Edith González

González was born on 10 December 1964 in Monterrey.[1] She participated in school plays since her childhood.[2] González studied acting in New York, London and Paris.[3] She was part of the academy of theater director Lee Strasberg, as well as studying at the Neighborhood Playhouse and the Actors Institute.[3] González was also part of the Sorbonne University, where she studied English and art history, and jazz in Great Britain.[3] Aged 5 and during a visit to the Siempre en Domingo program, she was chosen by the public to play a role with actor Rafael Baledón.[1] From then on she appeared as a child actress in several films and TV series from the 70s.[2] According to IMDb, her first acting credit role was on the 1970 telenovela produced by Televisa, Cosa juzgada.[1] Her early papers on telenovelas included on Lucía Sombra (1971), La maldición de la blonda (1971), El amor tiene cara de mujer (1971),[4] El edificio de enfrente (1972), Mi primer amor (1973),[5] Los miserables (1973), for which she was awarded in 1974 with an Heraldo award in the category of "revelation artist"[6][7] and Lo imperdonable (1975).[8]

She made her film debut in 1974 on the television film Canción de Navidad.[9] Following this, some of her early films included El rey de los gorilas (1977), Alucarda, la hija de las tinieblas (1977),[10] Cyclone (1978), Guyana: Crime of the Century (1979),[9] Fabricantes de pánico (1980)[11] and Cosa fácil (1982).[10]

González would continued working in multiple telenovelas produced by Televisa.[3] At the age of 15, she had her first important paper on television participating on the telenovela Los ricos también lloran of 1979 sharing credits with Verónica Castro and Rogelio Guerra,[3][12] and in which she also met and acted along Christian Bach with whom she had a longtime friendship until Bach's death.[13] As a teenager, her works in telenovelas included Ambición (1980),[12] Soledad (1980), in which she shared credits with Libertad Lamarque[14] and El hogar que yo robé (1981), in which she shared credits with Angélica María.[15]

In 1982, González had her first leading role in the telenovela Bianca Vidal[16][17] and the same year she also appeared on the telenovela Chispita.[18] The next year in 1983, she participated on the telenovela La fiera.[19][20] In 1984, she appeared on the film Adiós Lagunilla, adiós[21][22] and had another leading role in the telenovela Sí, mi amor.[11] In 1986, she appeared on the anthology series La hora marcada[23] as well as appearing on the telenovelas Monte Calvario, in which she had the leading role[24] and Lista negra.[25] In 1987 she made an appearance as herself on the program Papá soltero[26] and had her first villain role on the telenovela Rosa salvaje, she participated in this project until episode 48 and at the time several versions for her exit were woven. It was said that she had been fired, but in the words of González herself, she actually resigned because of the alleged mistreatment she received from the production of the series.[27][28]

In an interview, González defended her version of the events, explaining that at that moment in her career she could not afford an antagonistic role after having starred in other fictions. In her opinion, she was not going to endure any "humiliation" stating the following:

I had already starred (in other telenovelas) and they asked me to be antagonistic. I said 'it's cool'. At that time being antagonistic for Veronica had no problem, what was gacho is that they had already raised you and 'órale my queen, you go back.'[27]

The actress also pointed out that during the filming she experienced "unpleasant experiences" and denounced that she was not treated properly, so she decided to give up the series. González assured that she was not fired for the production by stating:

I quit. Then people thought that they took me out, but nobody took me out, I quit, and at that time I did not care if I was going to be a waitress all my life, or if I was going to have to drive a taxi. In other words, anything, less endure a humiliation.[27]

In an infamous scene of the telenovela, the lead character Rosa García (played by Verónica Castro) throws noodles to her face,[28] which was reported to be for many fans a symbol of the "humiliation" described by González.[27] Her character was replaced by Felicia Mercado.[28] In 1988 she participated on the films Pero sigo siendo el rey and Central camionera[11] while she also returned to the telenovelas on Flor y canela.[11][29] She acted on the horror film Trampa Infernal (1989), sharing credits with Pedro Fernández.[11]

In 1990, González was part of the films El motel de la muerte,[30] Sentencia de muerte and Atrapados.[11] This same year, she had the leading role on the telenovela En carne propia.[14] Her filmography continued in 1991 with the films El muerto,[31] El jugador and El descuartizador.[11] In 1993, she starred on the telenovela Corazón salvaje along with Eduardo Palomo, who died in 2003 due to a heart attack.[32][33] This same year, she appeared on the episode "La heredera" (Spanish for, "The heiress") of the program Videoteatros: Véngan corriendo que les tengo un muerto[34] as well as appearing on the program Televiteatros.[35] She appeared on the film Los cómplices del infierno (1995), in which she shared credits with Maribel Guardia and Alfredo Adame.[36] In 1995 and 1996 and under various roles, González made appearances for the anthology telenovela Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real, hosted by Golden Age of Mexican cinema actress, Silvia Pinal.[15] In 1996, she had the lead role on the telenovela La sombra del otro.[37][38] She also appeared on the film Salón México (1996).[11] In 1997, she had another leading role on the telenovela La jaula de oro, sharing credits with Saúl Lisazo and René Casados.[11][39]

