Entertainment

'DWTS' Newbie Charo Has Been Staying Busy

by Alexis Paige Williams
Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

When you're a legendary entertainer whose career spans decades, you can pretty much kick up your heels and enjoy the good life. But resting on her laurels has never been Charo's style. The iconic actor and flamenco guitarist is taking her talents to the upcoming season of Dancing with the Stars. But before she makes her debut, let's look back at what Charo has been up to.

First of all, the "Cuchi Cuchi" comedian is no newbie to the ABC dance competition show. The Spanish star, whose real name is María del Rosario Mercedes Pilar Martínez Molina Baeza, gave Pamela Anderson a few flamenco tips back when she competed in 2010, according to Vulture. The funny lady joked that the actor shouldn't look down at her "big maracas" when she dances.

Although Charo's been in show business since 1963, according to her IMDB page, the 65-year-old has made dozens of guest appearances throughout the 2000s on everything from Chappelle's Show and RuPaul's Drag Race to That '70s Show and The Suite Life on Deck. In 2016, the pop culture icon guest starred on Jane the Virgin as a longtime friend of Jane's famous father, Rogelio De La Vega. Actor Jaime Camil, who plays Rogelio, told Variety Charo was a blast to work with. "When she arrives she is so full of life, I wish I had 10 percent of her energy in my life," Camil said. "She’s a tour de force and so disciplined when it comes to being on set. It was a joy."

When she isn't stealing the show on TV, Charo is making music. Some of the singer's hits include 1977's "Dance A Little Bit Closer," 2008's "Espana Cani" and 2011's "Sexy Sexy," according to her website. In 2014, she reflected on her career and signature catchphrase on Oprah's: Where Are They Now. Although "cuchi-cuchi" has been misinterpreted as something sexual, Charo set the record straight that the phrase derived from a nickname for her pet dog "Cuchillo."

Charo's Dancing with the Stars partner Keo Motsepe is more than ready to hit the stage with the legend. The dancer expressed his excitement via Twitter saying, "Let's cuchi cuchi to the dance floor Charo." You can catch Charo and Motsepe on the new season of Dancing with the Stars on March 20.