an American film production studio that is a member of the Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is one of the Big Five studios and a subsidiary of the mu ...

, she turned them down because she was not interested in working in Hollywood. Although from the beginning Sevilla was marked by the eccentricity of her hairdos and gowns, it was director Alberto Gout who established her as one of the ultimate erotic figures of Mexican cinema, leading her in legendary films as ''

Aventurera ''Aventurera'' ("Adventuress" in English) is a 1950 Mexican drama film directed by Alberto Gout and starring Ninón Sevilla and Andrea Palma. It's considered a masterpiece of the ''Rumberas film''. The film features Pedro Vargas and Ana María G ...

'' (1949), and '' Sensualidad'' (1950). Besides being directed by Gout also in ''Mujeres sacrificadas'' (1952) and ''

Aventura en Río Aventura en Río (Adventure in Rio) is a Mexican drama film directed by Alberto Gout. It was released in 1953 and starring Ninón Sevilla and Víctor Junco. Plot Victim of amnesia, Alicia (Ninón Sevilla) a Mexican woman is forced by an operator ...

'' (1953), she also worked with

Emilio Fernández Emilio "El Indio" Fernández Romo (; 26 March 1904 – 6 October 1986) was a Mexican film director, actor and screenwriter. He was one of the most prolific film directors of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. He is best kn ...

"El Indio," who directed her in one of the best films of her career, the classic '' Víctimas del Pecado'' (1951);

Julio Bracho Julio Bracho Gavilán (17 July 1909 – 26 April 1978) was a Mexican film director and screenwriter. Bracho was born as ninth of eleven children of Julio Bracho y Zuloaga and his wife Luz Pérez Gavilán. His sister Guadalupe Bracho Pérez- ...

in '' Take Me in Your Arms'' (1954); Gilberto Martinez Solares in ''

Mulata (, ) is a racial classification to refer to people of mixed African and European ancestry. Its use is considered outdated and offensive in several languages, including English and Dutch, whereas in languages such as Spanish and Portuguese i ...

'' (1954) and the comedy ''Club de Señoritas'' (1956); and Alfredo B. Crevenna in '' Yambaó'' (1956). In the musical

Rumberas film The Rumberas film (in Spanish, Cine de rumberas) was a film genre that flourished in Mexico, in the so-called Golden Age of Mexican cinema in the 1940s and 1950s. Its main stars were the so-called '' rumberas'', dancers of Afro-Caribbean musical rh ...

, Ninón Sevilla internationalized the icon of the rumbera like no other of her peers: she was the perfect archetype in several films, in which a "fallen woman" was dignified through dance. She staged the many choreographies of her films, and was the first performer to introduce plots from Santeria rituals in her movies. When she was on top, she had the biggest forums, spectacular sets, dazzling costumes, first-rate technicians and alternated with great figures of Latin American cinema as

Joaquín Pardavé Joaquín Pardavé Arce (30 September 1900 – 20 July 1955) was a Mexican film actor, director, songwriter and screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He was best known for starring and directing various comedy films during the 1940 ...

, Andrea Palma,

Fernando Soler Fernando Soler (born Fernando Díaz Pavia; 24 May 1896 – 25 October 1979) was a Mexican actor, director, screenwriter, and producer. He was considered one of the most important figures of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. In his career spanni ...

Pedro Armendáriz Pedro Gregorio Armendáriz Hastings (May 9, 1912 – June 18, 1963) was a Mexican film actor who made films in both Mexico and the United States. With Dolores del Río and María Félix, he was one of the best-known Latin American movie stars ...

, Anita Blanch,

Agustín Lara Ángel Agustín María Carlos Fausto Mariano Alfonso del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús Lara y Aguirre del Pino (; October 30, 1897 – November 6, 1970), known as Agustín Lara, was a Mexican composer and performer of songs and boleros. He is recogn ...

Domingo Soler Domingo Soler (born Domingo Díaz Pavia; 17 April 1901 – 13 June 1961) was a Mexican actor and occasional screenwriter of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. He appeared in over 150 films and wrote the screenplays for 2 films. Soler won an Ariel ...

David Silva David Josué Jiménez Silva (born 8 January 1986) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays for La Liga club Real Sociedad. Silva plays mainly as a central or an attacking midfielder but can also play as a winger or second striker. He is ...

Rita Montaner Rita Aurelia Fulcida Montaner y Facenda (20 August 1900 – 17 April 1958), known as Rita Montaner, was a Cuban singer, pianist and actress. In Cuban parlance, she was a '' vedette'' (a star), and was well known in Mexico City, Paris, Miami and ...

, Ramón Gay, Tito Junco,

Andrés Soler Andrés Soler (born Andrés Díaz Pavia; 18 November 1898 – 26 July 1969) was a Mexican actor. He was considered one of the greatest figures of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Soler appeared in about two hundred films and received four Ariel ...

