Known by the screen name Fleur de Lis before and during World War II,[2] she was one of the renowned Filipina actresses of the late 1930s and 1940s.
Before the war struck Manila, Mona Lisa paired with famous debonair actor of the 40s Serafin Garcia in the movie Tinangay ng Apoy in 1940 and second lead only to the Philippines' newest screen siren of the early 1940s Paraluman opposite Fernando Poe.
She resumed her film career in 1970 after an absence of nearly two decades, and remained active in the industry where she got a Best Supporting Actress Award for Insiang, and another Best Supporting Actress Award for the Metro Manila Film Festival in 1977 consecutively, where she portrayed a sex hungry mother of Insiang played by Hilda Koronel.
Some of her films from the mid to late 70s were as a supporting actress to lead actors such as Rio Locsin in Risa Jones: Showgirl!
(1979), Atsay (1978) with Nora Aunor, Pagputi ng Uwak, Pag-itim ng Tagak (1978) with Vilma Santos and Bembol Roco, Mananayaw (1978) with Chanda Romero and Phillip Salvador, Hindi Kami Damong Ligaw (1976) with Charito Solis, and Itim (1976), in which she plays the mother of the character interpreted by a then promising talent and rising star, Charo Santos.