Katy Jurado Biography: Nationality, Age, Net Worth, Acting Career, Legacy, Height, Parents, Personal Life

María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García, professionally known as Katy Jurado, was a renowned Mexican actress who gained international recognition for her work in both Mexican cinema and Hollywood films.

She became one of the first Mexican actresses to achieve major success in the American film industry and was widely acclaimed for her portrayals of strong, complex women.

Known for her distinctive beauty and commanding screen presence, Jurado broke barriers for Latin American actresses in Hollywood and left a lasting legacy in both national and international cinema.

Profile

• Full Name: María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García
• Stage Name: Katy Jurado
• Born: January 16, 1924
• Died: 5 July 2002
• Age: 78 years old
• Birthplace: Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
• Nationality: Mexican
• Occupation: Actress
• Height: 5 ft 6 in (167 cm)
• Parents: Luis Jurado Ochoa, Vicenta García
• Siblings: Unknown
• Spouse: Ernest Borgnine (m. 1959–1963), Víctor Velázquez (m. 1939–1943)
• Children: Victor Hugo Velázquez, Sandra Velázquez
• Relationship: Divorced
• Net Worth: $1 million – $2 million

Early Life and Education

María Cristina Estela Marcela Jurado García was born on January 16, 1924, in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico, to Luis Jurado Ochoa, a lawyer, cattle rancher, and orange farmer, and her mother was Vicenta García, a singer who worked for the Mexican radio station XEW and gave up her opera career to raise her children.

Katy had two younger brothers, Luis Raúl and Óscar Sergio. Raised in an affluent family, Jurado was educated in Mexico City, where she studied law before shifting her interest to acting despite family resistance.

She was of Mexican ethnicity and practiced Roman Catholicism.

Career

Katy Jurado began her career in the Mexican film industry during its Golden Age, debuting in the film No matarás in 1943. Her talent and striking looks quickly earned her roles in numerous Mexican films.

Despite early resistance from her family, she pursued acting with determination and became one of the leading actresses in Mexican cinema by the late 1940s.

She gained international attention after being cast in the 1951 film The Bullfighter and the Lady, which opened doors to Hollywood. Jurado’s performance in High Noon (1952) alongside Gary Cooper brought her widespread acclaim and made her the first Latin American actress nominated for an Academy Award for her role in Broken Lance (1954).

Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, she worked with prominent directors and actors, establishing herself as a versatile actress capable of both dramatic and complex roles.

In her later years, Katy Jurado remained active in Mexican cinema and television. She received numerous awards and honors for her contributions to film, including the Golden Boot Award and the Ariel Award for her lifetime achievements.

She passed away in Cuernavaca, Mexico, in 2002, but is remembered as a trailblazer who opened the doors for Latina actresses in Hollywood.

Social Media

Katy Jurado does not have any social media accounts.

Personal Life

Katy Jurado was married twice—first to Mexican actor Víctor Velázquez in 1939, a union driven partly by her desire to escape familial control and pursue acting. They had two children, Sandra and Víctor Hugo, the latter tragically dying in a car accident in 1981; the marriage ended in divorce around 1943.

Her second marriage, to American actor Ernest Borgnine in 1959, followed their meeting during the filming of Vera Cruz but was short-lived due to his jealousy and alleged abuse, ending in divorce in 1963.

Jurado passed away on July 5, 2002, in Cuernavaca, Mexico, from kidney failure and pulmonary disease after years of declining health.

Filmography

• No matarás (1943)
• The Bullfighter and the Lady (1951)
• High Noon (1952)
• Broken Lance (1954)
• Trapeze (1956)
• One-Eyed Jacks (1961)
• Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)

Net Worth

Katy Jurado had an estimated net worth of between $1 and $2 million at the time of her death in 2002. Her financial success stemmed from a long and distinguished career in both Mexican and Hollywood cinema, with income earned from film roles, television appearances, and lifetime achievement awards recognizing her legacy in the entertainment industry.