Sônia Maria Campos Braga (; born 8 June 1950) is a Brazilian actress. She is known in the English-speaking world for her
Golden Globe Award
The Golden Globe Awards are awards presented for excellence in both international film and television. It is an annual award ceremony held since 1944 to honor artists and professionals and their work. The ceremony is normally held every Janua ...
–nominated performances in ''
Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1985) and ''
Moon over Parador
''Moon over Parador'' is a 1988 American romantic comedy film directed and produced by Paul Mazursky, who co-wrote the screenplay with Leon Capetanos. The film is based on the short story "Caviar for His Excellency" by Charles G. Booth and is ...
'' (1988). She also received a
BAFTA Award
The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTAs or BAFTA Awards, is an annual film award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to f ...
nomination in 1981 for ''
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands'' (first released in 1976). For the 1994 television film ''
The Burning Season'', she was nominated for an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the year, each with their own set of rules and award categor ...
and a third Golden Globe Award. Her other television and film credits include ''
The Cosby Show
''The Cosby Show'' is an American television sitcom created by (along with Ed. Weinberger and Michael J. Leeson) and starring Bill Cosby that originally aired on NBC from September 20, 1984, to April 30, 1992, with a total of 201 half-hour e ...
'' (1986), ''
The Milagro Beanfield War
''The Milagro Beanfield War'' is a 1988 American comedy-drama film directed by Robert Redford, based on a novel by John Nichols. The movie features an ensemble cast including Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga, Julie Carmen, James G ...
'' (1988), ''
The Rookie'' (1990), ''
Angel Eyes'' (2001), ''
Sex and the City
''Sex and the City'' is an American romantic comedy, romantic comedy-drama television series created by Darren Star for HBO, based on Sex and the City (newspaper column), the newspaper column and 1996 book by Candace Bushnell. It premiered in th ...
'' (2001), ''
American Family'' (2002), ''
Alias'' (2005), ''
Aquarius'' (2016), ''
Bacurau'' (2019), and ''
Fatima
Fatima bint Muhammad (; 605/15–632 CE), commonly known as Fatima al-Zahra' (), was the daughter of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and his wife Khadija. Fatima's husband was Ali, the fourth of the Rashidun caliphs and the first Shia imam. ...
'' (2020). In 2020, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' ranked her #24 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.
Early life
Sônia Braga was born on June 8, 1950,
She is daughter of
Afro Brazilian
Afro-Brazilians (; ), also known as Black Brazilians (), are Brazilians of total or predominantly Sub-Saharan African ancestry. Most multiracial Brazilians also have a range of degree of African ancestry. Brazilians whose African features are mo ...
Hélio Fernando Ferraz Braga and Maria Braga Jaci Campos, a costume designer from
Maringá
Maringá () is a Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in southern Brazil founded on 10 May 1947 as a planned urban area. It is the third largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná, with 385,753 inhabitants in the city proper, and 76 ...
.
Sônia's siblings are Júlio, Ana, Hélio, and Maria. Sônia is the aunt of
Alice Braga, an actress. Her parents and her four siblings moved to
Curitiba
Curitiba () is the capital and largest city in the state of Paraná (state), Paraná in Southern Brazil. The city's population was 1,773,718 , making it the List of cities in Brazil by population, eighth most populous city in Brazil and the larg ...
and then to
Campinas
Campinas (, ''Plains'' or ''Meadows'') is a Brazilian Municipalities of Brazil, municipality in São Paulo (state), São Paulo State, part of the country's Southeast Region, Brazil, Southeast Region. According to the 2020 estimate, the city's popul ...
,
São Paulo
São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
. When Braga was 8 years old, her father died, and she attended a convent school in
São Paulo
São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
.
Career
In her teens, she took a job as a receptionist and typist at Buffet Torres, a wedding reception and event catering company in São Paulo.
