Mario Montez (born Rene Rivera) was one of the Warhol superstars, appearing in several of Andy Warhol's underground films from 1963 to 1968. He took his name as a male homage to the actress Maria Montez, an important gay icon in the fifties and sixties. Before appearing in Warhol's films, he appeared in Jack Smith's important underground films Flaming Creatures and Normal Love. Montez also stars in the Ron Rice film, Chumlum, made in 1964.