Laura Guadalupe Zapata Miranda ( born 31 July 1956) is a Mexican actress, singer, and dancer. She is widely known for her antagonist roles in many telenovelas.

Life and career Born in Mexico City, Zapata is the daughter of Guillermo Zapata Pérez de Utrera (a Mexican boxer, model, and businessman) and Yolanda Miranda Mange. She is the maternal sister of Thalía (also a singer and actress), Federica, Gabriela, and Ernestina Sodi. Yolanda died in 2011 and Ernestina died in 2024.

Zapata is a singer, dancer and actress of stage, film, and television. In the 1992 Televisa production Maria Mercedes, one of Thalía's first telenovelas, Zapata played the antagonist opposite Thalía.

Zapata was married to Juan Eduardo Sodi de la Tijera. She has two sons, Claudio Sodi and Patricio Sodi.

Public image Kidnapping incident On 22 September 2002, Zapata and her sister Ernestina were kidnapped outside a theater in the Cuauhtémoc borough of Mexico City, when Zapata had just finished her performance in The House of Bernarda Alba. The criminal group known as "Los Tiras" initially demanded a ransom of US$5 million from the family, reportedly taking advantage of their younger sister Thalía's marriage to Tommy Mottola. Zapata later stated that the family negotiated the payment. Zapata was released on October 10 of that year, while Ernestina was freed later that month, ransom that Thalía paid.

In the years that followed, the family became estranged amid a series of disputes. In 2005, Zapata produced the play Cautivas, which reenacted her kidnapping. The rift deepened in 2006 following the publication of Ernestina's memoir Líbranos del mal, in which she recounted her experience, and suggesting that Zapata complicated the negotiations by revealing to the kidnappers that they were sisters, and insinuating that she may have orchestrated the kidnapping; claims that Zapata has consistently and categorically denied. Neither Thalía nor their mother Yolanda publicly defended Zapata in response to the claim.

Political views In July 2003, following her kidnapping the previous year, Zapata registered as a candidate for federal deputy for the National Action Party (PAN) in the 26th federal electoral district of the Federal District. She was not elected and did not run for public office again.

Zapata has criticized the administrations of Andrés Manuel López Obrador and Claudia Sheinbaum, both members of Morena. Zapata has used derogatory language to describe Morena supporters, referring to them as "lackeys", "cowards" and "freeloaders", and claimed that Mexico is "a country of lazy people". In June 2025, she criticized Sheinbaum for traveling on a commercial flight to the G7 summit and referred to her using offensive terms, stating that she looked like an "indita" and "classless". Civil organizations filed complaints with the National Council to Prevent Discrimination, arguing the use of discriminatory and classist terms.

Acting credits Films Year Title Role Notes 1976 Alas doradas Unknown role Debut film 1978 El patrullero 777 Señorita en delegación 1979 La guerra de los pasteles Azucena 1980 Nuestro juramento Nancy 1981 La cosecha de mujeres Unknown role 2002 Cuatro piernas Sole 2012 Marcelo Señora Martha 2019 La peor de mis bodas 2Doña Leonor 2023 La peor de mis bodas 3

Television Year Title Role Notes 1974 Mundo de juguete Unknown role 1977 La venganza Violeta 1977 Acompáñame Karla 1978 Mamá campanita Irene 1980 Juventud Modesta 1984 Los años felices Flora 1987–88 Rosa salvaje Dulcina LinaresMain cast 1992 María Mercedes Malvina del Olmo 1995 Pobre niña rica Teresa 1997 Esmeralda Fátima Linares de Peñarreal Recurring role 1998 La usurpadora Zoraida Zapata Guest star 1999 Rosalinda Verónica del Castillo Recurring role 2001 Mujer bonita Celia 10 episodes 2001 La intrusa Maximiliana Limantur de Roldán Main cast 2005 Soñar no Cuesta Nada Roberta Pérez de Lizalde Recurring role 2008–09 Cuidado con el ángel Onelia Montenegro Viuda de MayerMain cast 2010 Zacatillo, un lugar en tu corazón Doña Miriam Solórzano de Gálvez 2013 Todo incluido Luz María González 2014 The Stray Cat Lorenza Negrete de Martínez Main cast 2017 El Bienamado Bruna Mendoza 2021 MasterChef Celebrity México Herself Contestant (Season 1); 5th place 2022 Siempre reinas Herself Season 1 2023 Top Chef VIP Herself Contestant (season 2); runner-up2023–24Secretos de villanasHerselfMain Cast (season 2–3)2026La casa de los famososHerselfContestant (season 6)

Discography Studio albums Primera llamada (1981) Te propongo (1993) Cielo rojo (2018)

Awards and nominations Year Award Category NomineeResult 1988TVyNovelas AwardsBest Female Antagonist Rosa Salvaje rowspan=2 1993 María Mercedes 2011 Best First Actress Zacatillo, un lugar en tu corazón rowspan=2 2009 Premios People en Español Best Female Antagonist Cuidado con el ángel 2010 Premios de la Agrupación de Periodistas Teatrales (APT)VIP Latino "Silvia Navarro nominada los Premios APT" Silvia Pinal Awards for Best Actress 12 Mujeres en Pugna rowspan=2 Premios de la Asociación de Cronistas y Periodistas Teatrales (ACPT)Premios ACPT a lo mejor de 2010 Best Actress in Monologue No seré feliz, pero tengo marido

References

External links