Teresa de Jesús Buenfil López (; born November 23, 1963), commonly known as Erika Buenfil, is a Mexican actress, TV host and singer. She is best known for her lead roles in several successful telenovelas including Amor en Silencio (1988), Marisol (1996), Tres mujeres (1999–2000) and Amores verdaderos (2012–2013). Since September 2019, Buenfil has run a YouTube channel named as 'Sazonando con la Buenfil'.
Biography Early career Buenfil started her career in show business at the age of 11. Her first telenovela appearance was in 1977 in Acompañame. More roles followed in Ambicion, alongside Edith Gonzalez; Conflictos de un Medico alongside Victoria Ruffo; and Aprendiendo a Amar alongside Susana Dosamantes. An outstanding role was Cristina del Junco in the telenovela El derecho de nacer in 1981, which gave Buenfil international exposure as an upcoming young actress. In 1983 she played the role of Vicky de Martino in El Maleficio. The success of the novela gave Buenfil her first starring role in 1985 in Angelica, where she played the title character. At this point, she became recognizable in Latin America thanks to her success in novelas and hosting the Mexican show XETU. The following year, in 1986, Buenfil starred in El Engaño, alongside Frank Moro, Guillermo Garcia Cantu, and Luz Maria Jerez.
Amor en silencio Two years later, in 1988, Buenfil appeared in Amor en silencio. This was her third starring role and the most memorable. She played two characters; Marisela in the first half, and Ana in the second half of the telenovela. Her leading men were Arturo Peniche and Omar Fierro. Amor en silencio, produced by Carla Estrada, became an instant hit due to the cast and the well-written storyline. However, her character was killed in a surprise twist during one episode. The story continued with the plot progressing 12 years, and emerged with Buenfil reappearing in the story, now playing the teenage daughter of her former murdered character.
Amor en silencio was the most awarded telenovela of the year, winning Best Telenovela and Best Actress for Erika Buenfil in 1989's TVyNovela awards. During this time, Buenfil's popularity had grown and her status as telenovela actress was at its highest. She made appearances in many entertainment magazines and on TV shows.
1990s After her success with Amor en silencio, Buenfil took a few years off from telenovelas before returning in 1991 in Vida Robada alongside Sergio Goyri and Cynthia Klitbo. The telenovela had some success, but after it ended Buenfil disappeared from the spotlight once again. In 1993, she was being considered for the lead role of Monica in the epic novela Corazón salvaje, but the role went to Edith González. Buenfil was offered the part of the antagonist, "Aimee," but she initially refused it. In 1996, Buenfil admitted on El Show de Cristina that she had refused the role because she wanted to be the star and did not want to accept a secondary role. She said that she changed her mind over the weekend, but when she called the producer Jose Rendón, she was told that the role had already been given to actress Ana Colchero.
Marisol
By the end of 1995, Buenfil had been absent from the TV screen for over four years. However, her fortune changed when she went to Televisa to ask for better treatment at the company. Her voice was heard and producer Juan Osorio wanted her to star in his upcoming production of Marisol alongside Eduardo Santamarina, in his first starring role. To the surprise of many, Marisol was a great hit with audiences, thanks to the great chemistry between the lead actors. It was a typical Cinderella-type story, criticized by many, but that brought much success. The success of the telenovela was such that Buenfil and Santamarina went on a promotional tour of various Latin American countries.
Tres Mujeres After the success of Marisol, Buenfil did some theater, made a special appearance in her friend Laura Flores' vehicle El Alma No Tiene Color, and was offered various scripts, including starring in 1998's La Usurpadora. She declined and the role went to Venezuelan Gabriela Spanic.
The next year, in 1999, Buenfil found herself headlining the cast of the novela Tres Mujeres, where she shared the lead with Karyme Lozano and Jorge Salinas, in their first starring roles. Even though Televisa placed the novela in a non-prime time slot, Tres Mujeres delivered better than the network's other primetime soaps. The show covered previous taboo issues in Latin American TV, such as homosexuality and adultery. The role of Barbara was also the first time Buenfil played a mature woman who committed infidelity. Due to the success of the novela, the cast of Tres Mujeres was asked to continue working on the novela, even though filming had ended. Eventually the novela lasted over eight months (most last a little over four months).
