Emmy nominated actress Lupe Ontiveros passed away on Thursday, July 26, 2012 at the age of 69, from liver cancer. At the moment of her dead she was surrounded by family and friends, including actors Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos, when she died at a hospital in Whittier a suburb southeast of Los Angeles. Ontiveros had a recurring role on Desperate Housewives and dozens of films and TV shows over her 35-year-career. Lupea[euro](TM)s most memorable role was of Yolanda Saldivar in «Selena.a[euro]\0x9D
Her co-star Jennifer Lopez took to Twitter to express her condolences. «I am tremendously saddened by the news of Lupe’s passing!» Lopez tweeted. «I’ve enjoyed her work throughout the years. She was a great actress and working with her in Selena was an unforgettable experience. She will truly be missed.»
On a personal note, I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Ontiveros on several occasions when at the NALIP Conference. Lupe was always very approachable and friendly. Her dedication to the craft was evident, taking into consideration that according to Wikipedia, she is estimated playing a maid at least 150 times on stage and screen. Her hard work paid off with a nomination for an Emmy Award for her work on Desperate Housewives and received critical acclaim for her role in Chuck and Buck, for which she won the National Board of Review award for Best Supporting Actress, and was also nominated for an Independent Spirit Award.
The Latino community has suffered a significant loss. To view a list of messages celebrating the actress/activist Lupe Ontiveros visit, nalip.org/announcement.php.
