50 QUESTIONS WITH SOLEDAD MIRANDA
Nuevo Fotogramas - June 27, 1969
Article: Jorge Fiestas - Photos: Julio Wizuete

In this fantastic interview, conducted when she returned to acting after temporarily retiring to have her baby, cover girl Soledad divulges everything from her greatest role to what career she'd do other than acting, what she thinks of hippies, the person she admires most, her body image, and her vice. My favorite: when asked if she considers herself intelligent, Soledad delivers this darling response: "I believe that God has given me the intelligence I need." By far the eeriest question was how she'd spend the last day of her life. Her answer: "By not thinking about it". Only 27 on the day of her death, Soledad certainly couldn't have thought that it would be the last day of her life. She says the movie she's seen most is Gone With the Wind; four years earlier she stated in an interview that the role she'd most like to play was Scarlett O'Hara. Imagine Soledad as Scarlett... in Spanish!

The original Spanish article is below my best effort at English translation; if you can suggest a better translation, please contact me. Click any photo below for a much larger version. Two photos in the middle were each spread across two pages but I edited them together.

Soledad fans, this rare article is my gift to you. For access to the magazine articles archive, which contains more than 230 articles about Soledad and her career and over 50 interviews with Soledad herself (all provided in Spanish and with English translation) and more, become a member of SoledadMiranda.com. Click here for more information.

          

1  What is your real name? ... Soledad Rendón Bueno.
2  Why have you returned to the movies? ... For artistic need.
3  It took work to overcome the opposition of your husband? ... There was never any opposition before, on the contrary, I always counted on his willingness.
4  Does love hinder your career? ... No.
5  What is the positive aspect of marriage? ... Children.
6  And the negative? ... Misunderstanding.
7  What education do you think you’ll give your children? ... Education and training according to their age, and that it’s always worthy to develop by themselves.
8  What kind of business would you like to do besides your career? ... Anything associated with the automotive industry.
9  Who is for you the most important star of Spanish cinema? ... Everyone is always created the most important. Let them decide.
10  And one who may become one? ... Anyone who sets out for it, has merit for it, and is surrounded by people of good faith.
11  What personal problem affects you the most? ... Inactivity is a serious problem for me, and, of course, affects me much more than any other.
12  Most gratifying memory of your life as an actress? ... Anything that relates to my work is particularly gratifying. I am not spiteful and I forget the little dislikes easily.
13  Do you have any superstition? ... None.
14  What have you been accused of most frequently? ... I am ambitious in my work and the pay that logically implies. I do not know if I have ever been accused of that or not.
15  Of what do you accuse yourself? ... Of the same, with just a little bit of impatience.
16  To what extent are you ambitious? ... There is no limit on the human level.
17  Do you have a curiosity to know the Moon? ... A natural curiosity, although I don’t lose sleep over it.
18  Do you consider yourself intelligent? ... I believe that God has given me the intelligence I need.
19  What does the passage of the years mean to you? ... A greater serenity and understanding.
20  Do you have a complex? ... No.
21  How do you take after your aunt Paquita Rico? ... In no way.
22  How do you see the current generation? ... Ambitious of freedom, understanding, independence, and perhaps for this reason, sometimes wrong.
23  And the "hippies"? ... I understand that everyone can do what they want, provided they do not bother the ones alongside them; rather on the contrary, respect them.
24  What book are you reading at the moment? ... "The Naked Ape".  [see notes below]
25  Are you always sure of yourself? ... More so than of others.
26  What is it that you like the most but can do the least? ... To fall down on the beach without worrying about the days or the hours.
27  What is the best advice you have been given and by whom? ... That while having illusion and encouragement I should be ambitious of my art, of my career. Enrique Herreros told me that.  [see notes below]
28  Did you follow it to the letter? ... I have tried, at least.
29  When have you suffered the greatest panic? .... When the last earthquake occurred in Madrid. I lived on the seventh floor and was alone.
30  Define yourself. ... Young, cute, happy, full of dreams for my future.
31  What was the biggest trouble of your career? ... Task, I would say. After trying twenty days "The Life of Cole Porter," I go one good day to record and immediately I found I no longer could. Things.
32  How long do you take to make yourself up? ... I, little; in cinema, the usual.
33  What mistake do you make the most frequently? ... Always trusting others.
34  What film have you seen the most? ... "Gone With the Wind".
35  Who are the people that really interest you? ... Those that can learn, and in general, pleasant, educated, intelligent, healthy.
36  Personal object of the most value to you? ... My house and everything that entails.
37  Did you lose love for cinema after knowing it closely? ... On the contrary. Every day I like my job more.
38  How would you spend the last day of your life? ... By not thinking about it.
39  What do you least like about your body? ... Contrary to the general opinion, which flatters me, I do not like anything.
40  Your minor vice? ... Tobacco. But it is so great that it is almost the major.
41  Would you be willing to give up something or someone in your career? ... Nothing.
42  Would you change for someone or something? ... For nothing and for noone.
43  World personality you admire the most? ... Alexander Fleming.  [see notes below]
44  In what movie have you performed the best? ... In "Currito de la Cruz".
45  Do you have any frustrated vocation? ... I just have the vocation of my career. Since I was eight years old.
46  Do you pray at night? ... No.
47  Which character of those you’ve played is closest to the real you? ... None.
48  Who has helped you most in your career? ... Enrique Herreros.  [see notes below]
49  Who gave you the greatest obstacles? ... As for obstacles, no. There have only been those small "humps", normal in any trade or profession.
50  Are you a happy woman? ... I am for what I have, but much more for what I hope.

