María Conchita Alonso - María Conchita Alonso (born June 29, 1957), better known as María Conchita, is a Cuban-born, Venezuelan-raised singer/songwriter and actress.

María Conchita Alonso was born María Concepción Alonso Bustillo in Cienfuegos, Cuba, the daughter of Ricardo Alonso and María Conchita Bustillo. Her family moved to Venezuela when she was five years old, in 1962, after the Cuban Revolution. She had her first experience in show business when she was crowned World Teen Princess in 1971, and was Miss World/Venezuela in 1975 where she became sixth runner-up in the Miss World pageant won by Puerto Rico's Wilnelia Merced; she quickly became a top model and a popular singer/actress in Venezuela.

Alonso's first gold album and number one song in the charts was "Love Maniac" in 1979, her name as a singer back then was A'mbar, after that followed her second number 1 with "The Witch" and soon after "Dangerous Rhythm". In what is generally considered to be her best known song, she was asked by Giorgio Moroder to write the lyrics in Spanish and sing "Vamos a Bailar" which he had written to be part of the soundtrack for the film Scarface. The song instantly became a classic amongst Spanish speakers despite failing to garner any major attention outside of Cuba where it was recorded. As her two albums with Ambar and her solo debut were recorded in English, it was her second album María Conchita from 1984 that made her a singing star in the Spanish-speaking market, receiving a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Latin Performance".

She made her Hollywood film debut in 1984 in Moscow on the Hudson with Robin Williams, and also starred in movies like Extreme Prejudice, The Running Man, Predator 2, Touch and Go, The House of the Spirits, Vampire's Kiss and Colors.

She was one of the few Latin-born actresses to star in a Broadway show in 1995, playing Aurora in Kiss of the Spider Woman. She later acted in romantic comedies like Chasing Papi (2003) and The Last Guy on Earth (2006).

Alonso was cast to play Lucía, the mother of Gabrielle Solis, on the ABC hit show Desperate Housewives. The episode was aired on February 19, 2006. She was in the Latin version Amas de Casa Desesperadas for Univision Network. She was a guest star in the live-action film of the comic book El Muerto and appeared in the film Material Girls (2006).

Alonso hosted VH1's Viva Hollywood! on April 13, 2008 with Carlos Ponce. She portrayed Sam in the Werewolf horror film Wolf Moon, which was directed by Dana Mennie.

Alonso shot Rob Zombie's Lords of Salem, released in 2013. Her latest film, a fantasy short titled The Secret Of Joy, features her alongside fellow Venezuelan actor Carlos Antonio Leon, Spanish actress Laura Bayonas and Brazilian actress Ana Carolina Da Fonseca in a story that aims to bring awareness about pediatric cancer.

Alonso is an outspoken critic of Cuba's Fidel Castro and late Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez, whom she had described as a "dictator" like "Hitler," and those who vote and support him as "terrorists." She has appeared on Sean Hannity's Hannity's America on May 6, 2007, Hannity & Colmes on June 1, 2007 and Bill O'Reilly's The O'Reilly Factor on August 13, 2007 and March 11, 2009.

Alonso issued an "Open Letter to Sean Penn" online on March 29, 2010 regarding his support of then-President Hugo Chávez. She used a point-by-point refrain of "WHY" in her letter questioning various issues occurring in Venezuela. In December 2011, she got into a heated exchange with Penn at a Los Angeles airport during which Penn called her a pig and she responded by calling Penn a communist.

In the fall of 2008, Alonso endorsed the presidential campaign of Republican nominee John McCain, writing:

As a Latina and a new American citizen, I believe in this country and its people, and I believe that we need more than just "change." We need a leader who can bring about the right kind of change, and John McCain has the experience and judgment necessary to lead us in these uncertain times. I grew up in Cuba and Venezuela, and I am appalled that Barack Obama apparently wants to emulate the "spread the wealth" economic policies of those countries and negotiate with their leaders.

