El lugar sin límites (Arturo Ripstein, Mexico, 1978)
Mexican actor Gonzalo Vega, who enjoyed a prolific career in cinema, theater, and television, passed away today at the age of 69. Born in Mexico City on November 29, 1949, Vega made his film debut in the 1969 drama Las pirañas aman en cuaresma / The Piranhas Mate by Lent, directed by Francisco del Villar, alongside Julio Alemán, Isela Vega, and Ofelia Medina.
During the 1970s, Vega collaborated with acclaimed directors such as Rogelio A. González (La agonía de ser madre / Agony to Be a Mother, 1970; ¿Por qué nací mujer?, 1970; Rosario, 1971), Alejandro Galindo (Ante el cadáver de un líder, 1974; El juicio de Martín Cortés, 1974; Y la mujer hizo al hombre, 1975), and Felipe Cazals (Aquellos años, 1973; Las Poquianchis, 1976).
In 1978, Vega delivered a memorable performance as Pancho in Arturo Ripstein's iconic film El lugar sin límites / Hell Without Limits, based on the novel by Chilean writer José Donoso. The role earned him the Ariel Award for Best Supporting Actor, presented by the Mexican Academy of Film Arts and Sciences. Vega reunited with Ripstein for La seducción / Seduction, 1981, co-starring Katy Jurado and Viridiana Alatriste.
Throughout the early 1980s, he worked with distinguished filmmakers like José Estrada (Ángel del barrio, 1981), Carlos Saura (Antonieta, 1983), Jaime Humberto Hermosillo (Las apariencias engañan / Looks Can Be Deceiving, 1983), and Alberto Isaac (Tiempo de lobos, 1985). Simultaneously, he appeared in mainstream projects, sharing the screen with pop singer Luis Miguel in Ya nunca más (1984) and telenovela star Lucía Méndez in Los renglones torcidos de Dios (1983).
In 1987, Vega won his second Ariel Award for Best Actor for his portrayal of Candelario in Luis Alcoriza's Lo que importa es vivir. Following the immense success of the soap opera Cuna de lobos, he shifted his focus to television, taking on fewer film roles during the 1990s.
Later in his career, Vega had a small role in Guita Schyfter's Las caras de la luna (The Faces of the Moon, 2002). He also starred in Ya no los hacen como antes (2003) alongside Silvia Pinal and La tregua (The Truce, 2003), directed by Alfonso Rosas Priego. His final film, Gary Alazraki's 2013 comedy We, the Nobles / Nosotros los Nobles, became the second-highest-grossing Mexican film in history.
