Maria Felix: The Most Famous Film Goddess You Never Heard Of
She didn’t need Hollywood’s help to become a star
It’s a rare occurrence when an actor turns down not just one but three plum roles in major motion pictures and goes on to unparalleled screen stardom, but that is exactly what María Félix, whom the New York Times called “the goddess of Spanish-language cinema,” did.
Félix passed on lead roles in Duel in the Sun, The Barefoot Contessa, and The Legend of Lylah Clare, which subsequently went to Jennifer Jones, Ava Gardner, and Kim Novak. Instead, she focused on Spanish-speaking roles, starred in 47 films, and died at 88, leaving a multi-million dollar fortune. Maria did it her way.
Early life and suspicions of incest
María Félix was born on April 8, 1914, in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico to military officer Bernardo Félix Flores and Josefina Güereña Rosas. She was one of sixteen children.
As children, Maria and her brother Pablo were inseparable. Their relationship was so intense; their mother suspected that it might be incestual. So, their parents sent Pablo away to military…
