Home   >   Movie Stars   >   Z   >   China Zorrilla

China Zorrilla

Concepción China Zorrilla was born in Uruguay, into a family of artists. Her father was the famous sculptor José Luis Zorrilla and her grandfather was a writer. China began her stage career in her country's independent theatres before obtaining a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Upon her return from London and until 1958, she starred in over 80 plays with the National Uruguayan Comedy Company. In 1961 she founded the City of Montevideo Theatre Company with which she travelled to Buenos Aires, Madrid and Paris.

Ms. Zorrilla obtained her first role in the film Un guapo del 900 and moved to Buenos Aires where she began an intense career in television, film and stage.

An extremely sociable woman of many talents, China ensures she is not afraid to live. Over the years, she has worked as a journalist, translator of plays and musicals, radio newscaster and in teaching positions. She studied Russian in Paris under the tutoring of Tolstoi's grandson, and in her trips all around the world made many friends and acquaintances such as the writer Martin Amis, Dustin Hoffman, Greta Garbo, Bernardo Neustadt or Diego Maradona. China took a five-year sabbatical to reside in New York.

China's filmography includes over thirty films and plays. She was named Illustrious Citizen of Buenos Aires and has received many awards, including Best Actress at the Havana International Film Festival in 1984 (for her role in Darse Cuenta), Silver Condor 2002 for her career, Best Actress at the Moscow International Film Festival (for Conversaciones con Mamá, the Gabriela Mistral Order conferred by the Chilean government and the Order of May granted by the Argentinean government.


Note: This profile was written in or before 2006.
Read earlier biographies on this page.

China Zorrilla Facts

OccupationActress
BirthdayMarch 14, 1922 (102)
SignPisces
BirthplaceMontevideo, Uruguay

Selected Filmography

Elsa & Fred
Summer of the Colt
Conversaciones Con Mama
Nobody's Wife
La Nave de Los Locos
Besos en La Frente
Waiting for the Hearse
Besos en al Frente
Conversations with Mother
Mafia: Resume
Continue » Find more details on the China Zorrilla Movies page