[Saph]

Jennifer Lopez has paid tribute to her Selena co-star Lupe Ontiveros.
The Mexican-American died at the age of 69 on July 26th following a battle with liver cancer, her publicists told CNN.

She was surrounded by family and friends, including actors Esai Morales and Edward James Olmos, when she passed away at a hospital in Whittier, California, a suburb southeast of Los Angeles.



Ontiveros is best known for playing the convicted murderer Yolanda Saldivar in the hit 1997 film Selena, in which Lopez was cast in the lead.

J.Lo said in a statement to Us Weekly today : 'I am tremendously saddened by the news of Lupe's passing! I've enjoyed her work throughout the years.
'She was a great actress and working with her in Selena was an unforgettable experience. She will truly be missed.'

Ontiveros was also nominated for an Emmy for her role as Gabrielle's suspicious mother-in-law Juanita 'Mama' Solis in Desperate Housewives.

rip