Fernanda Montenegro
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Arlette Pinheiro Esteves da Silva was born on 16th October 1929 in Rio
de Janeiro. She adopted the name "Fernanda" because she thought it
sounded good. "Montenegro" came after her family doctor.
In late 40s she was translating and adapting famous theater plays to
radio. She begun her artistic life in the theater with the play
"Alegres Canções nas Montanhas" in 1950. Among her mates was Fernando
Torres, who would soon become her husband. Next she use the married
name Arlette Pinheiro Monteiro Torres. In the next years she worked
with other great actors like Sérgio Britto, Cacilda Becker, Nathália
Timberg, Cláudio Corrêa e Castro and Ítalo Rossi.
In the early 60s she moved to São Paulo where she worked on many
theater plays and also stared working on television. Her first soap
operas was "Pouco Amor Não é Amor". In 1964 she started working for
cinema as well. Her first film was "A Falecida". In 1965 her daughter
Fernanda Torres was born. She later also became a famous actress.
As time went by, more and more successful soap operas and plays came up
and she received many prizes. She was later called "The First Lady of
Brazilian Theater". In cinema, after some not very famous films, she
worked on "Eles Não Usam Black-Tie" (1981), largely applauded by the
critics.
Her success on television and theater continued, but her cinema career,
although it never stopped, was largely unnoticed until 1997, when "O
Que é Isso, Companheiro?", a nominee for the Oscar of Best Film in a
Foreign Language, was released. In 1998 "Central do Brasil" enchanted
the world. This film, another nominee for the Oscar, was the highest
moment of Fernanda Montengro's cinema career, once she was a nominee
for Best Actress. The Oscar was not given to her, but the actress got
the Berlin prize. In 1999 she had another great achievement on TV, "O
Auto da Compadecida", later cut to a film format and released in the
movie theaters.
de Janeiro. She adopted the name "Fernanda" because she thought it
sounded good. "Montenegro" came after her family doctor.
In late 40s she was translating and adapting famous theater plays to
radio. She begun her artistic life in the theater with the play
"Alegres Canções nas Montanhas" in 1950. Among her mates was Fernando
Torres, who would soon become her husband. Next she use the married
name Arlette Pinheiro Monteiro Torres. In the next years she worked
with other great actors like Sérgio Britto, Cacilda Becker, Nathália
Timberg, Cláudio Corrêa e Castro and Ítalo Rossi.
In the early 60s she moved to São Paulo where she worked on many
theater plays and also stared working on television. Her first soap
operas was "Pouco Amor Não é Amor". In 1964 she started working for
cinema as well. Her first film was "A Falecida". In 1965 her daughter
Fernanda Torres was born. She later also became a famous actress.
As time went by, more and more successful soap operas and plays came up
and she received many prizes. She was later called "The First Lady of
Brazilian Theater". In cinema, after some not very famous films, she
worked on "Eles Não Usam Black-Tie" (1981), largely applauded by the
critics.
Her success on television and theater continued, but her cinema career,
although it never stopped, was largely unnoticed until 1997, when "O
Que é Isso, Companheiro?", a nominee for the Oscar of Best Film in a
Foreign Language, was released. In 1998 "Central do Brasil" enchanted
the world. This film, another nominee for the Oscar, was the highest
moment of Fernanda Montengro's cinema career, once she was a nominee
for Best Actress. The Oscar was not given to her, but the actress got
the Berlin prize. In 1999 she had another great achievement on TV, "O
Auto da Compadecida", later cut to a film format and released in the
movie theaters.