NOTES:
24 - "The Naked Ape" is by Desmond Morris; Wikipedia calls it "an unabashed look at the human species... notable for its focus on humanity's animal-like qualities and our similarity with apes. Reprinted many times and in many languages, it continues to be a best-seller."
27, 48 - Enrique Herreros was a Spanish actor born in 1903. Though he and Soledad did not act in a movie together, he was her artistic representative or agent. He also was in "Don Quijote de la Mancha", a 1947 film directed by Rafael Gil. He proposed Soledad to Gil for "Currito de la Cruz"; she also worked for Gil in "¡Es mi hombre!".
43 - Alexander Fleming was a Scottish biologist and pharmacologist most famous for discovering penicillin.


50 PREGUNTAS A SOLEDAD MIRANDA

1  ¿Cuál es su verdadero nombre? ... Soledad Rendón Bueno.
2  ¿Por qué ha vuelto al cine? ... Por necesidad artística.
3  ¿Le costó trabajo vencer la oposición de su marido? ... Nunca hubo oposición; antes, al contrario, siempre conté con su buena disposición.
4  ¿Estorba a su carrera el amor? ... No.
5  ¿Cuál es el aspecto positivo del matrimonio? ... Los hijos.
6  ¿Y el negativo? ... La incomprensión.
7  ¿Qué educación piensa dar a sus hijos? ... Educación y formación de acuerdo con su época, y que siempre les valga para desenvolverse por sí mismos.
8  ¿Qué tipo de negocio le gustaría montar al margen de su carrera? ... Cualquiera relacionado con la industria del automóvil.
9  ¿Cuál es para usted la estrella más importante del cine español? ... Cada cual se cree siempre la más importante. Que lo decidan ellas.
10  ¿Y una que puede llegar a serlo? ... Cualquiera que se lo proponga, tenga méritos para ello y esté rodeada de gente de buena fe.
11  ¿Qué problema personal le afecta más? ... La inactividad es un serio problema para mí, y, desde luego, me afecta mucho más que cualquier otro.
12  ¿Recuerdo más grato de su vida de actriz? ... Todo lo que se refiere a mi trabajo es particularmente grato. No soy rencorosa y los pequeños disgustillos se olvidan fácilmente.
13  ¿Alguna superstición? ... Ninguna.
14  ¿De qué la han acusado con mayor frecuencia? ... Soy ambiciosa en mi trabajo y en la remuneración que, lógicamente, lleva implícito. No sé si por esto me habrán acusado alguna vez o no.
15  ¿De qué se acusa usted? ... De lo mismo, con un poquito de impaciencia.
16  ¿Hasta qué punto es ambiciosa? ... No hay límite en lo humano.
17  ¿Tiena curiosidad por conocer la Luna? ... Una curiosidad natural, aunque no me quita el sueño.
18  ¿Se considera inteligente? ... Creo que Dios me ha dado la inteligencia que necesito.
19  ¿Qué significa para usted el paso de los años? ... Una mayor serenidad y comprensión.
20  ¿Tiene algún complejo? ... No.
21  ¿Cómo se lleva con su tía Paquita Rico? ... De ninguna forma.
