Personal details
Born:
- Birthday: 1953-11-07
- Born Place: Los Angeles, California, USA
Rose Portillo
Rose Portillo is a highly accomplished American actress, writer, director, educator, and visual artist, widely recognized for her extensive work across stage, film, and television. Her career launched with a significant role in Luis Valdez's acclaimed play "Zoot Suit," where she originated the role of Della in the original Los Angeles production, on Broadway, and in the subsequent film adaptation. She also returned for the 40th-anniversary revival of "Zoot Suit" as Dolores Reyna, Henry's mother.Beyond her stage work, Portillo has an impressive list of film and television credits, including roles in "Exorcist II: The Heretic," "...And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him," "The Mean Season," "Party of Five" (as Detective Lopez), and "Eisenhower & Lutz" (as Millie Zamora). More recently, she was part of the cast of the Disney+ film "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip," playing the role of Lidia. She also notably helped develop the character of Abuela Alma and voiced Señora Guzmán in Disney's Oscar-nominated animated film "Encanto."In addition to her performing career, Portillo is a dedicated educator. She was a lecturer in the Theatre and Dance Department at Pomona College for 17 years, where she founded and directed the "Theater with Young Audiences" program. As an Associate Artistic Director of About Productions, she has collaborated on numerous original theater productions as a co-author, co-director, and actor, and also established the company's Young Theaterworks program, serving students in Continuation/Options High Schools in East Los Angeles. Her contributions to the arts have been recognized with honors such as the LA Women's Theater's Maverick Award and Playwrights Arena's Lee Melville Award for Outstanding Contributions to L.A. Theater. She is also a visual artist known for her Dia de los Muertos altars and mosaic work.
