The rise, fall, and rise again of Mexican pop icon Gloria Trevi is epic. The first thing we thought of when hearing about an upcoming biopic was, “What took so long?” Her story is so insane, that if it weren’t so heavily documented in the press, you’d think it was all made up.
After a short stint in a girl band as a teenager, she went solo, rocketed to the top of the charts, toured the globe, and sold millions of records. Then, her world came crashing down when she was arrested amidst a huge sex scandal which included accusations of running a satanic sex cult, and spent four years in jail. Finally in 2004, she was cleared of all charges and released. Oh, but there’s more. It turns out she somehow got pregnant while in jail. Many believe the father is her manager who was incarcerated alongside her. Sergio Andrade, her baby daddy and former manager, was later found guilty of raping and kidnapping an underage girl.
The movie, titled Gloria, opened in Mexico earlier this year, very accurately depicts these stranger-than-fiction events. In fact, some moments look just like her real life. To celebrate the film’s U.S. premiere at SXSW yesterday, we took the real footage and put it side-by-side with the biopic.
1
Her Appearance on Siempre en Domingo
In 1989, she appeared on the long running variety show Siempre en Domingo in her debut as a solo artist.
2
It Was Her First Solo Performance
Her provocative dance moves scandalized Mexican television and launched her into super stardom.
3
Her Calendar Photo Shoot
She shot some sexy calendars, you know for all her teenage fans.
4
Her Cheerful Interviews
Her bubbly personality always came across in interviews.
5
Her Obsession With Soda
That time she poured Coke all over her crotch.
6
Her "Pelo Suelto" Period
Whenever she performed “Pelo Suelto” her inner grasshopper was unleashed.
7
Her Movies
In the 90s, Trevi starred in three films: Pelo suelto, Zapatos viejos, and Una papa sin catsup. She, of course, sang in all of them.
8
Her Release From Jail
After four years in jail, Trevi was cleared of all charges and walked out of prison a free woman in 2004.
Gloria opens in U.S. theaters on June 5.