The well-known Mexican performer Sasha Montenegro departed on Wednesday (February 14) after succumbing to a stroke caused by lung cancer. She had reached the age of 78.
Originally bearing the name Aleksandra Aćimović Popović and being born in Bari, Italy, Montenegro was raised in Argentina as the only descendant of an immigrant couple from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Her journey in the entertainment industry began after relocating to Mexico in 1969. She made her debut in film three years later, co-starring with José José in Un Sueño de Amor. She was granted Mexican citizenship in 1989.
Throughout her 30-year career, Montenegro appeared in numerous films, including collaborations with Lucha libre luminary El Santo in productions like Santo and Blue Demon vs. Dr. Frankenstein and Santo in Anonymous Death Threat.
She also gained fame for her roles in various Mexican sensual comedies over the years, including Carnival Nights, Midnight Dolls, La Golfa del Barrio, and Fieras en Brama. This particular genre peaked in popularity during the 1970s and 1980s.
Montenegro also took on leading roles in a series of soap operas from 1974 to 2002, such as Ana del Aire, Lo imperdonable, Rina, and Un mujer maracada. Her final soap opera role saw her as the primary antagonist in Las vias del amor.
In the 1980s, she embarked on a romantic relationship with then-president José López Portillo, who was already married at the time. Montenegro and Portillo eventually tied the knot in 1995 and had two children, Nabila and Alexander.
Image Source: López-Dóriga @ YouTube