Sasha Montenegro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈsaʃa monteˈneɣɾo]), born Aleksandra Aćimović Popović (Cyrillic: Александра Аћимовић Поповић; 20 January 1946 – 14 February 2024), was a Mexican actress of Montenegrin descent.

In 1991, she married José López Portillo, President of Mexico from 1976 to 1982.^[1]

Early life and career

Sasha Montenegro was born in Bari, Kingdom of Italy, as the only child of Montenegrin parents Silvia Popović and Živojin Aćimović. Her mother belonged to an aristocratic family from Montenegro and her father worked for the British Intelligence Service.^[2] Members of Silvia Popović's family reportedly died in death camps during the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia.^{[citation needed]}

Her remaining family moved to Argentina where she was raised. She then relocated to Mexico. Sasha became an actress in the 1970s and made several lucha libre movies with superstar El Santo. Starting in the mid-1970s and through towards the late 1980s, she obtained roles in several Mexican sex comedies. She participated in four telenovelas and had a starring role in Una mujer marcada ("A tainted woman", 1979).^{[citation needed]}

Personal life

In the 1980s, she maintained a relationship with the former President of Mexico, José López Portillo, who was still married to Carmen Romano and with whom he had three children. In 1991 López Portillo obtained a divorce from Romano and he and Montenegro married in a civil ceremony later that year.^[1]

Montenegro battled with López Portillo during his later years. When he was hospitalized with pneumonia in 2004, her visits with him were limited by his children from the previous marriage. During this time and amidst divorce proceedings with Montenegro, López Portillo died.

Montenegro bore López Portillo two children, Nabila (born 1985) and Alejandro (born 1990).^[1]

Sasha Montenegro died on 14 February 2024, at the age of 78.^[3]

Awards and nominations

Filmography

Telenovelas

Films

• The End of Silence (2005) as El Convento Rica Dancer
• El secuestro de un policía (1991)
• La fuerza del odio (1990)
• La taquera picante (1990) as Ana Dalia
• Ellos trajeron la violencia (1990) as Nora
• Dos tipas de cuidado (1989)
• Rumbera, caliente (1989)
• Sólo para adúlteros (1989)
• El pájaro con suelas (1989)
• Las guerreras del amor (1989)
• Los rateros (1989)
• Los plomeros y las ficheras (1988)
• Dos machos que ladran no muerden (1988)
• Ladrón (1988)
• Solicito marido para engañar (1988) as Virginia
• El Diablo, el santo y el tonto (1987)
• Las traigo muertas (1987)
• Ases del contrabando (1987)
• Niños sobre pedido (1987)
• Noche de Califas (1987)
• Huele a gas (1986)
• Mientras México duerme (1986)
• El hijo de Pedro Navaja (1986) as La Tijuana
• El secuestro de Camarena (1985)
• La risa alarga la vida y algo más (1985)
• Playa prohibida (1985) as Elena
• Entre ficheras anda el diablo - La pulquería 3 (1984)
• Extraño matrimonio (1984)
• Piernas cruzadas (1984)
• El puente (1984)
• Las glorias del gran Púas (1984)
• Pedro Navaja (1984) as La Tijuana
• El tonto que hacía milagros (1984)
• Fieras en brama (1983)
• Se me sale cuando me río (1983)
• La golfa del barrio (1983)
• Las modelos de desnudos (1983)
• Las vedettes (1983)
• Chile picante (1983)
• Con el cuerpo prestado (1983) as Marta Jiménez de Arias Salgado
• Huevos rancheros (1982)
• La pulquería 2 (1982) as Norma and her Twin
• Llámenme Mike (1982) as Zoila
• The Pulque Tavern (1981) as Norma
• D.F./Distrito Federal (1981)
• Las tentadoras (1980) as Luz María/Lucía
• Blanca Nieves y... sus 7 amantes (1980)
• El sexo me da risa (1979)
• La vida difícil de una mujer fácil (1979)
• The Loving Ones (1979) as Carolina
• Midnight Dolls (1979) as Gina
• Carnival Nights (1978)
• El hijo es mío (1978)
• Los japoneses no esperan (1978)
• Oye Salomé! (1978) as Bettina
• Bellas de noche 2 (1977) as Carmen
• Acapulco 12-22 (1975)
• Bellas de noche (1975) as Carmen
• Noche de muerte (1975)
• Pistoleros de la muerte (1975)
• Un amor extraño (1975)
• Santo en Anónimo mortal (1975) as Ester
• Peregrina (1974) as Alma Reed
• Pistoleros bajo el sol (1974)
• Fe, Esperanza y Caridad (1974) as Ecuyére
• Santo y Blue Demon contra el doctor Frankenstein (1974) as Alicia Robles
• Los vampiros de Coyoacán (1974)
• Duelo al atardecer (1973)
• Las bestias del terror (1973)
• Santo contra la magia negra (1973) as Bellamira
• Santo contra los asesinos de otros mundos (1973) as Karen Bernstein
• El hombre y la bestia (1973)
• Hijazo de mi vidaza (1972)
• Un sueño de amor (1972)