Her brother Hélio presented the
TV Tupi children's show ''Jardim Encantado''. At age 14, Braga was invited by director Vicente Sesso to play small roles in children's programs and ''teleteatros'' on TV Tupi, including ''Jardim Encantado''. Braga then joined a theater group in
Santo André
Santo ('saint' in various languages) may refer to:
People
* Santo (given name)
* Santo (surname)
* El Santo, Rodolfo Guzmán Huerta (1917–1984), Mexican wrestler and actor
* Bob Santo or Santo, stage name of Ghanaian comedian John Evans Kwad ...
, in the
ABC region.
At 17, she debuted in the play ''
George Dandin
''George Dandin ou le mari confondu'' (''George Dandin or The Thwarted Husband'') is a French Comédie-ballet in three acts by Molière, with music by Jean-Baptiste Lully, choreography by Pierre Beauchamp, and architecture/staging by Carlo Vigaran ...
'' in Santo André.
In 1968, she was cast in the first Brazilian production of the musical ''
Hair
Hair is a protein filament that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Hair is one of the defining characteristics of mammals.
The human body, apart from areas of glabrous skin, is covered in follicles which produce thick terminal and ...
''.
Sônia was, at first, turned down by director , but at the insistence of producer/actor , she joined
Antônio Fagundes
Antônio José da Silva Fagundes Filho (born 18 April 1949) is a Brazilian actor, playwright, voice actor, and producer. Renowned for his several performances in stage, film and television, where he frequently works in telenovelas.
Biography
Fa ...
,
Ney Latorraca, and the rest of the cast. Despite
Institutional Act No. 5 being enacted by the dictatorship in Brazil, the musical ran for 3 years.
In 1977,
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (; born 7 August 1942) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicália, which encompas ...
wrote the song ''
Tigresa'' in tribute to her: “She tells me she was an actress and worked on ''Hair''. With some men she was happy, with others she was a woman”...
In 1968, Braga was in the film ''
O Bandido da Luz Vermelha''. In 1969, she was invited to perform in ''A Menina do Veleiro Azul'', a soap opera produced by
TV Excelsior
TV Excelsior was a Brazilian television network founded by Mário Wallace Simonsen on July 9, 1960, in São Paulo, São Paulo. Its last broadcast happened on September 30, 1970, when the Brazilian military dictatorship put an abrupt end to i ...
, but the network closed before the soap opera aired. In 1970, Braga was invited to join the cast of ''Irmãos Coragem'', a soap opera written by
Janete Clair, which aired on
Rede Globo
TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto Marinho on 26 April 1965 ...
. Also in the early 1970s, she appeared in supporting roles in the films ' and ''Cléo e Daniel''.
Despite the success on stage and acting in soap operas, it was in the children's television series ''
Vila Sésamo'', broadcast in 1972, that Braga became a household name.
In 1975, Braga starred in the telenovela ''
Gabriela'', an adaptation of
Jorge Amado
Jorge Amado ( 10 August 1912 – 6 August 2001) was a Brazilian writer of the modernist school. He remains the best-known of modern Brazilian writers, with his work having been translated into some 49 languages and popularized in film, includi ...
's novel ''
Gabriela, Clove and Cinnamon''. Directed by Walter Avancini, the
soap opera
A soap opera (also called a daytime drama or soap) is a genre of a long-running radio or television Serial (radio and television), serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term ''soap opera'' originat ...
was a great national and international success, establishing her as a
sex symbol
A sex symbol or icon is a person or character widely considered sexually attractive and often synonymous with sexuality. Pam Cook, "The trouble with sex: Diana Dors and the Blonde bombshell phenomenon", In: Bruce Babinigton (ed.), ''British St ...
. Braga returned to embody another Jorge Amado character, starring in the 1976 film ''
Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands'' directed by
Bruno Barreto
Bruno Villela Barreto Borges (born 16 March 1955) is a Brazilian film director.