In an August 2012 Spreecast interview, Alonso stated her opposition to Obama's re-election, saying that if reelected he will take steps to make the United States become more like Venezuela under the Chávez government.

In January 2014, Alonso resigned from a San Francisco production of The Vagina Monologues after appearing in an advertisement for Republican candidate for Governor Tim Donnelly.

On September 17, 2014, Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro asked Interior Minister Miguel Rodriguez Torres to pursue on court legal actions to revoke Alonso's Venezuelan citizenship. The reason was her public request on a radio interview for a military intervention against Venezuela: "In my opinion, (the US) must intervene, because the Cubans already invaded without firing a single bullet because they gave it (Venezuela) for free. So I would like that the US would invade using bullets to get all those communists out of Venezuela"

In mid-2016, Alonso stated that she supported neither Republican Presidential candidate Donald Trump nor Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton in the U.S. election, viewing both of them as unacceptable.

Filmography

***Year ***Film ***Role ***Notes

1978 Savana - Sesso e diamanti Margaret Johnson Italian B Movie

1979 Solon

1979 Estefanía Silvana Cataldo TV series

1979 Mabel Valdez, periodista TV series

1980 Natalia de 8 a 9 Mariana Brito TV series

1980 Mi hijo Gabriel TV series

1981 Marielena TV series

1981 Angelito TV series

1981 Luz Marina Luz Marina TV series

1981 El Esposo de Anaís TV series

1982 Claudia Claudia TV series

1982 Fantasy Island French Girl 1 episode

1982 Knight Rider Marie Elena Casafranca 1 episode

1984 Nacho playing herself TV series

1984 Moscow on the Hudson Lucia Lombardo

1984 Fear City Silver as Maria Conchita

1986 A Fine Mess Claudia Pazzo aka Blake Edwards' A Fine Mess (USA: complete title)

1986 Touch and Go Denise DeLeon

1987 Il cugino americano Caterina Ammirati aka Blood Ties (USA: TV title)

1987 Extreme Prejudice Sarita Cisneros

1987 The Running Man Amber Mendez

1988 Con el Corazón en la Mano

1988 Colors Louisa Gomez

1989 One of the Boys Maria Conchita Navarro 1 episode

1989 Vampire's Kiss Alva Restrepo

1990 Predator 2 Leona Cantrell

1991 Cuerpos clandestinos (TV) Claudia

1991 McBain Christina

1992 Teamster Boss: The Jackie Presser Story (TV) Carmen aka Power Play: The Jackie Presser Story (UK: video title)

1993 Roosters Chata

1993 The House of the Spirits Tránsito Soto

1994 Alejandra TV series Alejandra

1994 Texas (TV) Lucia aka James A. Michener's Texas

1994 MacShayne: The Final Roll of the Dice (TV) Cindy Evans

1996 Caught Betty aka Atrapados (USA: Spanish title)

1996 For Which He Stands Theresa Rochetti

1996 Sudden Terror: The Hijacking of School Bus#17 Marta Caldwell

1997 Women: Stories of Passion Sophia 1 episode

1997 Chicago Hope Emma Scull 2 episodes

1997 Robert Altman's Gun Marti 1 episode

1997 Catherine's Grove Charley Vasquez

1997 F/X: The Series Elena Serrano 2 episodes

1997 Acts of Betrayal Eva Ramirez

1998 Exposé Nancy Drake aka Footsteps (Philippines: English title) (USA: working title)

1998 Blackheart Annette

1998 The Nanny Concepcion Sheffield 1 episode

