Grecia Colmenares, born Grecia Dolores Colmenares Mieussens on December 7, 1962, in Valencia, Venezuela, is a renowned Venezuelan-Argentine actress celebrated for her iconic roles in telenovelas during the 1980s and 1990s.
She holds dual citizenship, Venezuelan by birth and Argentine through naturalization, and has built a career that spans television, theater, and reality shows.
The daughter of Venezuelan father Lisandro Ernesto Colmenares and French mother Grecia Mieussens, she began her acting journey at a young age, debuting on television at 11 and rising to international fame through blockbuster productions.
Her personal life includes two marriages, first to actor Henry Zakka from 1979 to 1983, and then to producer Marcelo Pelegri from 1986 to 2005, with whom she shares a son, Gianfranco Pelegri Colmenares, born in 1992.
Siblings
Grecia has five siblings in total, including a sister named Francia.
Her father left the family when she was young, leaving her mother to support the household through various jobs, which may have contributed to Grecia’s early entry into the entertainment industry to help financially.
While her sister Francia is specifically mentioned in biographical accounts, information on the names or lives of her other siblings is scarce.
Career
Colmenares launched her career as a child actress in Venezuela, making her television debut at age 11 in the 1974 telenovela Angélica, where she played the young version of the lead character.
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Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, she starred in numerous Venezuelan productions on RCTV, including Carolina in 1976, Sangre Azul in 1979, Estefanía from 1979 to 1980, and Elizabeth in 1981, often forming popular on-screen pairings with actor Victor Cámara.
Her breakthrough came with the 1984-1985 hit Topacio, where she portrayed a blind woman in a story of love and social barriers, achieving massive international success and becoming the first Spanish-language soap opera translated for U.S. audiences.
Relocating to Argentina in the mid-1980s, she continued her streak with leading roles in María de Nadie in 1985-1986, Grecia in 1987, Pasiones in 1988, and the dual-character performance in Manuela in 1991, which earned her global acclaim and high earnings.
The 1990s saw her in series like Primer Amor in 1993, Más Allá del Horizonte in 1994, El Día Que Me Quieras in 1994, and Amor Sagrado in 1996, solidifying her status as a telenovela queen across Latin America and Europe.
She ventured into theater with productions like Romeo & Julieta in 1976, Chiquititas in 1999, 14 Millones in 2012, and Cenicienta Mía in 2016, while also appearing in reality shows such as Bailando 2012, L’Isola dei Famosi in 2019, and Grande Fratello in 2023.
Although attempts to break into the U.S. market with Univision in 2001 were unsuccessful, her work has been broadcast in over 70 countries, marking her as a pioneer in international telenovela exports.
Accolades
In 1985, Colmenares was honored with the Cesar Award from ASTEPA Hollywood and the Venezolano de Oro for her starring role in Topacio, celebrating her breakthrough performance that resonated globally.
Her international appeal was further acknowledged in 1990 with Italy’s Telegatto Award for Best Foreign Actress, again for Topacio, underscoring her popularity in European markets.
She earned a nomination for Spain’s prestigious TP de Oro Award for Best Actress in 1991 for the same role, reflecting the widespread acclaim for her portrayal of complex characters.
In 2010, she was crowned Reina Mundial de las Telenovelas at Italy’s Perla di Tirreno Gala, and in 2011, she was recognized at Argentina’s Festival Mundial Internacional de las Telenovelas for her trailblazing coproductions and global success.
Additionally, in 2012, she received a nomination for Argentina’s Premios Carlos for Best Actress in the theater production 14 Millones.
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