Ana Alicia

Ana Alicia, born on December 12, 1956, in Mexico City, Mexico, is the third of four children in the family of Carlos Celestino Ortiz and Alicia Torres Ortiz. Following the death of her father, she relocated to El Paso, Texas, at the age of six, where she was raised alongside her mother, grandmother, uncle Louie, and three siblings in a home purchased by her father.

Ana Alicia excelled academically and was awarded a full scholarship to Wellesley College in Massachusetts. Shortly after her arrival, she landed the lead role in Jules Feiffer's play "Crawling Arnold." During a summer break after her freshman year, she seized an opportunity to work at The Adobe Horseshoe Dinner Theatre near El Paso, where she gained valuable experience and secured her actor's equity card. She subsequently transferred to The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), where she performed in numerous main stage productions.

After completing her education, Ana Alicia moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting while preparing for law school. Her breakthrough came when she was cast as Alicia Nieves on ABC's "Ryan's Hope" in 1975, a role that boosted her visibility significantly. Following her departure from the show, she became one of the last contract players at Universal Studios but ultimately chose to focus on her acting career over law school.

Her work in television films and series gained her recognition, and she transitioned to more complex roles, notably as Maggie in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof." In 1981, her audition for "Falcon Crest" led to her iconic role as Melissa Agretti, marking a pivotal moment in her career.