In 1998, González participated on the play Aventurera produced by actress Carmen Salinas, this was the play depiction of the 1950 film of the same name.[40] On the play she had the leading role and was the first to portrayed Elena Tejero (the main character), as well as being recognized by Salinas, the producer, as the best "Aventurera" for the play, even though after González, there were other portrayers for the leading role, such as Niurka Marcos, Ninel Conde, Susana González, among other more actresses.[41][42] In 1999, she had the leading role in the telenovela Nunca te olvidaré, sharing credits with actor Fernando Colunga[43][44] and also had a role on the telenovela Cuento de Navidad.[45]

Returning to films in 2000, she took part on the short film Rogelio.[46] In 2001, she had the leading role on the telenovela Salomé, sharing credits with María Rubio, Guy Ecker and Niurka Marcos.[43][47] In 2002, she appeared on the comedy program XHDRbZ.[48][49] In 2003, she made a special appearance on the program La hora pico.[48][50] In 2004, she starred in the telenovela Mujer de madera, by producer Emilio Larrosa, but had to stop working that same year due to becoming pregnant.[51] She was replaced by Ana Patricia Rojo in the production.[52] Her next film role was in the movie Señorita Justice (2004), in which she shared credits with Eva Longoria.[53] Returning in 2006, she took an antagonist role in the telenovela Mundo de fieras, of producer Salvador Mejía, where she shared credits with César Évora and Gaby Espino.[54][55] This same year, she had another guest appearance on the program La hora pico.[48][56] In 2007, she had a guest role on the black comedy program La familia P. Luche, in which she shared credits with Eugenio Derbez and Consuelo Duval.[48] This same year, she had another leading role in the telenovela Palabra de mujer[57] and also traveled to Romania for an acting role in the telenovela Inimă de țigan.[57] In 2008, she traveled to Colombia to play the role of Bárbara Guaimarán in Doña Bárbara, based on the Venezuelan novel of the same name written by Rómulo Gallegos, acting alongside Christian Meier and produced by Telemundo.[58] And this same year, she also made an appearance on a Plaza Sesamo short film entitled Plaza Sésamo: Los monstruos feos más bellos (Sesame Square: The most beautiful ugly monsters).[59] In 2009, she appeared with a role on the psychological thriller series Mujeres asesinas[57] and this same year, she also had a co-leading role on the telenovela Camaleones, with this marking her last telenovela on the channel.[60]

In 2010, González switched to TV Azteca, the second main Mexican broadcaster.[61] She made her first appearance for the company during a program of the 2010 edition of la Academia La Academia Bicentenario.[62] This same year, she appeared during the Mañanitas a la Virgen program, a special yearly transmission done by TV Azteca on December 12, in which different artists sing at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration day.[63]

In 2011, she had her first leading role for the company on the telenovela Cielo rojo by Eric Vonn, sharing credits with Regina Torné and Mauricio Islas.[64][65] She also returned to films on the television film Poquita ropa (2011), starred by singer Ricardo Arjona.[53] This same year, she also had a special role on the telenovela A corazón abierto[65] and led the Mañanitas a la Virgen program.[66] In 2013, she had another leading role on the telenovela Vivir a destiempo, in which she shared credits with Humberto Zurita.[65][67] This year, she also co-produced and acted in the film Deseo along with her longtime friend Christian Bach.[53][68] In 2014, she had the leading role on the telenovela Las Bravo, in which she shared credits one more time with actor Mauricio Islas.[69]

In 2016, she returned with the leading role on the telenovela produced by Telemundo, Eva la trailera.[70] The telenovela and Telemundo were sued by Rolando Fernández, who accused them of plagiarism of his 1983 film Lola the Truck Driver.[71] The lawsuit was ultimately won by Fernández.[72] Despite this, the telenovela was retransmitted by Telemundo in 2019 following González's passing as a tribute in her memory.[73]

González in 2017

In 2017, she returned with a recurring role on the telenovela 3 familias[74] she appeared one more time on the yearly Mañanitas a la Virgen program[75] and filmed her last film entitled Un sentimiento honesto en el calabozo del olvido.[76] In 2019, González re-appeared as a judge on the fashion program of TV Azteca Este es mi estilo, with this being her last work and television project.[77]

As well as being an actress for multiple films and television productions, González was also an actress of multiple plays such as Los árboles mueren de pie, Un día particular, Magnolias de acero, Buenas noches mamá,[78] Entre mujeres,[79] among others. Her most famous theater work was in the play Aventurera produced by Carmen Salinas for which she was the first actress to portray the lead character, Elena Tejero.[80]