Biography
Born in Rio de Janeiro, Barreto has been making feature-length films ever since he was 17 years old and remains one of Brazil's most accomplished and pop ...
, alongside
José Wilker and
Mauro Mendonça. The romantic comedy was a box office hit in Brazilian cinemas and also received major recognition internationally. In 1983, she starred in the film ''
Gabriela'', alongside
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni (26 September 1924Come da lui stesso dichiarato a 1'10" dquesta intervista/ref> – 19 December 1996) was an Italian actor. He is generally regarded as one of Italy's most iconic male performers of the 20t ...
.
In 1976, Braga participated in the cast of ''
Saramandaia''. The following year she starred in ''Espelho Mágico'' as Cynthia Levy. One of the highlights of the soundtrack of the soap opera is the cover version that
Gal Costa
Gal Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos (born Maria da Graça Costa Penna Burgos; 26 September 1945 – 9 November 2022), known professionally as Gal Costa (), was a Brazilian singer of Música popular brasileira, popular music. Twelve-times Bra ...
recorded of ''Tigresa'', music that
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (; born 7 August 1942) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicália, which encompas ...
composed in honor of Braga. In the late 1970s, Braga gave life to another renowned character in Brazilian television, Julia Matos in ''Dancin' Days'' (1978). In the storyline, Braga played an ex-convict who gets out of prison ready to win back the love of her daughter, played by
Gloria Pires
Gloria may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Music Christian liturgy and music
* Gloria in excelsis Deo, the Greater Doxology, a hymn of praise
* Gloria Patri, the Lesser Doxology, a short hymn of praise
** Gloria (Handel)
** Gloria (Jenkin ...
. In 1979, Braga performed in children's theater in the play ''No País dos Prequetés''. The following year she returned to television in the telenovela ''Chega Mais'' alongside
Tony Ramos.
In the early 1980s, Braga, who had already made films like ''
Lady on the Bus'' (1978), decided to devote herself exclusively to the movies. In 1981, she starred in ''
Eu Te Amo'' directed by
Arnaldo Jabor
Arnaldo Jabor (12 December 1940 – 15 February 2022) was a Brazilian film director and producer, screenwriter, writer, journalist and political pundit for Brazilian television network Rede Globo.
Biography
He was of Jewish Lebanese descent an ...
, and won the best actress award at the
Gramado Film Festival
The Gramado Film Festival () is an international film festival held annually in the Brazilian city of Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, since 1973. In 1992, the festival began to award Latin American films produced outside of Brazil. It is the biggest ...
. She starred in the movie ''
Kiss of the Spider Woman'' (1985) alongside
William Hurt and
Raul Julia
Raúl Rafael Carlos Juliá y Arcelay (March 9, 1940 – October 24, 1994) was a Puerto Rican actor. He was known for his intense and varied roles on stage and screen. He started his career in the Public Theater before transitioning to film. He ...
. Her role led to a
Golden Globe nomination for best supporting actress and its success led to her international work. She decided to leave Brazil for a career in the United States, where she lived for 14 years. In 2003, she obtained
American citizenship
Citizenship of the United States is a legal status that entails Americans with specific rights, duties, protections, and benefits in the United States. It serves as a foundation of fundamental rights derived from and protected by the Consti ...
.

Braga was the first Brazilian to present a category at the
Oscars
The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence i ...
. She was announced by
Goldie Hawn
Goldie Jeanne Hawn (born November 21, 1945) is an American actress, producer, dancer, and singer. She achieved stardom and acclaim for playing lighthearted comedic roles in film and television. In a career spanning six decades, she has received ...
as one of the most glamorous actresses in the world, before appearing with
Michael Douglas
Michael Kirk Douglas (born September 25, 1944) is an American actor and film producer. He has received numerous accolades, including two Academy Awards, five Golden Globe Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and the ...