2000s In 2000 Buenfil had a special participation in the children's novela Carita De Angel. In 2001 she started working on a new novela, Asi Son Ellas. Originally, Victoria Ruffo was also tapped to work on the novela, but controversy started regarding who would carry the first billing and eventually Ruffo withdrew from the project. The novela was not very successful in part because of the difficult afternoon schedule and because Televisa did not promote it well, delaying over a year to air it in Mexico.
In 2004, Buenfil starred in Corazones Al Limite. This telenovela was memorable because it reunited the Amor en silencio stars as lovers for the first time in 16 years. That same year Buenfil also had a small role as a villain in Amarte Es Mi Pecado. In 2006, she had an important role as the mother of the heroine in Duelo De Pasiones, produced by Marisols producer Juan Osorio, and starring Ludwika Paleta and Pablo Montero. In 2008. she joined the cast of another Osorio telenovela, Tormenta en el Paraiso. In 2010, she had a secondary role in El Triunfo del Amor. This role was Buenfil's last before she returned to starring roles.
2010s
In June 2012, after an exhausting casting battle over the lead role in the telenovela Amores Verdaderos, Erika Buenfil was selected as the heroine. This marked her comeback as the lead star of a telenovela after eight years of not having a lead role. Her last one had been in Corazones al Limite in 2004. Other actresses who fought for the role were Rebecca Jones, Victoria Ruffo, Maribel Guardia, and Olivia Collins.
Amores Verdaderos debuted in prime time to high ratings in Mexico. Because of its success, the network extended its run until May 2013. For the role of Victoria Balvanera Gil de Brizz, Buenfil won the TVyNovelas award for best lead actress.
In 2014, Buenfil returned to television with a starring role in La Gata. On August 22, 2015 she performed in the Symphony Broadway Theater, acting as Fabiola in Infidelidades alongside Laura Flores, Alfredo Adame, Natasha Dupeyron, and Omar Fierro.
In 2015, Buenfil returned to television with a starring role in A que no me dejas, a remake of the telenovela she had led 26 years before; Amor en silencio. She was reunited with Arturo Peniche who was her partner in the successful telenovela they starred in during 1989.
Personal life In 2005, Buenfil became a mother, having given birth to Nicolás de Jesús. Controversy followed when the press pressured her to mention the name of the child's father, which she refused to do. She later revealed that the father of her child is the son of Mexican ex-president Ernesto Zedillo. When asked how her relationship with the father of her child is, she said in 2011 that "it does not exist. Doesn't know where he is, he knows nothing."
She appeared on many TV shows such as Cristina and Don Francisco Presenta, where she talked about the hardships on being a single mother in the TV industry, but said she was going through the happiest time of her life being a mother to her child. On July 10, 2007, Erika Buenfil's mother Maria Martha died after complications from a rare disease that affected her heart.Muere la madre de Erika Buenfil . eluniversal.com.mx (10 July 2007)
Filmography
Films Year Title Role Notes 1981 El sexo de los ricos Motorcycle Girl Uncredited 1982 Cosa fácil Amiga de Elena Uncredited 1985 Cementerio del terror Lena 1987 Noche de terrock y brujas Chelo Derecho TV film 1989 Cita con la muerte Julieta 1989 Ladrones de tumbas Rebeca de la Huerta 1992 El prófugo Karla 2014 Of Boys and Planes Mom Short film
