Maria Conchita Alonso has lived one of Hollywood's most fascinating lives.

She joins Steve Kmetko to discuss escaping Cuba, growing up in Venezuela, becoming an international music star, starring alongside Robin Williams, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sean Penn, Danny Glover and Nicolas Cage, and why she sacrificed career opportunities to stand up for her beliefs.

She also reflects on aging, fame, animal rescue, Broadway, activism, and what truly matters most after four decades in entertainment.

00:00 Opening

00:37 Cuba, Venezuela and finding home

03:30 Lessons from her parents

06:47 Beauty pageants and Hollywood

10:08 Arriving in Hollywood

11:39 Robin Williams memories

15:29 Arnold Schwarzenegger and The Running Man

18:03 Venezuela today

20:55 Why activism changed her career

23:16 Her animal rescue foundation

27:09 Rescuing Cookie

29:49 Colors, Sean Penn and Danny Glover

35:42 Hollywood memories

38:47 Hollywood then vs. now

40:46 Social media and today's entertainment business

42:10 Acting vs. music

44:49 Her new album Caliéntame

47:50 Politics and career consequences

49:21 Aging and growing wiser

51:00 Regrets and forgiveness

53:02 Legacy and helping others

55:35 Closing

Show Credits

Host/Producer: Steve Kmetko

All things technical: Justin Zangerle

Executive Producer: Jim Lichtenstein

Music by: Brian Sanyshyn

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Publicist: Maggie Perlich: maggie@numbertwelvemarketing.com

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