Mapita Cortés (August 4, 1939 – January 1, 2006 born Maria del Pilar Mercado Cordero in 1939 in the Santurce barrio of San Juan, Puerto Rico – died in Mexico City), was a Puerto Rican-American actress and model. She was the mother of Mexican actor Luis Gatica, the wife of Lucho Gatica, and the niece in law of actor Fernando Cortés. She was also the cousin of famous Paquito Cordero, who was two years her junior.
In 1958, Cortés debuted as an actress in Misterios de Ultratumba, later appearing in 11 films. Her last role was in the telenovela Mi pequeña Soledad, where she played the character of "Blanquita". It was the first time that a representative from Puerto Rico won this award.
Mapita Cortés had demonstrated desire to become an actress since she was a child. As she and her cousin grew, her cousin became a known personality in Puerto Rico. Mapita Cortés, however, tried her luck in Mexico, since her aunt had adopted her
Cortés then starred or played important roles in a number of films, following her uncle and aunt's footsteps by becoming a celebrity on her own in Mexico. She decided to establish herself in the North American country permanently after enjoying success there.
While she was doing films, another celebrity, Chilean singer Lucho Gatica, fell in love with her and the two began a romance that would lead to a marriage on May 21, 1960. Luis, Mapy (Maria del Pilar), Aída, Juanita, and Alfredo. Their son Luis Gatica (born in 1961), would eventually also become a celebrity as a telenovela actor and rock music singer during the 1980s.
After marrying Lucho Gatica, Mapita Cortés semi-retired from the world of show business, becoming a housewife instead and attending to her children. But she returned to activity sporadically, becoming what is known as a character actress in some of Mexico's most famous telenovelas. In 1989, she participated alongside Verónica Castro in Televisa's Mi pequeña Soledad,
- Poker de reinas (1960)