Patricia Manterola: a Mexican singer, actress, model, and fashion designer

Patricia Manterola (born Bertha Patricia Manterola Carrión on April 23, 1972) is a Mexican singer, actress, model, and fashion designer born in Mexico City

Patricia Manterola Carrion was born to Jorge Manterola and Maria Dolores Carrion, the second of three children. Her brother, Jorge, is 11 months older than her, and her younger sister, Michelle, who shares the same birth date as Patricia, is eight years younger.

Paty—as she is also known—attended elementary school at "Colegio Miguel Angel" and "Franco-Espanol." She studied at "Colegio Oxford" in Cuernavaca during her middle school years, where she lived with her extended family for a while. For high school she attended "Tecnologico de Monterey" de Cuernavaca and graduated in Mexico City at "Colegio Miguel Angel."

In addition to her academics, Paty studied dance, voice, and music. She was the main voice in the chorus of the "Miguel Angel Institute." Since she was a little girl she demonstrated an affinity for the entertainment world, participating in school plays, until at the age of nine, she was part of the musical comedy "Anita la Huerfanita," (Little Orphan Annie).

Later, at the age of 12, she was part of the festival "Juguemos a Cantar," together with her brother, Jorge, and two friends, she made it to the finals, which allowed her to record on a compilation album edited for the festival.

Manterola soon entered the world of modeling, which allowed her to meet the Mexican producer Luis de Llano, in 1989, creator of the band, Timbiriche and a successful producer of telenovelas (soap operas). De Llano eventually suggested she audition for the group, but noticing her talent, invited her to be part of a new project known as Garibaldi banda

On April 17, 1999, Paty married Javier Ortiz, a fellow ex-member of Garibaldi. Yet they divorced a little over five years later, in 2005. In a joint letter to the media, Manterola and Ortiz addressed their separation and asked for the public to respect their privacy during this difficult time. She married Forrest Kolb on December 12, 2010 in Xcaret on the Mayan Rivera, Mexico. They were married in a small private wedding with 200 guests and she was dressed by her close friend, Nicolas Felizola.

Manterola made her acting debut with "¿Dónde Quedó La Bolita?" (1993), a comedy featuring Garibaldi. In 1994, after a Garibaldi live performance in Acapulco, Manterola launched her solo career with the release of "Hambre de Amor." Paty's newfound notoriety allowed her to make the smooth transition into acting. Soon thereafter, Paty earned roles in various telenovelas (soap opera) such as "Acapulco, Cuerpo y Alma" (1995) and "Gente Bien" (1997). She received the newcomer of the year award from the Latin American soap opera magazine, TV y Novelas for her portrayal of Lorena on "Acapulco, Cuerpo y Alma."

Within a few years, Manterola was a sought after star, acting in several telenovelas such as: "Los Angeles de Charlie" (Charlie's Angels), "Apuesta por un Amor" (Gamble for Love), and "Destilando Amor." She has also done cameo appearances in "Ugly Betty," Muchas Muchachas and in La Fea Mas Bella.

While Manterola has received greater acclaim in her native Mexico, she has also had a transnational impact by appearing in American television and films. For instance, she has appeared in HBO's Arli$$, Souvenir (1997), The Hazard City (2000), The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood (2000), and Carman: The Champion (2001).

In her role as Gabriela in the Dukes of Hazzard movie, Manterola demonstrated her bilingual ability as her character was pitted as Bo Duke's (John Schneider) love interest. A few years prior to the movie's release, she had enrolled at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) to study English.

In addition, Manterola has roles in the upcoming movies, The Singer (2008) and The Perfect Game (2009).

Manterola has also been a noted defender of animal rights. On her personal website, Manterola declares: "Hasta los animales mas exoticos merecen vivir en libertad." ("Even the most exotic animals deserve to live in freedom.")

As such, in 2001 she posed nude on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA). In 2004, she protested Kentucky Fried Chicken's cruel treatment of chickens and urged the multimillion dollar corporation to adhere to a kindler, gentler methodology. More recently, Paty has advocated on behalf of the Monarch butterflies that migrate from Alaska to the Mexican state of Michoacán. She donated personal jewelry which was sold at auction to further the cause.^[7]

Manterola's altruism is not solely restricted to animal rights and the environment. In January 2006, she personally donated 1,500 toys for the children of the Delegacion Miguel Hidalgo in Chapultepec. "No hay con qué pagar la sonrisa de un niño," Manterola said. ("A child's smile is priceless.") In 2007, Patricia joined the Baja Una Estrella Foundation to help in the development of education, health, and social development for poor communities in Mexico

Since 2004, Manterola planned to open a business in the Mexican city of Puebla, launching her own line of jeans, "B-good," suitable for everybody (fat, slim, pregnant, children, etc.).