Embracing Her Role by Geraldine Zialcita
Legendary star Felicia Mercado, who is half Mexican and half American was born in Tijuana, Baja California and grew up in San Diego, California. As a child, she often spent time watching Mexican movies with her grandmother, yet little did she know she would someday be a star. “I often envisioned myself being in the limelight and loved how glamorous these women looked on screen. I always wanted to be a star, and I’m glad the universe granted my wish.” She smiles.
At 15 years old, Felicia was discovered for her beauty, charm, and grace and invited to join Miss Mexico. Bagging the title of Miss Mexico propelled her to move to the country, which led to more opportunities in modeling, acting, and singing for Felicia. Living in Mexico enabled Felicia to pay tribute to her Mexican heritage where she loves the beaches, food, and culture. At the same time, the country allowed her to explore her individuality and potential. “I was a very shy and insecure kid, but each time I would march down the catwalk, portray a character role, or sing for a crowd, I felt transformed into a different person and this increased my confidence,” she discloses.
Felicia draws inspiration from her mother who raised Felicia and her siblings by herself after getting divorced from her father. “Nothing was impossible for my mother. She never stopped working and always encouraged me to pursue my dreams. My mother has been the driving force and greatest motivator. I have applied her principles in raising my daughter, and I do my best in inspiring her to follow her dreams,” she shares.
In 1980, Felicia appeared in her first movie called Tres de presidio. In 1981, Felicia played her supporting character role as Odalisca, in the Mexican telenovela El hogar que yo robé which gave birth to more soap operas and film roles. “I learned to overcome my shyness by embracing the role and allowing the character to evolve organically,” she reveals.
In 1987, Felicia garnered a strong following when she replaced actress Edith González to play the wicked Leonela Villarreal in the Mexican telenovela Rosa Salvaje. “This was quite a strong villain role, and being a rookie, I felt I had big shoes to fill. However, everything unfolded so naturally and, shortly after, I played more villain roles,” she informs.
To date, this versatile actress has appeared in more than twenty soap operas and more than forty films. She has honed her craft and ventured into playing both comedy and drama, yet performing as the villain has proven to be her strongest suit. One of her favorite roles is where she appeared as Genoveva in the soap opera Teresa.
Films:
Tres de presidio (1980)
El sátiro (1981)
Ok Mister Pancho (1981)
Viva el chubasco (1983)
El rey de oros (1984)… María
Narco terror (1985)
La chica de la piscina (1987)… Marcela
Se vende esposa en buenísimo estado (1988)
Con el odio en la piel (1988)
Cacería implacable (1988)
Cacería de recompensas (1989)… María Niebla
La ley de las calles (1989)
Un macho en reformatorio de señoritas (1989)
Guerra de bikinis (1990)
Investigador privado… muy privado (1990)
Zapatero a tus zapatos (1990)
La soplona (1990)
Pleito de perdedores (1990)
Noche de pánico (1990)
Las dos caras de la muerte (1990)
La pisca de la muerte (1990)
Traficantes del vicio (1990)
La caida de Noriega (1990)
Prisión sin ley (1990)
Los cuates del pirruris (1991)… Silvana
El ninja mexicano (1991)
The Last Riders (1991)… Mitsy
Las caguamas ninjas (1991)… Martita
Esa mujer me vuelve loco (1991) … Sandra
La huella (1991)… Marlene Torre
Maten al inocente (1991)… Elena Gazcón
Muerte por partida doble (1991)… Amelia
Secreto sangriento (1991)… Ángelica
El lambiscon verde (1991)
Trampa mortal (1992)… Sandra Lee
Sueños sangrientos (1992)
Chicas en peligro (1993)
Dónde quedó la bolita (1993)
La voz de los caracoles (1993)
Infancia violenta (1993)
Muerte en altamar (1994)
Escuadrón de honor (1995)
Instinto asesino II (1995)
Las calenturas de Juan Camaney III (1996)
Metiche y encajoso IV (1997)
AR-15 Comando Implacable II (1997)… Sagrario
Cristal: Ambición mortal (1997)
Pesadilla infernal (1997)
Del norte a la gran ciudad (1998)
Growing up in America and Mexico empowered Felicia to live the best of both worlds and exhibit a wider perspective. Known to be adventurous, Felicia loves that her career offers exciting opportunities. “I’m currently working on different projects and feel blessed that each day is different. I would never do well with a nine-to-five job and will get bored doing the same thing every day. Each project offers a different role, new production, and could involve travel. I truly enjoy the variety,” she conveys.
After all these years of being in the entertainment industry, Felicia has grasped abundant knowledge, enhanced her skills, and gained a lot of experience. “I’ve learned that you don’t have to necessarily be the best in what you do, since it all boils down to the perfect timing. I know a lot of actresses who are very good at their craft, yet they are underrated and not the best paid. Life can be unfair. I like what I do and have always put 100% effort to do my best, but I’ve come to realize, that being at the top doesn’t mean you’re the best actress. It’s all about positioning yourself and being there at the right time. You need to know how to move and swim,” she states.
As Felicia looks back to when her career started and the accolades she has achieved, she acknowledges the challenges it took her to get to where she is now. “When you’re so young and a beauty queen, they expect you to just stand there and be beautiful. I felt like an ornament because they only perceived my talent through my looks and body. I had to prove to them that there was more beneath the facade and that I could act and sing. Getting them to see past that was indeed difficult,” she unveils.
Felicia took a six-year hiatus from show business to focus on her family and take care of her mom and daughter. Bouncing back stronger, Felicia is grateful to be working with a manager who understands the roles she should play and the direction she needs to go. “I am currently filming a telenovela named Cabo which features two wealthy families living a lavish lifestyle,” she briefs.
Felicia understands it takes a whole village to create a production and appreciates everyone who have played a fundamental role in her career. “The entertainment industry consists of a collaboration of different talents. One picture can equate to a whole production working behind the scenes to make you look incredible,” she describes.
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When Felicia is not busy working, she spends her time exploring different places, learning new things, and meeting talented people. She expresses her creativity by designing clothes. “When I was twelve years old, my brother-in-law’s wife used to babysit me and she taught me how to sew and knit. I use fashion as a tool to communicate a piece of myself through the style, colors, and themes. I hope to someday open my own fashion line and makeup brand.” She smiles.
As Felicia forges ahead in her career, she advices young women to work hard, stand up for themselves, and don’t allow people to tell them that it can’t be done. “We all need to figure out things on our own, work for it, and you get where you’re going,” she concludes.
To her fans, Felicia is their favorite villain injecting conflict for the drama awaiting to unfold, yet beneath all the fame and glamour, is a woman with grace, substance, and courage. Felicia Mercado embraces each role with integrity, authenticity, and love to entertain, inspire, and deliver the most compelling character in each soap opera she appears in.