Benita "Benny" Lopez | |
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Basic/General Character Information | |
Ethnicity: | Hispanic/Latino |
Born: | May 21, 1948, Los Angeles, CA, U.S |
Gender: | Female |
Family/Personal Facts | |
Family: | Manny Lopez (ex-husband) George Lopez (son) Linda Lorenzo (daughter) Angie Lopez (daughter-in-law) Carmen Lopez (granddaughter) Max Lopez (grandson) Dave Diaz (father) Luisa Diaz (mother) Joe Diaz (brother) Cecilia Lopez (ex-sister-in-law) |
Career/Job/Education | |
Series Appearances | |
First Episode | "Prototype" (Season 2) |
Last Episode | "George Decides to Sta-Local Where It's Familia" (Season 7, series finale) |
Played by: | Maria Beck (in flashback) Belita Moreno (Regular cast member, 120 episodes) |
Episodes appeared in: | 120 |
Benita "Benny" Lopez ( née Diaz) is the bitter, emotionally abusive mother of George Lopez. She is played on George Lopez by Belita Moreno. She's also played in a "flashback memory" sequence in one episode by Maria Beck.
Biography[]
Benita "Benny" Lopez ( née Diaz) was born to Louisa Diaz and an unnamed father on May 21, 1948 in Los, Angeles, California. She is of Mexican decent. She met Manuel "Manny" Lopez when she was 16 years old and got pregnant for her first child George Lopez. When George was two, she got pregnant with her second child Linda Lorenzo when Manny walked out. She tried to give away George, but regretted it and begged the Delgado family for George back in exchange for a dog. She ultimately gave up her daughter Linda instead to the Lorenzo's. When George was older, she convinced him his father died rather than tell him his father actually left and abandoned them. Benny isn't the best of mothers, exposing George to an abusive, dysfunctional home life and childhood and guarding secrets from her son that were unveiled during his adulthood. Despite that, she tried to be a good mother while raising him, and she really does love him.
When George was in his mid 30s, George found out his father was actually still alive and living as a wealthy contractor in Phoenix, Arizona. He remarried to Lydia Lopez and had their first child together George Lopez II. When they went to Arizona to meet his father, George and his father got into a fight and George was arrested for assaulting his dad and sent to jail.
Her personality / Relationship with George & Angie[]
Benny can seem bitter or cold sometimes, showing little care for her own son while he was growing up. Secretly, she does love George and deprived him of many privileges during his childhood not because she did not care about him, but because she worried about his safety. Despite not being the best role model for George when he was growing up, Benny did try, even when she thought she couldn't handle a kid. In the episode where her mother was revealed, it was stated that Benny had given George away, but only to give him a better family. After George was given back to her, he discovers that she did try and actually did do better than his grandma did.
Benny does seem to love her grandchildren, though, as she has given them some advice, none of it has helped. Benny is quite cynical and stubborn and hates to admit to making mistakes. She is an alcoholic and has a strong cigarette addiction. Her relationship with her son revolves around the two insulting each other with the occasional compliment thrown in before the insulting continues. She frequently calls George's wife, Angie "Princess" because Angie had a spoiled upbringing.
Relationships[]
Personal:
Louisa Diaz - Mother
Unnamed father
Joe Diaz - Brother
George Lopez - Son
Linda Lorenzo - Daughter (Gave up for adoption)
George Lopez - Son
Angie Lopez (née Palmero) - Daughter-in-law (Angie and George's daughter)
Carmen Lopez - Granddaughter
Max Lopez - Grandson
Notes[]
- Benny Lopez is based on Benita Gutierrez who was George's grandmother in real life and raised him.
- She is a minor antagonist and anti-hero of the series.
- In real life, Belita Moreno who played Benny Lopez was 11 years older than George Lopez.
- She was 16 years old, when she had George and resented him for being born and gave him a hard time for neglecting him.
Gallery[]
To see Benny's gallery click here.