How many kids did Silvia Pinal have? Family explored as iconic Mexican actress dies aged 93

Silvia Pinal, an actress known for her work during Mexico’s Golden Age of Cinema, passed away at the age of 93. Mexico’s Culture Secretary, Claudia Curiel de Icaza, announced the news in an X post on Thursday, November 28, 2024. The Ministry of Culture of the Government of Mexico also confirmed the same, writing:

"With a career spanning more than six decades, she participated in more than 60 films and plays. Her legacy lives on as a fundamental pillar of cinema, theater, and television in Mexico. May she rest in peace."

The announcement comes just a day after the Latin Times reported that she was hospitalized with a "urinary tract infection, arrhythmia, and low blood pressure."

Silvia Pinal's career spanned over seven decades, starring in hit movies like Viridiana (1961), The Exterminating Angel (1962), Un Rincón Cerca del Cielo (1952), and Simon of the Desert (1965). In later years, she produced TV shows like Mujer, Casos de la Vida Real and starred in musicals like Mame and Hello, Dolly!.

Pinal was a mother to four children, all prominent figures in the entertainment industry-Sylvia Pasquel (actress), Viridiana Alatriste (actress, died in 1982), Alejandra Guzmán (rock musician), and Luis Enrique Guzmán (music producer).

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Silvia Pinal's family is often called the "Pinal Dynasty" owing to their respective successful careers in the entertainment industry

Silvia Pinal Hidalgo hails from Guaymas, Sonora (a northern state in Mexico). She was born to María Luisa Hidalgo, a seafood restaurant worker, and Moises Pasquel, an orchestra conductor.

According to the Hollywood Reporter, the actress took up the name of her stepfather, Luis G. Pinal (journalist and politician), to pay homage to the man who raised her. In his autobiography, Esta Soy Yo (2015), she described having a good relationship with Luis, adding that he was a figure of respect and affection in her life. Luis passed away in 1951 due to a heart attack.

Silvia Pinal married Rafael Banquells, a Cuban-Mexican actor and director, in 1947. They shared a daughter, Sylvia Pasquel (born in 1951), a renowned film and television actress who recently starred in Devil Between the Legs (2019). Pinal and Banquells separated in 1952.

Pinal married businessman and film producer Gustavo Alatriste in 1961. Through Alatriste, the actress met Luis Buñuel (of Un Chien Andalou (1929) fame), who selected her for roles in acclaimed arthouse films like Viridiana and The Exterminating Angel.

During her marriage with Alatriste, she had a daughter, Viridiana Alatriste (born in 1963). ABC7 Los Angeles reported that Viridiana died in a car accident when she was 19. The couple divorced in 1967 due to Alatriste's infidelity.

In 1967, Silvia Pinal married rock and roll singer Enrique Guzmán. The pair met during the latter's appearance on the actress' talk show, ¡Ahora Silvia! Their marriage was reportedly met with backlash due to Pinal being 11 years older than the musician.

They shared two children together-Alejandra Guzmán (born in 1968) and Luis Enrique Guzmán (born in 1970). Alejandra followed in her father's footsteps and is a famous Mexican pop and rock singer nicknamed La Reina del Rock (the Queen of Rock). Her bother, Luis, is a music producer who prefers to keep a low profile. Silvia Pinal and Enrique Guzmán divorced in 1976.

Silvia Pinal later married Tulio Hernández Gómez, then governor of Tlaxcala, in 1982. It was through Gómez that the actress entered politics. According to the ¡Hola! magazine, Pinal was elected to the Chamber of Deputies for Mexico City's 27th district in 1991 and was a national-list senator from 1997 to 2000. The couple kept out of the public eye. Their marriage ended in 1995.

Pinal had five grandchildren-Sylvia's daughters Stephanie Salas and Viridiana Frade, who died in a drowning incident), Alejandra's daughter Frida Sofía, and Luis Enrique's daughters Giordana Guzmán and Schersa Guzmán.

Per the Hollywood Reporter, Pinal's grandchildren, too, took up careers in the entertainment industry, including modeling, film, and music. Owing to the family's success stories in the industry, they are often referred to as the "Pinal Dynasty."

Silvia Pinal is survived by her children and grandchildren.