, Roberto Cañedo, Fanny Kauffman,

René Cardona René Cardona (October 8, 1905 in Havana, Cuba – April 25, 1988, in Mexico City) was a director, actor, producer, screenwriter, and film editor in the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. Biography René Cardona was born in Havana, Cuba, on Oc ...

Pedro Vargas Pedro Vargas Mata (San Miguel de Allende, 29 April 1906 – Mexico City, 30 October 1989) was a Mexican tenor and actor, from the golden age of Mexican cinema, participating in more than 70 films. He was known as the "Nightingale of the Ameri ...

Toña la Negra Antonia del Carmen Peregrino Álvarez (2 November 1912 – 19 November 1982), known by her stage name Toña la Negra (Toña the Black Woman), was a Mexican singer and actress of partial Haitian ancestry, known for her interpretation of boleros and ...

, the trio

Los Panchos Originally, Trio Los Panchos are a ''trío romántico'' formed in New York City in 1944 by Alfredo Gil, Chucho Navarro, and Hernando Avilés. The trio became one of the leading exponents of the bolero and the romantic ballad in Latin America. ...

, as well as Mendive and Perez Prado. By 1950, Ninón Sevilla had consolidated her sex symbol status and was a superstar. Her success led to her being recognized in countries like

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

and France. In 1955, the future French director

François Truffaut François Roland Truffaut ( , ; ; 6 February 1932 – 21 October 1984) was a French film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film critic. He is widely regarded as one of the founders of the French New Wave. After a career of more th ...

made a review of ''Llévame en tus brazos'', in which he wrote: ''"Is Ninón dancing for glory? No way, never. It is quite clear Ninón is dancing for pleasure!"'' With the decline of the Golden Age of Mexican cinema, Ninón Sevilla retired from the industry, but returned in 1981 by the hand of Mario Hernández, who directed her in the 1981 film ''Noche de Carnaval'', for which she received the

Silver Ariel The Ariel Award ( es, Premio Ariel) is an award that recognizes the best of Mexican cinema. Given annually, since 1946, by the Mexican Academy of Cinematographic Arts and Sciences (AMACC), the award recognizes artistical and technical excel ...

Award for Best Actress of the Year. Ninón Sevilla debuted on television in 1965 with a small role in the soap opera ''Juicio de almas'', produced by

Ernesto Alonso Ernesto Alonso (February 28, 1917 – August 7, 2007) was a Mexican producer, director, cinematographer and actor. He was nicknamed "''El Señor Telenovela''" ("Mr. Soap Opera") because most of his work centered on telenovelas known around the wo ...

. After the revival of her career, she was invited in 1987 to appear in the telenovela '' Rosa salvaje'', alongside

Verónica Castro Verónica Castro (), full name Verónica Judith Sáinz Castro (born 19 October 1952), is a Mexican actress, singer, producer, former model and presenter. She started her career as a television actress, where she met comedian Manuel Valdés, fa ...

. She was cast in numerous supporting roles in several

telenovelas A telenovela is a type of a television serial drama or soap opera produced primarily in Latin America. The word combines ''tele'' (for "television") and ''novela'' (meaning "novel"). Similar drama genres around the world include ''teleserye'' (P ...

, as ''

María la del Barrio ''María la del Barrio'' ( Lit: ''Maria from the neighborhood''/English title: ''Humble Maria'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Angelli Nesma Medina for Televisa in 1995. The series is a remake of '' Los ricos también lloran''. ''María ...

'' (1995), '' Rosalinda'' (1999) and ''

Qué bonito amor ''Qué bonito amor'' (''International Title'':''Beautiful Love'', ''Literally'':What a Beautiful Love) is a Mexican telenovela produced by Salvador Mejía Alexandre for Televisa that aired on Canal de las Estrellas from October 22, 2012 to June 2 ...

'' (2012), among others. In 2014, Ninon Sevilla was the subject of tributes from the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences and the Cineteca of Mexico for her career and influence in their national cinema.

Personal life

Ninon Sevilla had a long relationship with film producer Pedro Arturo Calderón. Eventually, she married Cuban doctor José Gil. When Gil died, she started another relationship and had her only son, the musician Genaro Lozano. Sevilla died on 1 January 2015 at the age of 93.

