Eduardo Verastegui is one of the stars in Bella, a movie directed by Alejandro Monteverdi that won the coveted People's Choice Award at the 2006 Toronto Film Festival and that has been chosen the top-rated movie by the New York Times Reader's Poll as it opened in Chicago at selected theaters Nov. 9. He also has the face I want to have in my next life. After the private Chicago film premiere, the luminous Verastegui attended the celebration party at the beautiful Rumba Supper Club where men and women practically scrambled over one another to stand next to and be photographed with the handsome man. Verastegui was very amenable, and posed for my camera with everyone who asked.
Jose Eduardo Verastegui was born May 21, 1974, in Ciudad Mante, Taumalipas, Mexico. At 17, he gave up his decision to study law to pursue modeling and soon worked for designers Calvin Klein and Versace before joining Kairo, one of Mexico's most successful pop-music groups, in 1994. The group played to sold-out concerts as it toured Latin America and the United States for four years.
In 1997, Verastegui began acting in five Mexican soap operas that were seen in over 50 countries—and drew 10 million viewers in the United States alone. In 1999, he was presented with the Mexican Eres Magazine Award for Best Actor. Verastegui has appeared in several television movies and, in 2001, signed a contract as a solo singing artist with Universal Music Latino. In 2003 Verastegui made millions more people gasp with pleasure as they watched him in the lead role in the popular Hollywood film Chasing Papi, and in 2005 he appeared in Meet Me In Miami. Verastegui has also made appearances in the television series Charmed, and in Jennifer Lopez's perfume commercials and her video Ain't It Funny.
The stunning man has graced the covers of hundreds of international magazines and, in 2006, People En Espanol Magazine put Verastegui on its 50 Most Beautiful People In The World cover.
Photo of Eduardo Verastegui at Rumba, Aug. 7, 2007, by Steve Starr
Steve Starr is the author of Picture Perfect-Art Deco Photo Frames 1926-1946, published by Rizzoli International Publications. A photographer, writer, designer and artist, he is the owner of Steve Starr Studios.
Starr's column, STARRLIGHT, appears regularly in various publications including IMAGE Chicago Magazine, Entertainment Magazine Online-EMOL.org/reporters/Starr, the Windy City Times, and the Chicago Art Deco Society Magazine, and has been printed in Skyline, Extra!, The Modern, and Vibralatino. Visit www.SteveStarrStudios.com where you can enter The Starrlight Room and view a portion of his frame collection, read Starrlight stories, and enjoy photos, letters, and autographs that he has received from his favorite luminaries.
STARRGAZERS-Radiant Photography by Steve Starr is available for portraits and events.
Phone 773-252-5171. E-mail Starr at ssschicago@ameritech.net .
Photo of Steve Starr in Chicago, September 2, 2006, by Patrick Hipskind