Eduardo Capetillo & Biby Gaytan
In between television, music and film, Mexican singers and on-screen personalities Eduardo Capetillo and Biby Gaytan have transmitted and tuned their love for each other ever since their first encounter. Capetillo's and Gaytan's families' backgrounds both have had a respected trajectory in the entertainment industry. As they individually pursued their career paths, and as fate aligned, they first found themselves working alongside each other on a soap opera in 1992. Just last year, the couple celebrated their 20th anniversary of marriage and the arrival of their fourth and fifth child, identical twins Daniel and Manuel whom Gaytan gave birth to in San Diego. The Capetillo-Gaytan clan has grown and as their three other children Eduardo, Ana Paula and Alejandra leave adolescence, the family continues their love for each other.
In their youngest years, Capetillo and Gaytan both had family members already infused with acting, singing and music. Though Capetillo's family was also known for its prestigious bullfighting history, he chose the arts as his life's passion. The future actor and singer's itch to develop his skills would see him pursue acting classes and jazz lessons and soon after take, his first steps into the limelight.
In 1983, Capetillo was showcased in a televised singing competition organized by the famed television host, Raul Velasco, earning him second place with his song, "Mi Banda Toca Rock" (My Band Plays Rock), which went on to be recorded and released in Mexico. A few years later, the new actor was seen on stage partaking in the youth musical production of Grease at age thirteen. Then in 1986, the young performer appeared in his first soap opera, Martin Garatuza, a Robin Hood-like story where he played the main character's son. Versatile and with a passion for his craft, at sixteen Capetillo also joined one of Mexico's most famous music groups, Timbiriche.
Working alongside his new bandmates like Paulina Rubio, Erik Rubin, Thalia and other renowned singers, Capetillo released three albums with Timbiriche. Selling millions of records and touring across Mexico and other Latin American countries to enchanted and screaming fans, the singer-actor was well on his way to establishing himself as a prominent entertainer.
As Capetillo's talents took him to a higher ground both in television and music, he departed from the band three years after joining and started a new chapter in his career, as a solo performer. Though his future wife Gaytan would later form part of Timbiriche (he only shared a brief time on the same stage with her), it would be acting that essentially created their true ballad for love.
Gaytan's integration into Timbiriche in 1989 saw her catapulted to fame. Though she gained an immense following with the Mexican pop/rock band after recording only one album, she would soon after change direction in her career too. The young and beautiful Gaytan turned to acting where in 1991 saw her casted in the soap opera Alcanzar Una Estrella II (Reaching a Star II).
The melodrama's characters portrayed a fictitious musical group called Muñecos de Papel (Paper Dolls). In the serial, Gaytan starred next to her former music group member Rubin, an original Timbiriche singer, Sasha Sokol, future superstar Ricky Martin, Mexico's current First Lady Angelica Rivera, and the unforgettably talented Pedro Fernandez. Their performances went beyond the television set as the group also took on a national tour throughout a multitude of cities and a sea of fans from every corner in Mexico cheering at the top of their lungs.
Gaytan also had aspirations of becoming a solo performer and after leaving Timbiriche in 1992, she started this next phase of her life. That same year she released her first record simply titled Biby Gaytan with hits like "Y Se Marcha Pidiendo Perdon" and "Mucha Mujer Para Ti" ("And He Marches Away Asking Forgiveness" and "Too Much Woman for You", respectively).
As the 90's went on, meandering between soap opera roles and their musical endeavors, Gaytan and Capetillo would wind up starring in protagonist roles in Baila Conmigo (Dance with Me), a 60's themed soap opera. Their passions ignited beyond the storyline of the two characters' soon-to-be-married plot.
As Mexico's darling couple elevated their stardom with beloved acting characters and musical paths, Capetillo and Gaytan would marry in what would be the first celebrity wedding televised in Mexico. Their momentous occasion was re-transmitted to all of Latin America as the newlyweds took a new stage, together. That same year saw the on- and off-screen husband and wife bring to light their first child Eduardo in 1994
The Capetillo-Gaytan clan kept growing during the same decade with the addition of two beautiful girls, Ana Paula in 1997 and Alejandra in 1999. Between the two babies' births, the couple would once again be seen starring in the 1998 soap opera, Camila. Capetillo continued taking on role after role during this time as well as furthering his works as a solo singer. Gaytan would still take on musical endeavors and telenovela characters but on a much more limited basis as their children were growing up and was focused on their family.
The new millennium rolled in and Capetillo was still quite busy with his creative outlets while Gaytan nurtured their son and two daughters at home. However, motherly tasks did not prevent her from participating in the 25th anniversary documentary of the band, Timbiriche, En La Misma Piedra (On the Same Rock). Working amongst her former bandmates for the last of the group's gatherings, Gaytan along with Capetillo, started to make their presence on television variety shows.
The couple was seen in programs like El Show de los Sueños (The Show of Dreams) and La Academia (The Academy), in which Gaytan was co-host while her husband was director of the ninth generation of the latter show. As the first decade of 2000 ended, Gaytan was sparingly making special appearances while Capetillo's ardor kept him in front of the cameras on a series of soap operas.
In recent years, Gaytan participated in Mexico Baila (Mexico Dances) as a judge with her former co-host of La Academia, Rafael Araneda from 2013 to 2014. Capetillo has not stopped in his passion's pursuits as he has endlessly furthered his persona across telenovelas like La Otra Cara del Alma (The Other Side of the Soul) and even dabbling in the theatre.
2014 saw the biggest role of their 20 years together come to light since starting their family. As the couple prepared to renew their wedding vows, Capetillo and Gaytan saw the birth of their identical twins, Manuel and Daniel - named after the entertainers' own fathers, respectively.
Adding to the excitement of the arrival of their pair of babies, before coming to the United States of America, their doctor in Mexico had informed them the boys were not identical. To their surprise, upon their arrival to America's Finest City, the doctors informed them that the twins would in fact be identical, which elated Capetillo and Gaytan.
The family with seven members now consisting of three adolescents, two healthy baby twin boys, and an influential couple in entertainment that has remained in love since first meeting continues their song and dance. For now, it is all about the babies and preparing their teenagers for the next chapters of their lives into adulthood.
The Capetillo-Gaytan household has captured the hearts and minds of Latin America with their revered trajectory in music, soap operas, theatre and film. The future holds many more chapters for the couple who is still scribing their ballads of love for each other and their children.
https://capetillogaytan.com/index.php/their-story#sigProId3185f98656
By Edwin Rendon
© 2015 DAESVI Latin Entertainment and Consulting