Gabriela Rivero Abaroa, born on September 15, 1964, in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, has carved a permanent place in the hearts of Latin American audiences, primarily known for her role as the kind-hearted Maestra Jimena. Although widely recognized as Gaby Rivero, this talented actress, who stands 5’ 6” (1.68 m), boasts a dynamic career spanning decades, encompassing dancing, conducting, acting, and now, creating educational content for the digital age.
From Dance Floors to Television Image
Rivero’s journey into the spotlight began in her adolescence. She is the youngest of five siblings born in Mexico City to parents of Poblanos descent: Mario Rivero and Maria de Lourdes Abaroa. Her mother, who herself wanted to be an actress but was forbidden by her traditional family, was a highly successful working mother who supported the family, even operating a torta business and working as a makeup artist at Palacio de Hierro.
Rivero started her career as a dancer and model. At just 14 years old, she competed in the show Fiebre del Dos (Fiebre del Sábado). Although she lost her first try, she returned the following week, won, and ultimately captured the final victory. Her success on the show caught the attention of Televisa executive Emilio Azcárraga Milmo, who summoned her to his office. Though she was initially considered to represent Mexico in a dance contest at Studio 54, she was deemed too young to enter the venue.
Instead, the opportunity shifted, and she became the image of Canal 2 (Channel 2), succeeding Lucía Méndez. Rivero conducted this role for three and a half years, using the greeting: “desde la casa de Matilde en el vigoroso y joven México de hoy canal 2 te saluda”. During this period, she took classes with notable acting coaches like Rita Macedo and Silvia Derbez. Following her work as the Canal 2 image, she spent two years co-hosting the youth program XETU with René Casados.
The Unforgettable Maestra Jimena
Gabriela Rivero transitioned to telenovelas, landing her first role in El camino secreto in 1986. However, it was the 1989 telenovela Carrusel that cemented her international fame. Rivero was 24 years old when she took on the role of Maestra Jimena. Notably, the character was originally intended for Lucero, but Rivero ultimately secured the part, believing that “what is meant for you, no one takes it away”.
The character of Maestra Jimena remains beloved because she embodies an “angelic” figure who solves children’s problems and, perhaps most importantly, didn’t leave homework. She feels that through this character, she resides in the “emotional memory” of many people, reminding them of their childhood. The experience was so formative that she and many of her former child co-stars, including Ludwika Paleta, remain close today, maintaining a group chat called “Carbusel”.
Rivero later returned to the role in the sequel Carrusel de las Américas (1992). After Carrusel, she starred as the protagonist in Al filo de la muerte (1991), which required her to grow as an actress, working alongside Humberto Zurita and Blanca Guerra. She continued working in theater, including children’s plays like El mago de Oz and La Cenicienta. Her more recent roles include the HBO series Nadie nos va a extrañar, where she played a “badass” physics teacher whose class included Nico, the son of her former student, Ludwika Paleta.
Personal Life and Motherhood
Gabriela Rivero married Venezuelan photographer Francisco Luis Ricote (known as Kiko) on June 12, 1993. They have three daughters: Gala (31), Lara (28), and Maya (25).
Her decision to step back from the spotlight to focus on her family was a major point in her career. She took a seven-year break from telenovelas to dedicate time to her children, particularly her youngest, Maya, who suffered from severe allergies that caused her throat to close. Rivero has expressed that she does not regret the sacrifice, as she was able to fill the role of a present mother, and her family was financially stable thanks to her husband’s photography career.
The family relocated to Miami around 1995, a decision made after the Mexican devaluation, as her husband was happier working there. She lives in Key Biscayne and, while she is happy with her life in Miami, she still considers Mexico her home.
Her daughters have embarked on diverse careers:
- Gala (the oldest) lives in Los Angeles and works in photography, film, and script supervision.
- Lara studied Political Science but is now a successful stand-up comedian based in London, where she is also starring in a series.
- Maya studied acting but prefers improvisation and clowning, and is involved in her mother’s current children’s project.
Rivero values health and a positive attitude. She is wary of plastic surgery, preferring to age naturally and avoid setting an example of intense cosmetic modification for her daughters. She also shared that she gained weight due to hormonal changes after having her uterus removed.
Love, Controversy, and Infinito Infantil
Over her career, Gabriela Rivero had several notable relationships, including a short romance with Sylvester Stallone when she was 16/17, culminating in a memorable kiss. She also dated Carlos Flores, her first serious love, and later, Coque Muñiz for almost two years, whom she recalls fondly for his humor and romanticism. Before marrying Kiko, she broke off an engagement because she discovered her partner was a constant liar (a case of mythomania).
A major moment of controversy occurred when Gabriela Rivero participated in a reality dance contest in California. Frustrated and feeling “humiliated” by the show’s practices (which included requesting her to perform a striptease), she lashed out by using her keys to scratch the car of the channel owner. Rivero stated that she paid for the damages, took responsibility for the emotional outburst, and regrets the act because her daughters witnessed it.
Today, Gabriela Rivero is pouring her creative energy into a self-produced passion project called Infinito Infantil. This endeavor is a virtual forest featuring animated songs and stories (around three minutes long) designed for children aged 2 to 7. The project stars 10 characters, many of which are Mexican animals (including Ringo the Teporingo, an endangered species), each addressing common childhood issues such as bullying, divorce, and the arrival of a new sibling. Her daughter Maya sings most of the songs. Infinito Infantil is available on various platforms, including Spotify and YouTube.
Gabriela Rivero continues to work actively, juggling projects in both Mexico and the US, demonstrating an unwavering commitment to her craft and finding new ways to connect with audiences across generations.
Anne Kellogg is the creative mind behind NamesPerl, where she shares her passion for names. With 4 years of experience in crafting unique and catchy names, Anne helps readers discover the perfect words to express identity, creativity, and meaning.