'Selena' Star Lupe Ontiveros Dies At 69

Ontiveros Also Appeared In The Goonies, As Good As It Gets

Lupe Ontiveros, the Mexican-American actress most famous for playing the woman convicted of murdering singer Selena in the film of the same name, has died after a long battle with liver cancer. She was 69.

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Ontiveros' longtime friend and Selena co-star Jacob Vargas was by her side during her final moments.

"My friend Lupe Ontiveros just passed away," the actor said in a statement. "May you rest in peace. Thank you for your great contribution to film and TV. You will be missed."

Ontiveros, born in El Paso, Texas, in 1942, appeared in dozens of films and televison roles, including The Goonies, with Jack Nicholson in As Good As It Gets, Hill Street Blues and Desperate Housewives, for which she was nominated for an Emmy.

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Though she was typecast as a maid and housesitter, Ontiveros said she was proud to give working class women a place in entertainment.

"I'm proud to represent those hands that labor in this country," she said. "I've given every maid I've ever portrayed soul and heart."

She is survived by her husband and three sons.