1998 The Outer Limits Marie Alexander episode: "The Vaccine"

1998 El Grito en el cielo Miranda Vega aka Shout Out (USA: festival title)

1998 My Husband's Secret Life (TV) Toni Diaz

1999 Touched by an Angel Dr. Sandra Pena 1 episode

1999 Dillinger in Paradise Lola

2000 Chain of Command Vice President Gloria Valdez

2000 Knockout Carmen Alvarado

2000 A Vision of Murder: The Story of Donielle (TV) Gloria

2000 Best Actress (TV) Maria Katarina Caldone

2000 High Noon (TV) Helen Ramirez

2000 Twice in a Lifetime Kat Lopez 1 episode

2000 The Princess & the Barrio Boy (TV) Minerva Rojas aka She's in Love (UK)

2001 The Code Conspiracy Rachel

2001 Resurrection Blvd. Julia Hernandez 3 episodes

2001 Birth of Babylon Lupe Velez

2002 Blind Heat Adrianna Scott

2002 Robbery Homicide Division Claudia 1 episode

2003 The Company You Keep Vera

2003 Kingpin (TV mini-series) Ariela

2003 Heart of America Mrs. Jones aka Home Room (Australia)

2003 Chasing Papi Maria

2003 Newton's Law

2004 CSI: Miami Marisela Gonzalez 1 episode: Blood Moon

2005 English as a Second Language Consuelo Sara

2005 La Academia USA Judge

2005 Smoke Aurora Avila

2006 Desperate Housewives Lucia 1 episode

2006 Material Girls Inez

2007 The Dead One Sister Rosa

2007 The Condor (V) Mrs. Valdez (voice) aka Stan Lee Presents: The Condor (USA: DVD box title)

2007 Saints & Sinners Diana Martin 62 episodes

2008 Richard III Queen Elizabeth

2008 Tranced Libra

2008 The Art of Travel Mrs. Layne

2008 The Red Canvas (post-production) Maria Sanchez

2008 Trópico de Sangre (filming)

2008 Two Minutes Of Hate (announced) Dos minutos de odio

2008 Unauthorized Clifford (announced) Des-Autorizado (Venezuela: wide-release title)

2009 Maneater (miniseries) Alejandra Alpert Two episodes

2009 Dark Moon Rising Sheriff Sam.

2009 Spread (film) Rich woman from the pool

2012 Lords of Salem

2014 Return to Babylon Lupe Vélez

Discography

Love Maniac (Polydor/PolyGram, 1979)

The Witch (Polydor/Polygram, 1980)

Dangerous Rhythm (PolyGram, 1982)

Te Amo (Polydor/PolyGram, 1983)

María Conchita (A&M/PolyGram, 1984)

O Ella o Yo (A&M/PolyGram, 1985)

Grandes Éxitos (PolyGram, 1986)

Mírame (PolyGram, 1987)

Hazme Sentir (PolyGram, 1990)

En Vivo México (Capitol/EMI Mexico, 1991)

Imagíname (Columbia/SME Mexico, 1992)

Alejandra: Boleros (PolyGram, 1994)

Hoy y Siempre (ARDC/PolyGram, 1997)

Grandes Éxitos (2004)

Soy EP (Hypnotic, 2005)

Greatest Hits (ARDC/Universal Latino, 2008)

Mienteme (ARDC/Universal Latino, 2009)

Singles

Year Song Hot Latin Songs Album

1987 "Sueltame" 22 Grandes Éxitos

1987 "Otra Mentira Más" 24 Mírame

1988 "Y Es Que Llegaste Tú" 5

1990 "Hazme Sentir" 24 Hazme Sentir

1991 "A Él Lo Quiero" 35

1993 "Promesas" 20 Imagíname

/Wikipedia

ALBUMS:

-1

1983 - María Conchita Alonso - Te Amo
1982 - maria conchita alonso - ritmo peligroso
1985 - Maria Conchita Alonso - O ella O Yo
1987 Maria Conchita Alonso - Mirame

-2

1989 Maria Conchita Alonso - Grandes Exitos
1990 Maria Conchita Alonso - Hazme Sentir
1995 Maria Conchita Alonso - Boleros
2005 Maria Conchita Alonso - La Mas Completa Coleccion

-3

1997 Hoy Y Siempre
2014 -V.A. -Grandiosas (En Vivo Desde México D.F.2014)
Maria Conchita Alonso - La Historia y Más
Maria Conchita Alonso - Personalidad 20 Exitos