The first Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga at 79 years old dies

Home Health The first Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga at 79 years old dies
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March 30, 2025March 30, 2025By Mario Vásquez
The first Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga at 79 years old dies

The Guatemalan Theater is filled with mourning after the death of the first Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga, affectionately known as “La Mona”, who died on Saturday night March 29 at 79.

The artist, born in 1945, was a reference in the National Theater thanks to her great career, where she had dramatic and comedy roles, as well as on television, where she participated in different advertising campaigns.

In an interview with Press Free in June 2014The first actress commented that her first participation in a work was given at the Rafael Landívar University, when, by chance, she played the role of domestic employee in a work directed by Marta Mena. However, his first love for the theater came years later, when he participated in a staging where he was included by Manuel José Arce (1935-1985), who would later be her husband.

From that moment, the first actress demonstrated her talent for the performing arts, which led her to build a great career in the National Theater for more than 55 years.

Family members reported that the remains of the actress will be veiled in stately chapels in zone 9.

“Last night my mother died, the first actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga. He left as the righteous: at her home, Serena, taken from her grandchildren and mine,” said the daughter of the actress through social networks.

Trajectory of the first actress

Arrivillaga was known for his brightness in the scene and for interpreting iconic papers such as Mrs. Claus, Luisa de Between women AND BERNARDA OF THE WORK Bernarda Alba’s house. The actress filled the Guatemalan theater with life for more than 55 years of experience.

His first scene, playing a domestic employee, took place in 1965, a role that, he said, obtained by chance and was very small. Years later, in 1967, after his romance with the writer Manuel José Arce, the second chance arrived, when one of the actresses became ill and she, being a Arce assistant, had to replace it, since the theater was full for that function.

After that moment, “La Mona”, as it was known in the theater, integrated various theatrical groups where it shone on stage, next to the theater company of the Popular University, Centro and theater Theater Producciones Candilejas, which led her to perform in most theaters of Guatemala, both in the current and in which they already disappeared.

The outstanding career of the first actress left an indelible mark on the cinema and the Guatemalan theater. On the big screen, it shone in Where the roads endfilm based on the homonymous novel by Mario Monteforte Toledo, where his performance was widely recognized.

In the theatrical field, he participated in numerous works that marked time, including: Summer night dream, Tartufo, Camila, Orinoco, JUERO JUANA, The boat without a fisherman, On the edge of the abyss, Trees die standing, Pinocchio, My wife’s ghost, Chicharrón with cassava, Let’s kill Marta, The third word, Mi’jo the bachelor and There were three innocentamong many more.

His versatility and passion led Arrivillaga to become an icon of the Guatemalan Theater, leaving a legacy that will last in time in the performing arts.

In his last years, Arrivillaga gave theater classes and participated in advertising campaigns and even in the music video “I miss you” of singer Esley Guzmán.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5fneto6wdu

Guatemala laments his departure

Through social networks, friends and family of the actress they showed their condolences to the family and exalted the legacy of María Mercedes Arrivillaga.

One of them was President Bernardo Arévalo, who, through his X account, declared: “With much regret, I regret the death of María Mercedes Arrivillaga. He accompanied his daughter, María Mercedes Arce Arrivillaga, and her whole family at this difficult time.”

For its part, the Ministry of Culture and Sports regretted the departure of the actress and declared: “We deeply regret the sensitive death of the outstanding first Guatemalan actress María Mercedes Arrivillaga Orantes, affectionately known as ‘La Mona’, the mother of our esteemed companion Maria Mercedes Arce.”

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