Laura Zapata

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.^[2] 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.^[3] Zapata was released on October 10 of that year, while Ernestina was freed later that month,^[4] ransom that Thalía paid.^[5]

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.^[6] 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.^[7] Neither Thalía nor their mother Yolanda publicly defended Zapata in response to the claim.^[7]

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.^[8]

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".^[9] 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".^[10] Civil organizations filed complaints with the National Council to Prevent Discrimination, arguing the use of discriminatory and classist terms.^[11]

Films

Television

Studio albums

• Primera llamada (1981)
• Te propongo (1993)
• Cielo rojo (2018)