Fernanda Montenegro











Descending from Portuguese and Italians, Arlette Pinheiro Esteves da Silva, after her marriage with the also actor Fernando Torres, in 1953, changed her name to Arlette Pinheiro Monteiro Torres. But, she became widely known as Fernanda Montenegro, throughout Brazil, and more recently around the world with the success attained by "Central do Brasil ".

The "magic name" Fernanda Montenegro showed up for the first time when she was working on the radio, making translations and adaptations of Iiterary works into the soap opera format. Based on inspiration, but also mainly on perspiration, Fernanda projected herself as one of the best actresses and may be appointed today, as an actress who built her career all by herself, a true self made woman. Her artistic career became divided among the theater, the television and, with greater intensity in the last years, the cinema. Her debut in the theater actually happened in 1950, in the play "AIegres Canções nas Montanhas" along with Fernando Torres. In the beginning of the 50's she participated in detective drama stories for television.

Taking advantage of that period she improved her knowledge about theater and in a short time became a respected actress performing in several plays along with her husband and actors like Sérgio Britto, Cacilda Becker, Nathalia Timberg, Cláudio Corrêa e Castro and Italo Rossi.
In the beginning of the 60's, already established in São Paulo, she acted in more than 170 plays in the program "Grande Teatro Tupi".

But it was only in 1979 that her presence became more outstanding on the screen. Fernanda became the authors' - and the public's - favorite name having acted in several productions of Rede Globo, including soap operas, special programs and short series. Her participation in films is few when compared to the performance in the theater and even in television. The most well known film performance, prior to "Central do Brasil" was in "EIes Não Usam Black Tie" (1980) in which she acted with Gianfrancesco Guarnieri and the production won the Golden Lion prize as the best film in the Venice Cinema Festival.

As a matter of fact, the theater never failed to be her priority. For her excellent expressiveness, but in spite of being extremely versatile, Fernanda considers herself a conventional actress.

A woman devoted to the stage, to the television studios and now, more than ever, to films, Fernanda Montenegro, is achieving a deserved recognition in the international scenery for her performance in "Central do Brasil", by director Walter Salles. Apparently, the "virus" of the movies seems to have conquered her once and for all.


Project from
Felipe S. Renaud
Higher 3
Teacher Virginia

Centro Britânico
Pompéia Branch