María Elena Enríquez Ruiz (18 August 1944 – 3 February 2024), known as Helena Rojo, was a Mexican actress.
Biography Born in Mexico City, Mexico, she began her career as a model in 1961. Toward the end of the decade, she studied drama with renowned Mexican directors Carlos Ancira and José Luis Ibáñez, making her film debut in 1968 in the film El Club de los suicidas. That same year, Rojo appeared in her second film, Los Amigos. She continued working as a model and appearing in small film roles in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
In 1969, she signed an exclusivity contract with Productora Cinematográfica Marte. Later, she began expanding her acting career into television and theater. In 1974, her first television role was the lead in the telenovela Extraño en su pueblo.
Rojo's cinematic career led her to work with the most important Mexican film directors of the 1970s and 1980s, such as Felipe Cazals, Arturo Ripstein, Rafael Corkidi, Alberto Bojórquez, Marcela Fernández Violante, and Jorge Fons.
Rojo worked with international talents, such as German director Werner Herzog and actor Klaus Kinski, with a role in the film Aguirre, the Wrath of God. She also appeared in the film Foxtrot (1976), directed by Arturo Ripstein, alongside actors Charlotte Rampling, Peter O'Toole, and Max von Sydow.
In 2006, she appeared in the American dramedy series Ugly Betty, playing a mother who tries to steer her son away from the stepmother who has eyes for him in a "faux" telenovela watched on TV by the main character's family.
Death Rojo died from cancer on 3 February 2024, at the age of 79.
Filmography
Films
Year Title CharacterNote1968Los amigos Film1970Las bestias jóvenes Film1970El club de los suicidas Film1970Cruz de amor Vicky Film1971Siempre hay una primera vez Isabel Film1971Eye for an Eye Rina Pittman Film1971Una vez, un hombre... Susana Film1972End of the Party Elena Film1972Victoria Film1972Queen Doll Carmen Film1972Indio Film1972Mirage Film1972Angels and Cherubs Angela Film1972El payo - un hombre contra el mundo! Lupe Film1972Aguirre, the Wrath of God Inez Film1973The Cubs Tere Film1973Aquellos años Carlota Film1973Los Perros de Dios Laura Film1975Mary, Mary, Bloody Mary Greta Film1975The House in the South Elena Film1975Darker Than Night Pilar Film1976The Great Adventure of Zorro Helena Film1976The Far Side of Paradise Alexandra Film1978The Children of Sanchez Film1979Crónica íntima Film1980La Sucesion Mariana Film1980Misterio Silvia Film1981Noche de juerga Dolores Film1982En el país de los pies ligeros Film1983Pajaros de ciudad Film1988Don't Panic Mrs. Smith Film1988Reto a la vida Elena Film1988Lovers, partners & Spies Duchess Film1990El motel de la muerte Film1992Muerte ciega Alisa Film1992Una Luz en la escalera Adriana Bernal Film1992Los años de Greta Nora Film1992Mas alla del deseo Josefa Film1993Guerrero negro Eva Film1994 Una luz en la escalera Adriana Film1994 Luces de la noche Tina Film2008 Amor letra por letra Fabiola Film2009 Borderline Shanti Film2010 Catarsis La madre Film2023 A Deadly Invitation
Television
Year Title CharacterNote 1974 Extraño en su pueblo Isaura Main role 1976 Mañana será otro dia Paola Supporting role 1977 La venganza María Olivares/Alejandra Balmaseda Lead role 1978 La hora del silencio Bárbara Main role 1981–1982 Extraños caminos del amor Isabela Main role 1984–1985 La traición Antonia Guerra Main role 1992 Las secretas intenciones Antonieta Alcantara Main cast 1995–1996 Retrato de familia Cecilia Mariscal Main role 1997 Gente bien Rebeca Balmori Main cast 1998–1999 El privilegio de amar Luciana Duval Main role 2000 Ramona Doña Ramona Gonzaga Viuda de Moreno Main cast 2000 Abrázame muy fuerte Damiana / Juliana Guillen Main cast 2003 Amor real Doña Augusta Curiel de Penalver y Beristain Main cast 2004–2005 Inocente de ti Rebeca/Raquel Linares Robles Main cast 2005–2006 Peregrina Sabina Supporting role 2006–2007 Mundo de Fieras Miriam de Rivas del Castillo Main role 2007 Amor sin maquillaje Inés Rivera Supporting role 2008–2009 Cuidado con el ángel Cecilia de Velarde Main cast 2009–2010 Corazón salvaje Leonarda Montes de Oca de Vidal Main cast 2010–2011 Triunfo del amor Herself Guest star 2010Locas de amor Norma 2012 Por Ella Soy Eva Eugenia Mistral de Caballero Main cast 2014 The Color of Passion Milagros Fuentes de Escalante Main cast 2016 Corazón que miente Sara Sáenz Vda. de Castellanos Main cast 2016–2017 La candidata Natalia de San Román Main cast 2017 El vuelo de la victoria Maria Isabel Viuda de la Peña Recurring role 2019 Por amar sin ley Lucia Carvajal Guest star (season 2) 2019 El corazón nunca se equivoca Dora Ortega Fabela Main cast 2021 Te acuerdas de mí Alicia Limantour Guest star 2022 Esta historia me suena Emma Episode: "Torero" María Félix: La Doña Señora Russek 2023 Amores que engañan Lorena Episode: "El preferido de mamá" Vencer la culpa Ángeles Román Main cast 2024 El Conde: Amor y honor Guadalupe de Gaitán Guest star (Filmed in 2022)
Theater performances
Mujeres de Ceniza (Women of ashes) Dios mio hazme viuda por favor (God please make me a widow) Las muchachas del club (The Club Girls) Cuentas muertas (Dead accounts) El cartero (The Mailman) Bajo cero (Below zero) 10, el marido perfecto (10, The Perfect Husband) Lecciones para casadas (Lectures for Married Women) Se infiel y no mires con quien (Be Unfaithful with Whomever) Cena de Matrimonios (Dinner with Married Couples) Me enamoré de una bruja (I fell in love with a Witch) La mujer del pelo rojo (The Redheaded Woman) Pecado en la isla de las cabras (Sin on the Isle of Goats) La Ronda de las Arpías (Song of the Harpies) Una oferta inmoral (Indecent Proposal) Yo miento, tú mientes, todos mentimos (I Lie, You Lie, We All Lie)
Ariel Awards
Won – 1972 Best Supporting Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Fin de Fiesta Nominated – 1973 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Los Cachorros Won – 1981 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Misterio Nominated – 1992 Best Actress Ariel Award from the Mexican Academy of Film, for her role in Muerte Ciega
TVyNovelas Awards
Nominated 1985 – Best Leading Actress – La Traición Nominated 1996 – Best Leading Actress – Retrato de Familia Won 1999 – Best Leading Actress – El privilegio de Amar Won 2001 – Best Senior Actress – Abrázame muy Fuerte Won 2005 – Best Antagonistic Actress – Inocente de Ti Nominated 2006 – Best Senior Actress – Peregrina Won 2007 – Best Senior Actress – Mundo de Fieras Won 2009 – Best Senior Actress – Cuidado con el ángel Nominated 2010 – Best Senior Actress – Corazón Salvaje Nominated 2013 – Best Senior Actress – Por ella soy Eva Nominated 2015 – Best Senior Actress – El Color de la Pasión Won 2017 – Best Senior Actress – La Candidata
References
External links
Alma Latina: Mexican Telenovela Database The Mexican Film Resource Page History of the Ariel at the Mexican Academy of Film. El Ariel at wikisource