Cuban star Rosita Fornés died today in Miami of respiratory complications. A popular Caribbean icon, Fornés had a successful and prolific career as an actress, singer, and entertainer, and was considered one of the most versatile figures of the Cuban entertainment industry - working in film, theater, radio, television, and cabaret across Cuba, Mexico, Spain and the United States.
Née Rosalia Palet Bonavia, Rosita Fornés was born in New York City on February 11, 1923 to Spanish parents. Her mother took her to Cuba when she was two years old after her parents divorced, where she became a citizen and developed her artistic career. She made her creative debut at age fifteen in the radio talent show La corte suprema del arte where she won first prize, and made her film debut just a year later in Ramón Peón’s comedy Una aventura peligrosa, followed by Ernesto Caparrós’ Romance musical in 1941.
Her career reached international heights as she performed in Spain and Mexico, eventually relocating to Mexico to participate in numerous films during the Golden Age of Mexican cinema including Deseo (Chano Urueta, 1948), La carne manda (Chano Urueta, 1948), Del can can al mambo (Chano Urueta, 1951), Mujeres del teatro (René Cardona, 1951), and Piel canela (Juan José Ortega, 1953).
Fornés also acted in the Mexican films co-produced and shot in Cuba El mariachi desconocido aka Tin Tán en La Habana (Gilberto Martínez Solares, 1953), Me gustan todas aka Hotel Tropical (Juan José Ortega, 1954), and No me olvides nunca (Juan José Ortega, 1956). She also played a role in the 1962 Puerto Rican crime thriller Palmer ha muerto by Juan Fortuny.
While in Mexico, she married popular Mexican actor Manuel Medel, with whom she had her only child, daughter Rosa Maria Medel. After the relationship ended, Fornés returned to Havana in 1952, and subsequently married Cuban actor Armando Bianchi.
After a two decade hiatus from the big screen, Fornés performed in the 1985 Cuban comedy film House for Swap / Se permuta by Juan Carlos Tabío, and acted in Sergio Giral’s drama Plácido (1986) and Orlando Rojas’ 1989 drama Supporting Roles / Papeles secundarios, which was Cuba’s Oscar submission to the Academy Awards.
Fornés also acted in Daniel Díaz Torres' Love Me and You Will See / Quiéreme y verás in 1995. Her last film credit was in the 2001 film Nights in Constantinople / Las noches de Constantinopla by Orlando Rojas, where she played a small role. In 1997 she was a member of the jury at the Bahia International Film Festival in Brazil. She remained professionally active for the majority of the rest of her life, and in recent years resided between Havana and Miami.
