Cris Morena

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Cris Morena is the stage name of Maria Cris­tina De Giacomi, born on August 23, 1956 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is a highly influential Argentine television producer, former actress, presenter, composer, musician, songwriter, writer, former fashion model, and the CEO of Cris Morena Group. She’s known for creating and guiding some of the country’s most successful youth shows.

As a teenager she modeled for Lee Jeans and hosted a youth program called Voltop, where she met her future husband, Gustavo Yankelevich. They married in 1974 and had two children, Romina Yan and Tomás Yankelevich. Cris Morena temporarily stepped back from acting to focus on her family, then returned to television in 1979 with the show Dulce Fugitiva and began using the Morena surname professionally.

In the 1980s, Morena started writing music and became one of Argentina’s most successful songwriters, often teaming up with Carlos Nilson. She also acted on screen, notably in Mesa de Noticias (1984) and Amigos son los Amigos (1990–1991). In 1991 she burst onto the production scene with Jugate Conmigo, a teen-oriented show that mixed games, music and guest stars. The program became a huge hit, spawning multiple soundtracks and launching several young stars.

Her next major project was Chiquititas (1995–2000), a beloved children’s soap opera that turned Morena into one of Argentina’s most powerful producers. It spawned numerous soundtracks, live concerts, and an enormous merchandise line, and it helped establish a successful template for Argentine youth franchises. She followed with Verano del ’98 (1998–2000), a teen drama that drew controversy but achieved strong ratings.

In 2002 Morena launched Rebelde Way, another mega-hit that produced the teen band Erreway and inspired international versions. To manage her growing empire, she formed Cris Morena Group (CMG) in the mid-1990s after parting ways with Telefe. Her productions often drew mixed critical praise but generated enormous commercial success and widespread export to countries like Brazil, Israel, Spain, Portugal and Mexico. She also created Chiquititas spin-offs like Rincón de Luz and continued to produce high-budget musicals in Buenos Aires, notably Floricienta (2004–2005), which became one of her biggest Latino hits and led to large-scale live shows.

Subsequent projects included Alma Pirata (2006), Casi Ángeles (2007–2010) and the Teen Angels, a musical group formed from the show’s cast. Morena also produced Aliados (2013–2014) and later ventures such as Te Quiero y Me Duele (2023) and Margarita (2024), continuing her influence in television and streaming.

Family life remained central: Cris Morena and Gustavo Yankelevich divorced in 1996, but their children Romina Yan (an actress who starred in Chiquititas) and Tomás Yankelevich (a producer and director) followed in show business. Romina Yan died in 2010, an event that deeply affected Morena and led to a hiatus from production for a time.

As a songwriter, Morena remains a prolific creator, with more than 600 songs to her name and a lasting impact on Argentine and Latin American pop culture. She has earned multiple awards, including Martín Fierro, CAPIF, and Gardel recognition, and has been nominated for a Latin Grammy. Her work—characterized by music-driven, youth-focused storytelling—helped redefine Argentine television and inspired a generation of viewers and performers.