Ana Alicia was born on December 12, 1956, in Mexico City, Mexico, to Carlos Celestino Ortiz and Alicia Torres Ortiz. She was the third of four children, and her family moved to El Paso, Texas, when she was just six years old after her father's passing. She lived with her grandmother, mother, uncle Louie, and three siblings in a house her father had purchased for her grandmother.
Ana Alicia's early life was marked by her grandmother's influence, who had a profound impact on her upbringing. She received a full scholarship to attend Wellesley College in Massachusetts, where she excelled academically and artistically. During her freshman year, she auditioned for the lead role in Jules Feiffer's "Crawling Arnold" and won the part.
However, Ana Alicia's true passion lay in acting, and she decided to leave Wellesley to pursue her dreams. She joined the Adobe Horseshoe Dinner Theatre outside El Paso, Texas, where she performed in main stage productions and acquired her actor's equity card. She eventually left the theatre to attend the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP),where she spent three years honing her craft and performing in various productions.
After graduating from UTEP, Ana Alicia moved to Los Angeles and struggled to find success as an actress. She studied for her law school entrance exam, but six months later, she landed the role of Alicia Nieves on ABC's Ryan's Hope (1975). The experience was exciting for her, as she was a fan of the show and enjoyed the exposure it brought her.
Ana Alicia's breakthrough role came when she won the part of Melissa Agretti on Falcon Crest (1981). The audition was intense, and she had to seduce Lorenzo, played by Doris Sabbagh, in the room. Her performance impressed the casting director and the show's creators, and she landed the role.
Ana Alicia's career took off after Falcon Crest, and she landed several roles on major television films and series' episodes. She explored different aspects of her acting range, playing characters that were previously unknown to her. Her journey as an actress was marked by perseverance, hard work, and a passion for her craft.