, who announced the result of the best short film. Braga competed for many prestigious awards in the United States. For her performance in ''
The Burning Season'' (1994) she was nominated for the third time for the
Golden Globe for best supporting actress. In 1995, she was nominated for an
Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie for ''
The Burning Season'', but lost to
Shirley Knight. The film details the life of Brazilian activist
Chico Mendes. In 1996, she won the Lone Star Film & Television Award for best supporting actress for her work in ''
Streets of Laredo'' directed by
Joseph Sargent
Joseph Sargent (born Giuseppe Danielle Sorgente; July 22, 1925 – December 22, 2014) was an American film director. He is best known for his feature-length works, like the action movie '' White Lightning'' starring Burt Reynolds, the biopi ...
. That same year, director
Nicolas Roeg
Nicolas Jack Roeg ( ; 15 August 1928 – 23 November 2018) was an English film director and cinematographer, best known for directing ''Performance (film), Performance'' (1970), ''Walkabout (film), Walkabout'' (1971), ''Don't Look Now'' (1973) ...
offered her the lead role in the film ''
Two Deaths'' alongside
Patrick Malahide. Braga also had the lead in ''
Tieta of Agreste'' (1996), directed by
Carlos Diegues.
In 1999, after nearly 20 years away from Brazilian television, the actress made a cameo in the first 15 chapters of the soap opera ''
Força de um Desejo'' (1999), by Gilberto Braga and Alcides Nogueira, in the role of Helena Silveira, mother of characters
Fábio Assunção and
Selton Mello. In 2001, she joined the cast of ''
Memórias Póstumas'' directed by
André Klotzel, based on ''
The Posthumous Memoirs of Bras Cubas
''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...
'' by
Machado de Assis
Joaquim Maria Machado de Assis (), often known by his surnames as Machado de Assis, ''Machado,'' or ''Bruxo do Cosme Velho''Vainfas, p. 505. (21 June 1839 – 29 September 1908), was a pioneer Brazilian people, Brazilian novelist, poet, playwr ...
. For her performance in this film, she won the Kikito award for best supporting actress at the
Gramado Film Festival
The Gramado Film Festival () is an international film festival held annually in the Brazilian city of Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul, since 1973. In 1992, the festival began to award Latin American films produced outside of Brazil. It is the biggest ...
.
In 2001 Braga appeared in ''
Angel Eyes'', a romantic drama film directed by
Luis Mandoki
Luis Mandoki (born August 17, 1954) is a Mexican film director, working in Mexico and Cinema of the United States, Hollywood.
Early life and education
Luis Mandoki was born on August 17, 1954 in Mexico City. His parents are Hungarian Jews. He ...
and starring
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lynn Lopez (born July 24, 1969), also known by her nickname J.Lo, is an American singer, songwriter, actress, dancer and businesswoman. Lopez is regarded as one of the most influential entertainers of her time, credited with breaking ...
. In 2002, she appeared in ''
American Family'', a
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
series created by
Gregory Nava
Gregory James Nava (born April 10, 1949) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter.
Personal life
Nava was born in San Diego, of Mexican and Basque heritage. Nava graduated from St. Augustine High School in San Diego and attended ...
that follows the lives of a
Latino family in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
. In 2006, she returned to work in Globo's telenovela ''
Páginas da Vida'', playing sculptor Tônia. In 2010, she starred in the episode "A Adultera da Urca" of the miniseries ''
As Cariocas'', and in 2011, made a cameo in ''
Tapas & Beijos
''Tapas & Beijos'' (English: ''Slaps & Kisses'') is a Brazilian comedy television series that aired on Rede Globo from 5 April 2011 to 15 September 2015. It was created by Cláudio Paiva, directed by Maurício Farias and starring Andréa Beltrã ...
''.
Braga had a recurring role as Lorraine Correia in the sixth season of the series ''
Royal Pains
''Royal Pains'' is an American comedy-drama television series that ran on the USA Network from 2009 to 2016. The series is based in part on contemporary concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies and follows Hank Lawson, ...
