There are plenty of character actors who possess a recognizable face but whose name may not be well-known. So far, that fate has seemingly befallen the terrific Lupe Ontiveros, but gradually she is becoming known to a more mainstream audience. A native of Texas, the seemingly ageless actress did not originally set out to be a performer. After graduating from Texas Women's University, she relocated to Los Angeles and found employment as a social worker. By the late 1970s, though, she had begun her career, first as a founding member of the Latino Theater Company and then in film and TV roles.

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