Filmography

* ''Carita de Cielo'' (1946) * ''Pecadora'' (1947) * '' Jalisco Fair'' (1948) * ''Señora Tentación'' (1948) * ''Revancha'' (1949) * ''Coqueta'' (1949) * ''Perdida'' (1950) * ''

'' (1950) * '' Victimas del Pecado'' (1951) * '' Sensualidad'' (1951) * ''No niego mi pasado'' (1951) * ''Mujeres sacrificadas'' (1952) * ''

'' (1953) * '' Take Me in Your Arms'' (1953) * ''

'' (1954) * ''Amor y pecado'' (!955) * ''Club de señoritas'' (1955) * '' Yambaó'' (1957) * ''Mujeres de fuego'' (1959) * ''Zarzuela 1900'' (1959) * ''Noche de carnaval'' (1981) * ''Las noches del Blanquita'' (1981) * ''Viva el chubasco'' (1984) * ''El cabaretero y sus golfas'' (1985) * ''Hoy como ayer'' (1987) * ''Jóvenes delincuentes'' (1988) * ''Rumbera caliente'' (!989)

TV

* '' Juicio de almas'' (1964) * ''

Tú eres mi destino ''Tú eres mi destino'' (English title:''You are my destiny'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Ernesto Alonso for Televisa in 1984. It is an adaptation of the telenovela ''Cartas sin destino'' produced in 1973. Claudia Islas starred as ant ...

'' (1984)... Licha del Rey * '' Rosa salvaje'' (1987)... Zoraida * ''

Cuando llega el amor ''Cuando llega el amor'' (English title: ''When love arrives'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Carla Estrada for Televisa in 1989. Lucero and Omar Fierro starred as protagonists, while Nailea Norvind starred as main antagonist. Plot Isa ...

'' (1989)... Nina * ''

Yo no creo en los hombres ''Yo no creo en los hombres'', is a Mexican telenovela produced by Lucy Orozco in association with Isabelle Tardán for Televisa in 1991. This is based on the radionovela ''Yo no creo en los hombres'' written by Caridad Bravo Adams. Plot Th ...

'' (1991)... Emelia * '' Las secretas intenciones'' (1992)... Julieta * ''

María la del barrio ''María la del Barrio'' ( Lit: ''Maria from the neighborhood''/English title: ''Humble Maria'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Angelli Nesma Medina for Televisa in 1995. The series is a remake of '' Los ricos también lloran''. ''María ...

'' (1995)... Caridad * '' La usurpadora'' (1998)... Cachita Cienfuegos * '' Rosalinda'' (1999)... Asuncion * ''

Tres mujeres ''Tres mujeres'' (English title: ''Three women'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Roberto Hernández Vázquez for Televisa in 1999-2000. When it came out it was such a success that they added 3x the normal amount of chapters. There are 280 C ...

'' (1999)... Yolanda * ''

El precio de tu amor ''El precio de tu amor'' (''The Price of Your Love''), is a Mexican telenovela produced by Ernesto Alonso for Televisa in 2000. Eduardo Santamarina and Eugenia Cauduro as the protagonists, while Yadhira Carrillo star as the antagonists. Plot A ...

'' (2000)... Dalila * ''

Entre el amor y el odio ''Entre el Amor y el Odio'' (English: ''Between Love and Hatred'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Salvador Mejía Alejandre for Televisa in 2002. It is based on the radionovela ''Cadena de odio'' by Hilda Morales de Allouis. It aired on Can ...

'' (2002)... Macarena * '' Amarte es mi pecado'' (2004)... Donia Galia de Caridad * '' Central de abasto'' (2008)... La Jarocha * ''

Como dice el dicho Como (, ; lmo, Còmm, label=Comasco , or ; lat, Novum Comum; rm, Com; french: Côme) is a city and ''comune'' in Lombardy, Italy. It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como. Its proximity to Lake Como and to the Alps has m ...

'' (2012)... Pola * ''

'' (2012)... Donia Remedios

Bibliography

* *''Las Rumberas del Cine Mexicano'' (''The Rumberas of the Mexican Cinema'') (1999). In SOMOS. México: Editorial

Televisa Grupo Televisa is a Mexican multimedia mass media company. A major Latin American mass media corporation, it often presents itself as the largest producer of Spanish-language content. In April 2021, Televisa and Univision Communications announce ...

, S. A. de C. V. *

References

External links

*
Ninón Sevilla
at the

Cinema of Mexico Mexican cinema dates to the late nineteenth century during the rule of President Porfirio Díaz. Seeing a demonstration of short films in 1896, Díaz immediately saw the importance of documenting his presidency in order to present an ideal ...

site of the

ITESM Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) ( en, Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education), also known as Tecnológico de Monterrey or just Tec, is a secular and coeducational private university based i ...

The Cuban History.com ''The Cuban Bombshell: Ninón Sevilla''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sevilla, Ninon 1926 births 2015 deaths 20th-century Cuban actresses 20th-century Mexican actresses Ariel Award winners Cuban emigrants to Mexico Exiles of the Cuban Revolution in Mexico Cuban film actresses Golden Age of Mexican cinema Mexican film actresses Mexican telenovela actresses Mexican television actresses Mexican vedettes People from Havana