Background and career
Ana María Sánchez (born March 31, 1952), known professionally as Vanessa del Rio, is an American retired pornographic film actress.
Del Rio was born March 31, 1952, and raised in the New York neighborhood of Harlem, the only child of a Puerto Rican mother and an Afro-Cuban father. Her mother would take her to see the Spanish language movies of Isabel Sarli, a passionate, voluptuous Argentinian actress with a charismatic power over men whom Vanessa credits as a big influence in her life. She describes her mother as "an innocent, deeply religious woman who didn't really relate to Sarli's sexuality." Del Rio attended Catholic school before leaving home as a teenager. She studied coding, and became a computer programmer at age 18, then abandoned the straight life altogether to live in a series of stolen Volkswagen Beetles with a criminal boyfriend. When that adventure ended two years later she became "a waitress, then a topless barmaid, and finally a go-go dancer" before accepting her first hardcore porn role in the film China Doll because "it paid $150, which was exactly my half of the rent," so she could join a boyfriend in Europe. In her illustrated biography from Taschen, she revealed to editor Dian Hanson that she also worked as a streetwalker and call girl prior to entering adult films.
For her stage name, she took the name "Vanessa" from a childhood friend and "del Rio" from actress Dolores del Río at the suggestion of another friend who was a movie buff. Del Rio made her first adult film in 1974. In a span of 12 years, she appeared in 81 pornographic films and countless "loops" – 10-minute film clips produced for use in sex shop peep shows. She retired from adult films in 1986, in part due to the AIDS scare prevalent at the time. She then worked as a feature dancer and magazine model. After that she used her coding skills to create her own website, produce original content, continued to appear in magazines, and made special appearances at award shows and conventions.
During and after her porn career she appeared on many TV shows as herself, including a 1996 episode of NYPD Blue titled "Head Case" (Season 3, episode #15). In 2008, she made a cameo opposite Bernie Mac as the amorous "full-figured neighbor" in the film Soul Men, which also co-starred Samuel L. Jackson.
She has been mentioned in lyrics by several rap artists, including Chubb Rock's "Just the Two of Us", Gangsta Boo's "Fuck You", The Game's "House of Pain", Ice Cube's "Roll All Day" and "Giving Up The Nappy Dug Out" on Death Certificate, Digital Underground's "Freaks of the Industry" on their debut studio album Sex Packets, and Junior Mafia's 1995 single "I Need You Tonight" and "Get Money". She had a cameo in the "Get Money" music video. Her name appears in a sample used in the track "Sex Sluts'N'Heaven" by Depth Charge and Blowfly. In 2007, the German art book publisher Taschen released a deluxe, heavily illustrated biography, Vanessa del Rio: Fifty Years of Slightly Slutty Behavior edited by del Rio's long-time friend Dian Hanson. A feature film, The Latin from Manhattan, based on del Rio's life, written and directed by Thomas Mignone, and starring Vivian Lamolli as del Rio began production in 2019. The Czech EBM band Vanessa was originally named Vanessa Del Rio in an allusion to the adult film star. They have since mentioned her in several interviews, as well as songs.
China Doll (1975) uncredited Too Young to Care (1975) uncredited Midnight Desires (1976), Lola The Night of Submission (1976), Venessa del Rio Dominatrix Without Mercy (1976), Venessa del Rio Virgin Snow (1976), Nurse Ratched Jacquette (1976), Madame X Domination Blue (1976), Trixie The Fury in Alice (1976), Marilyn Temptations (1976), Marla Reunion (1976), Elizabeth That Lady From Rio (1976), Number 1 Come with Me My Love (1976), Lola Sin of Lust (1976), Carlotta Gulp (1976), Anna Forbidden Ways (1976), uncredited Come Softly (1976), June Bizzare Moods (1976), Norma Appointment With Agony (1976), Waitress Odyssey: The Ultimate Trip (1977), first girl in dream Joy of Humiliation (1977), Elena House of De Sade (1977), Lucille McLain Cherry Hustlers (1977), Sally Teenage Bikers (1977), Wolf Breaker Beauties (1977), photo lady Joint Venture (1977), uncredited The Fire in Francesca (1977), Nadine Rothman Tell, Teach and Show (1977), Mrs. LaGrange Exploring Young Girls (1977), Vanessa Let Me Die a Woman (1977), Sandy (uncredited) Chorus Call (1978), uncredited Take Off (1978), uncredited Woman in Love (1978), Simone Foster The Final Test (1978), Claudia Dirty Deeds (1978), uncredited Babylon Pink (1979), Housewife N.Y. Babes (1979), Jackie Robbins Jack & Jill (1979), Rosetta Tigresses and Other Man-eaters (1979), Tigress Her Name Was Lisa (1979), Carmen The Pink Ladies (1979), Seductress Fulfilling Young Cups (1979), Rita Angie, Police Woman (1979), girl on parachute Justine: A Matter of Innocence (1980), Claudia Kendall Co-Ed Fever (1980), Vannessa Afternoon Delights (1980), Mrs. Smith Dracula Exotica (1980), Vita Valdez The Filthy Rich (1980), Chili Caliente Girls U.S.A. (1980), Sherry Spencer A Scent of Heather (1980), the cook Platinum Paradise (1981), hooker Spittoon (1981), uncredited The Tale of Tiffany Lust (1981), Florence Nightingale Bizarre Styles (1981), Vanessa The Love-In Arrangement (1981), Chiquita The Dancers (1981), Frances Lips (1981), Maria Between the Sheets (1981), Shirley Beauty (1981), Judy Lopez Foxtrot (1982), Celeste Top Secret (1982), Juanita Real Estate (1982) Luscious (1982), Lush When She Was Bad (1983), Judy Silk Satin & Sex (1983), Denise Foxholes (1983), Vanessa del Rio Corruption (1983), Erda Aphrodisia's Diary (1983), therapist Sister Midnight (1984) Viva Vanessa (1984), herself Maid In Manhattan (1984), Juanita Blue Voodoo (1984), uncredited The Devil in Miss Jones 3: A New Beginning (1986), herself Play Me Again Vanessa (1986), herself Deep Inside Vanessa del Rio (1987), herself Beyond Desire (1986), Crystal Dynamic Vices (1987), Roxanne Doctor Lust (1987), Dr. Lana Lust Soul Men (2008), full-figured neighbor
