Magali Carrasquillo

Carrasquillo is the daughter of Alfredo Carrasquillo, who was a dentist.[2]

As a young woman, Carrasquillo enrolled at the Universidad de Puerto Rico, where she studied theater, humanity arts and Hispanic studies. She later moved to Mexico, where she obtained a postgraduate degree from the Universidad Autonoma del Estado de Morelos in Cuernavaca, Morelos.[1]

Carrasquillo was working in Argentine theater producer Carlos Ferrari's well-known play, "Puerto Rico fua!" during 1979, when she met her future husband, singer, show host, dentist and comedian Rafael Jose Diaz.[1]

Island-wide celebrity came for her about that time, as she soon began acting in some canal 4 telenovelas that were seen by large audiences in the 1980s. Among the best known telenovelas that Carrasquillo participated in are "Yara Prohibida" and "Vivir Para Ti" ("Living For You"),[1] the latter in which she shared credits with other well-known actors such as Pablo Alarcon, Camille Carrion, Lydia Echevarria, Ulises Brenes, Adamari Lopez and Amneris Morales, among others.

Later in the 1980s, Carrasquillo became a talk-show host, participating in "Cultura Viva" ("Live Culture") and in the major Puerto Rican television hit, "Ellas al Mediodia", ("Women at Midday")[1] a canal 11 women-hosted talk show in which she shared hosting responsibilities with, among others, Angela Meyer, Gladys Rodriguez, Marilyn Pupo and Margot Deben.

She followed her initial, television success with a film acting career that included a number of Puerto Rican film productions, such as "Luisa Capetillo, Pasion de Justicia" ("Luisa Capetillo, Passion for Justice"), "El Sueño del Regreso" ("Dream of Returning"), "Kabo y Platon" ("Corporal and Platoon") and "Quien Eres Tu?" ("Who Are You?").[1]

Carrasquillo has won several acting awards; in 1988 and 1994, she was recognized as best antagonist actress by the Puerto Rico Theater Critics' Circle.[3]

A teacher also, Carrasquillo has been busy on the Puerto Rican education system, and she has worked as a teacher in Spanish and Teather and Communications classes, among others.[3]

Carrasquillo met Rafael Jose Diaz in 1979; the couple married in 1981 and divorced in 1989 but they remain lifelong friends.[4]

Carrasquillo had a son with Jose, the actor and singer Juan Pablo Diaz.[5]

• List of Puerto Ricans