# Mayra Alejandra

Mayra Alejandra Rodríguez Lezama (May 7, 1958 – April 17, 2014) was a Venezuelan actress.

## Early life

Lezama was born on May 7, 1958, in Caracas, Venezuela. She was the daughter of Charles Barry, a humorist and founding member of the comedy show Radio Rochela, and Ligia Lezama, a teleplay writer and actress. She had one brother (comedian Juan Carlos Barry) and one sister.

## Career

Lezama made her debut in the Radio Caracas Television telenovela Valentina in 1975. Her first starring role was in Angélica (1976) and she later appeared in La hija de Juana Crespo (1977). In 1981, Lezama starred in Luisana Mia. In 1983, she gained recognition for her performance in Leonela. Other notable roles include Bienvenida Esperanza (1983), Marta y Javier (1983), and La mujer prohibida (1991).
Lezama developed a femme fatale image with early roles, notably as Carmen in Román Chalbaud's Carmen la que contaba 16 años (1978) and as Manon Lescaut in Chalbaud’s adaptation of Manón (1986).
Following a hiatus to focus on her family, Lezama returned to acting in 2000 with a guest role in Hechizo de Amor. She later appeared in Estrambótica Anastasia (2004) and Harina de otro costal (2010).

## Personal life

Lezama was married twice and divorced. She had a relationship with Mexican actor Salvador Pineda, with whom she had a son Aaron, born in Caracas on March 27, 1989. Despite plans to marry, Pineda left her at the altar in 1987, though he later recognized their son.
Aaron was diagnosed with autism at an early age, and also facing health complications such as gallstones. In 2021, it was made public that he needed an emergency operation. Mayra Alejandra's niece spoke about the Pineda's lack of support towards Aaron.
In 2023, Pineda revealed that when he met Mayra, he was drunk and asked her to marry him. The wedding did not take place, but they had meetings, and months later, she called him to tell him that she was pregnant. He denied that the young Aaron, son of the actress, was his. Hence, he has refused to support him financially.
In 2012, Mayra Alejandra was diagnosed with lung cancer and underwent chemotherapy. After a relapse in early 2014, she died in Caracas on April 17, 2014, at the age of 55.

## Filmography
### Television

| Year | Title | Character | Channel |
| 1975 | Valentina | Mayrita | RCTV |
| 1976 | Angélica | Angélica | RCTV |
| 1976 | Carolina | Carolina Villacastín | RCTV |
| 1977 | Tormento | Amparo | RCTV |
| 1977 | La hija de Juana Crespo | Diana Crespo | RCTV |
| 1977 | Residencia de señoritas | Violeta | RCTV |
| 1978 | Piel de zapa | Paulita | RCTV |
| 1978 | Mariela, Mariela | Mariela | RCTV |
| 1978 | El ángel rebelde | María Soledad | RCTV |
| 1980 | El esposo de Anais | Anais Olivieri | RCTV |
| 1980 | Rosa Campos Provinciana | Rosa Campos | RCTV |
| 1981 | Luisana mía | Luisana Narváez de Bernal | RCTV |
| 1981 | Amada mía | Isabela | RCTV |
| 1982 | Barbarita | Barbarita | RCTV |
| 1982 | Marta y Javier | Marta | RCTV |
| 1982 | Jugando a vivir | Victoria La Rosa | RCTV |
| 1983 | Bienvenida Esperanza | Esperanza Acuna | RCTV |
| 1983 | Leonela | Leonela Ferrari | RCTV |
| 1984 | Miedo al amor-Leonela 2 | Dr. Leonela Ferrari Mirabal de Guerra | RCTV |
| 1986 | Camila | Camila | RTI Colombia |
| 1986 | Juegos Prohibidos | Sandra | Canal 9 |
| 1986 | Mujer comprada | Angelica Villar | Canal 1 |
| 1987 | Valeria | Valeria | Telefe |
| 1991 | La mujer prohibida | Irene Rivas | Venevisión |
| 1993 | Amor de papel | Adela Puerte/Rafaela Villanueva/Adela Beltrán | Venevisión |
| 2000 | Hechizo de amor | Raquela Valderrama | Venevisión |
| 2004 | Estrambótica Anastasia | Yolanda Paz | RCTV |
| 2005 | Con toda el alma | Isabel Morelli | Venevisión |
| 2007 | Camaleona | Amapola "Pola" Rivas de Lofiego | RCTV |
| 2010 | Harina de otro costal | Carmen "Carmencita" de Fernández | Venevisión |

### Movies

| Year | Movie | Character | Director |
| 1978 | Carmen, la que contaba 16 años | Carmen | Román Chalbaud |
| 1986 | Manón | Manón | Román Chalbaud |

## Sources

* 1 2 "Mayra Alejandra at the Internet Movie Database". IMDb.
* ↑ "Venezuela says goodbye to Mayra Alejandra". La Patilla (in Spanish). 2014-04-19.
* 1 2 "RCTV.net – Mayra Alejandra biography". Archived from the original on 2005-11-10. (Spanish)
* ↑ Venezuela.com – Charles Barry entry (Spanish)
* ↑ Sopotocientos.Blogspot.com – Ligia Lezama entry
* ↑ Venevision.net – Juan Carlos Barry biography (Spanish)
* ↑ Andrea Álvares (2014-04-18). "Mayra Alejandra, protagonist of the telenovela Leonela, passes away". La Prensa (in Spanish).
* ↑ "El Universal – Mayra Alejandra : 2009 interview (Spanish)".
* ↑ "Venezuelan actress Mayra Alejandra denounced the abandonment of her son before departing this world". Prensa Mercosur (in Spanish). 2024-04-28.
* ↑ "Salvador Pineda, actor of *El Señor de los Cielos*, feels that he will die soon". El Espectador (in Spanish). 2023-03-31.
* ↑ Noticiero Digital – Obituary