María Félix, a legendary Mexican movie star, masterfully crafted a larger-than-life persona, one that transcended the boundaries of mere celebrity and entered the realm of mythology. Dubbed "La Doña" due to her iconic portrayal of the titular character in her 1943 film, Doña Bárbara, she went on to star in an astonishing 47 movies, the majority of which are now largely forgotten, except for her unforgettable presence in each and every one.
More a cultural icon than a traditional actress, María Félix constructed an image of a tough, unyielding woman, a kind of larger-than-life she-male, that defied the conventional roles assigned to Latin American women. Her marriage to Agustín Lara, the most renowned Latin composer of the 30s to the 60s, was a major event in itself, and her fame extended far beyond the borders of Mexico to encompass Latin America, Spain, France, and Italy.
Throughout her illustrious career, María Félix steadfastly refused to learn English, a decision that ultimately limited her acting opportunities to Latin-language films, thereby confining her fame to nearly exclusively Latin countries. Despite being linked to numerous film projects following her last cinematic appearance, she never returned to the screen, with her final performance occurring on a Mexican historical soap opera in 1970.