22  ¿Cómo ve a la generación actual? ... Ambiciosa de libertad, de comprensión, de independencia, y quizá por esto, en ocasiones, equivocada.
23  ¿Y los "hippies"? ... Entiendo que cada cual puede hacer lo que quiera, siempre que no moleste al de al lado; antes al contrario, que lo respete.
24  ¿Qué libro está leyendo actualmente? ... "El mono desnudo".
25  ¿Está siempre segura de sí misma? ... Más que de los demás.
26  ¿Qué es lo que más le gusta y menos puede hacer? ... Tumbarme en la playa sin preocuparme de los días ni de las horas.
27  ¿Cuál es el mejor consejo que le han dado y quién? ... Que mientras tuviese ilusión y estímulo fuese ambiciosa de mi arte, de mi carrera. Me lo dijo Enrique Herreros.
28  ¿Lo siguió al pie de la letra? ... He procurado, al menos.
29  ¿Cuándo ha sufrido mayor pánico? ... Cuando ocurrió el último terremoto en Madrid. Vivo en un séptimo piso y estaba sola.
30  Autodefínase. ... Joven, mona, feliz, llena de ilusiones por mi futuro.
31  ¿Cuál fue el mayor embolado de su carrera? ... Faena, diría yo. Después de ensayar veintitantos días "La vida de Cole Porter", voy un buen día a grabar y me encuentro, sin más, con que ya no lo hacía yo. Cosas.
32  ¿Cuánto tiempo emplea en maquillarse? ... Yo, poco; en el cine, lo normal.
33  ¿En qué error suele caer con mayor frecuencia? ... En fiarme siempre de los demás.
34  ¿Qué película vio más veces? ... "Lo que el viento se llevó".
35  ¿Cuáles son las personas que realmente le interesan? ... Aquellas de las que pueda aprender; y, en general, agradables, educadas, inteligentes, sanas.
36  Objeto personal de más valor para usted. ... Mi casa y todo lo que encierra.
37  ¿Perdió la afición al cine después de conocerlo de cerca? ... Al contrario. Cada día me gusta más mi trabajo.
38  ¿En qué emplearía el último día de su vida? ... En no pensarlo.
39  ¿Qué es lo que menos le gusta de su físico? ... En contra de la opinión general, que me halaga, yo no me gusto nada.
40  ¿Su vicio menor? ... El tabaco. Pero es tan grande que casi es el mayor.
41  ¿Estaría dispuesta a renunciar a algo o a alguien por su carrera? ... A nada.
42  ¿Se cambiaría por algo o por alguien? ... Por nada ni por nadie.
43  ¿Personaje mundial que admira más? ... Alexander Fleming.
44  ¿En qué película la han retratado mejor? ... En "Currito de la Cruz".
45  ¿Tiene alguna vocación frustrada? ... Sólo he tenido la vocación de mi carrera. Desde los ocho años.
46  ¿Reza por las noches? ... No.
47  ¿Qué personaje de los hechos se acerca más al suyo propio? ... Ninguno.
48  ¿Quién le ayudó más en su carrera? ... Enrique Herreros.
49  ¿Quién le puso mayores obstáculos? ... Tanto como obstáculos, no. Sólo ha habido esas pequeñas "pegas", normales en qualquier oficio o profesión.
50  ¿Es usted una mujer feliz? ... Lo soy por lo que tengo, pero mucho más por lo que espero.

English translation © Amy Brown