Biographie
She was born on February 23, 1941, in Taguig to Eugenio Adriano and Elvira Jamon Soriano. She spent her early childhood in Pateros and completed high school at Rizal High School. She enrolled at the University of the East (UE), but her demanding shooting schedule prevented her from finishing her degree. Becoming a movie star had always been her dream. She and her classmates often skipped classes to visit movie studios, hiring a jeep to tour LVN Pictures, Sampaguita Pictures, and Premier Productions in hopes of meeting their favorite actors.
Her breakthrough came when she auditioned for the film *I Believe*. Learning from a news magazine that Premiere Productions was casting for a leading lady, she sent her best photo to the studio. Out of a thousand applicants, she was selected for a screen test, during which she flawlessly delivered memorized lines. She was first signed by Premier Productions. The company's matriarch, Dona Adela vda de Santiago, advised her to keep her real name in honor of actress Lucita Goyena. Her name quickly became well-known among moviegoers, launching her into stardom. One film led to another, and she became known for critically acclaimed Philippine cinema works such as *Macho Dancer* (1988), *Bayan Ko, Kapit sa Patalim* (1984), *Ang Babae sa Breakwater* (2003), *Curacha: Ang Babaeng Walang Pahinga* (1998), and *Paradise Inn* (1985).
As the family's breadwinner, she accepted any role offered. In 1967, she starred in *Ako... Laban sa Lipunan*, a controversial film based on the tragic life of Lucila Lalu, whose dismembered body was found in various parts of Manila, with her headless torso discovered on a vacant lot along EDSA. Four men, all romantically linked to Lucila, were suspects in the murder. Despite concerns from friends about her safety, she chose to take the role. She starred alongside Boy Garcia and Etang Discher, with Artemio Marquez directing.
After her contract with Premier Productions ended, she became a freelance actress during the era when sexy films were popular. She accepted roles requiring her to wear bikinis, fulfilling her role as the family’s primary provider. Soriano was also a regular on television, appearing in *Maalaala Mo Kaya* (MMK), *Valiente*, and *Familia Zaragoza*. In 2000, she appeared in the hit telenovela *Pangako Sa 'Yo*, starring Kristine Hermosa and Jericho Rosales.
Lucita shared both a professional and personal partnership with Rodolfo "Boy" Garcia for many years. They had two sons, Garry Boy Garcia and Marco Polo Garcia. Their relationship ended in separation at one point, resulting in a court battle over child custody. After losing the case, she reconsidered and decided to reconcile for the sake of their children. Boy passed away on July 17, 1997. Garry Boy lives in the United States and works as a network programmer, while Marco Polo was a regular on the TV program *That's Entertainment* before passing away on March 5, 2010, due to cirrhosis, a chronic liver disease.
After being widowed for 11 years, she met Michael Charles Mayr, a retired civil engineer. She has been living in California with Mayr, whom she married in 2009. In February 2015, she returned to the Philippines to visit her 94-year-old mother.
