Margarita Rosa de Francisco Baquero, widely known as Margarita Rosa or La Mencha, is a multifaceted Colombian talent born on August 8, 1965, in Cali, Colombia.
She has established herself as an accomplished actress, singer, songwriter, television host, writer, and former beauty pageant titleholder.
As the daughter of musician and actor Gerardo de Francisco and fashion designer Mercedes Baquero, she grew up in a creative environment that influenced her artistic pursuits from an early age.
Margarita initially trained in ballet at the Antonio Maria Valencia Conservatory in Cali but had to withdraw due to vertebral column issues.
Siblings
Margarita’s older sister is Adriana de Francisco, and her younger brother is Martín de Francisco, a well-known Colombian comedian, actor, and television personality.
Martín has made significant contributions to the country’s media landscape through his work in comedy and broadcasting.
Career
Francisco’s career spans over four decades, beginning in the early 1980s when she balanced modeling and acting while representing Colombia at the 1985 Miss Universe pageant.
Her breakthrough came in 1986 with the role of La Niña Mencha in the telenovela Gallito Ramírez, which catapulted her to fame.
Also Read: Cilia Flores Siblings: A Closer Look at the Politician’s Family Tree
She achieved international recognition in 1994 with Café con Aroma de Mujer, where she not only starred as the lead but also recorded the bolero-style theme song, marking her entry into music as a singer and songwriter.
Over the years, she has appeared in numerous telenovelas and films, including Ilona Llega con la Lluvia in 1996, Correo de Inocentes in 2011, and García in 2010, as well as television series like Hombres in 1998 and Puerta Grande in 1993.
Beyond acting, she released her first solo album in 1997 and has contributed to various TV soundtracks.
As a television presenter, she hosted shows such as 24 Horas and has been a columnist for prominent outlets like El Tiempo, Poder, SoHo, and El Espectador’s Ellas supplement.
She authored her first book, El Hombre del Teléfono, and has studied drama with Juan Carlos Corazza in Madrid, music at Universidad Javeriana in Bogotá and the New World School of the Arts in Miami.
Accolades
Francisco won the Best Actress award at the Cartagena Film Festival in 1995 for Café con Aroma de Mujer and again in 2012 for Correo de Inocentes.
In 2011, she received the Golden Kikito for Best Actress in the Latin Film Competition at the Gramado Film Festival for her role in García.
She also earned the Premios Macondo for Best Supporting Actress in 2010.
More recently, in 2023, she was honored with the International Award for Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
