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THE actress Pepa Flores from Málaga is 77 on February 4. She is known throughout Spain and Latin America as ‘Marisol’.
It’s likely that you have done it. When you turn on your TV, on a Spanish station, you are greeted by a young, beautiful girl who is singing at an ear-splitting decibel level. The film has a gaudy color, is too bright and over-lit. It is from 1960s with an unreal optimism. Marisol, welcome to the world.
Pepa Flores, the young actress who ‘became’ the phenomenon known as Marisol, was born in Málaga city (where she still lives) on February 4, 1948. She played Marisol’s first role in 1960 in a movie called, “Ray of Light (Rayo de Luz). Pepa, 12, was the star of the Spanish movie Manuel Goyanes’ “lifetime exclusivity” contract. She became a celebrity overnight, being highly admired and rich.
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In the 1960s people were not as cynical. People were easily manipulated into accepting – indeed, enthusing over – ‘concepts’ that showbiz barons dreamt-up in order to grab our money (think of The Beatles, “Goldfinger“, “Thunderbirds“). There were Marisol dolls, Marisol T-shirts, Marisol lipsticks … she made 20 films and in 1985 (just in time to work with a very young malagueño called Antonio Banderas), she walked away from fame and money, never to return – at least not as Marisol.
Pepa explained recently why she turned down stardom.
Rumours have long circulated that unnamed managers, wanting her to remain child-like because ‘the little girl with the big voice’ was their gravy-train, injected her with chemicals to hinder the onset of puberty. Pepa was abused far more than this!
“They took me to a chalet so they could see me naked,” she says, pointing out that her ‘minders’ made sure that she stayed separated from her parents, alone and friendless. Although they may have enjoyed her nakedness, in private, the team wanted her to look childlike. If they thought there might be a chance for the public to see her, she was flattened by bandaging her breasts.
Travelling from location to location, she says she was forced to share a bed with ‘Encarna’, a much older woman, who used to beat her up. Encarna was not ashamed to allow men in the bed. Pepa says, “It is ironic that they wanted Marisol, a symbol of Franco’s Christian Nation, to be a beacon a virginity. And yet, the abuse went on behind the scenes.” Encarna taught me more about sex than any school could have.
Pepa was disgusted by the Spanish media and refused to attend 2020 Goyas The Spanish version of the Oscars(where she was to receive a life achievement award.
Columbia Pictures first recognized Pepa’s talent in 1961. They tried to buyout her Spanish contract but Manuel Goyanes would not part with her. “I was just an asset for him,” Pepa says. As soon as she could, Pepa stopped taking new projects, You can also find out more about the following: swore never to play ‘Marisol’ again.
As a young adult in the 1980s she went back to using her real name, Pepa Flores, and started appearing in the kind of films she had always wanted to make – movies with Andalucían themes, and plenty of flamenco dancing (“Blood Wedding”, “Carmen” and The Trial of Mariana Pineda). During the filming of these productions, she met her love and began to dance with Antonio Gades. The flamenco artist and she had three kids together. Gades passed away in 2004.
Today, in her 70’s, Pepa lives quietly in the centre of Málaga. She does not want to return to the spotlights of showbusiness. She says it’s “curious” as she reflects on the past. They wanted to show off my abilities, but they only thought of treating me in a way that made me hate everything.
The Olive Press Pepa’s birthday is a great opportunity to wish her happiness, fulfillment and a long-lasting life.