Television Year Title Role Notes 1977-1978 Acompáñame Supporting role 1979 La llama de tu amor Supporting role 1979 Lágrimas negras Verónica Main cast 1979 El amor llegó más tarde Supporting role 1979 Añoranza Supporting role 1980 Conflictos de un médico Supporting role 1980 Ambición Iris Main cast 1980-1981 Aprendiendo a amar Natalia Peñaranda Main cast 1981-1982 El derecho de nacer Cristina del Junco Main cast 1982 XE-TU Host Main cast 1983-1984 El maleficio Vicky de Martino Main cast 1985 Angélica Angélica Lead role 1986 El engaño Marcela Estévez Lead role 1988 Amor en silencio Marisela Ocampo / Ana Silva Lead role 1991-1992 Vida robada Gabriela Durán / Leticia Avelar Lead role 1995-2003 Mujer, casos de la vida real Patricia Ramírez / Martha Carolina 3 episodes 1996 Marisol Marisol Garcés del Valle / Verónica Soriano Lead role 1997 El alma no tiene color Diana Alcántara Guest role 1999-2000 Tres mujeres Bárbara Uriarte Espinoza Lead role 2000 Carita de ángel Policarpia Zambrano Guest role 2002-2003 Así son ellas Dalia Marcelín Lead role 2004 Amarte es mi pecado Gisela López Monfort Recurring role 2004 Corazones al límite Pilar De La Reguera Lead role 2006 Duelo de pasiones Soledad Montellano Lead role 2007 Amor sin maquillaje Laura Guest role 2007-2008 Tormenta en el paraíso Patsy Sandoval Guest role 2008 La rosa de Guadalupe Cielo Episode: "Jamás secuestrarán tu alma" 2008 Mañana es para siempre Monserrat Rivera de Elizalde Guest role 2009 Los simuladores Sra. Valdéz Episode: "El baquetón" 2009-2010 Mar de amor Casilda Main cast 2010-2011 Triunfo del amor Antonieta Orozco Main cast 2012-2013 Amores verdaderos Victoria Balvanera Lead role 2014 La Gata Blanca de la Santacruz / "Fela la loca" Main cast 2015–2016 A que no me dejas Angélica Medina Main cast 2017 La doble vida de Estela Carrillo Mercy Cabrera Main cast 2019 Por amar sin ley Camila Balcázar Guest role 2020 Te doy la vida Andrea Espinoza Main cast2020Selena: The Series Cristina Saralegui Guest role 2021 la mexicana y el güero Dr. Mónica Traven Guest role 2021 Vencer el pasado Carmen Lead role 2023 Perdona nuestros pecados Estela Cáceres Lead role 2024 Fugitivas, en busca de la libertad Martha Pineda "La Superiora" Lead role 2025 La CQ: nuevo ingreso Maricela Limantour Episode: "Guerra de gemelos" Papás por siempre Gisela Main cast 2026 Sabor a ti Josefina Montero "Chata" Main cast
Albums Se Busca un Corazón (1986) "Ya no te Amo más" "El Amor es un niño pequeño" "Esa Balada de Amor" "Se busca un Corazón" "El Engaño" "Perdóname" "Tras de Ti" "Jamas" "Es como un Sueño" "Llorando por El"
Soy Mujer (1987) "Tu Amor a medias no me Interesa" "La Noche no es para Mí" "Crucero Mediterráneo" "Amarte" "Ramito de Violetas" "Pon Otra vez ese Disco" "La Moda Juvenil" "Groenlandia" "Soy Mujer" "Sin Amor"
Cerca de Ti (1990) "Vuelve Pronto" "Mi Rey" "Cerca de Ti" "Rayo de Luna" Bonus tracks: "Despertar al Amor" "Despertar al Amor"
Awards and nominations
Year AwardsCategory Program/telenovelaResult1983 TVyNovelas Awards Best PresenterXe-Tú 1984 Best Female Revelation El maleficio 1989 Best Young Lead Actress Amor en silencio 1992Best Lead Actress Vida robada rowspan=4 1997 Marisol 2000 Tres mujeres 2013 Premios People en Español Best ActressAmores Verdaderos 2014 TVyNovelas Awards Best Lead Actress rowspan=3 Los favoritos del publico Favorite Slap in Marjorie de Sousa Favorite Couple with Eduardo Yáñez Favorite Kiss with Eduardo Yáñez
References
External links