''. Braga's scenes were filmed on location in Mexico and her episodes were aired in August 2014. In 2016, she appeared in
Netflix
Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...
's Marvel show ''
Luke Cage
Lucas "Luke" Cage, born Carl Lucas and also known as Power Man, is a superhero appearing in American comic books published by Marvel Comics. Created by Archie Goodwin, George Tuska, Roy Thomas, and John Romita Sr. in 1972, he was the first Af ...
'' as Rosario Dawson's mother.
Braga received positive reviews for her film ''
Aquarius'' when it premiered at the
2016 Cannes Film Festival
The 69th Cannes Film Festival took place from 11 to 22 May 2016. Australian filmmaker George Miller (filmmaker), George Miller was the president of the jury for the main competition. French actor Laurent Lafitte was the host for the opening and ...
. Braga plays a widow and retired music writer who lives in the titular apartment complex and refuses to leave when developers offer her a buy-out. Though the film did not earn an Oscar nomination for Braga, it did contend for Best Foreign Film at France's
Cesar Awards and the
Independent Spirit Awards
The Independent Spirit Awards, originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards, and later as the Film Independent Spirit Awards, are awards presented annually in Santa Monica, California, to independent filmmakers. Founded in ...
. She ranked in the top five in
IndieWire's 2016 critics' poll for
Academy Award for Best Actress
The Academy Award for Best Actress is an award presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It has been awarded since the 1st Academy Awards to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance in a lead ...
.
In 2020, ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' ranked her #24 in its list of the 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century.
Personal life
Braga is a naturalized American, living since 1990 in New York City, while also having two homes in Brazil, an apartment in Rio de Janeiro and a beach house in
Niterói
Niterói () is a List of municipalities in Rio de Janeiro, municipality in the state of Rio de Janeiro (state), Rio de Janeiro, in the Southeast Region, Brazil, southeast region of Brazil. It lies across Guanabara Bay, facing the city of Rio de ...
.
Braga was married twice: first to fellow actor
Arduíno Colassanti from 1970 to 1976, and then to photographer from 1980 to 1988.
During the 1980s, Braga also had a relationship with actor
Robert Redford
Charles Robert Redford Jr. (born August 18, 1936) is an American actor and filmmaker. He has received numerous accolades such as an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, as well as the Cecil B. DeMille Award in 1994, the ...
, She then had a relationship with
Pat Metheny
Patrick Bruce Metheny ( ; born August 12, 1954) is an American jazz guitarist and composer.
He was the leader of the Pat Metheny Group (1977–2010) and continues to work in various small-combo, duet, and solo settings, as well as other side pr ...
,
and with singer
Caetano Veloso
Caetano Emanuel Viana Teles Veloso (; born 7 August 1942) is a Brazilian composer, singer, guitarist, writer, and political activist. Veloso first became known for his participation in the Brazilian musical movement Tropicália, which encompas ...
, who wrote the songs “Tigresa” and “Trem das Cores” based on her.
In August 2016, Braga revealed in an interview with the Brazilian ''
Elle
Elle may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Elle (magazine), ''Elle'' (magazine), a fashion publication
** Elle Style Awards
* Elle (India), ''Elle'' (India), the Indian edition
* Elle (film), ''Elle'' (film), a 2016 French film
* ''Elle: ...
'' that she never intended to have children due to professional ambitions. She underwent four abortions, the first after her first sexual relationship at the age of 17 which led to a severe hemorrhage followed by a uterine infection that nearly killed her.
Filmography
Film
Television
Awards and nominations
References
External links
*
Sonia Bragaat Yahoo! Movies
{{DEFAULTSORT:Braga, Sonia
1950 births
Living people
People from Maringá
Brazilian film actresses
Brazilian television actresses
Brazilian emigrants to the United States
People from Roosevelt Island
American film actresses
American television actresses
Naturalized citizens of the United States
20th-century Brazilian actresses
21st-century Brazilian actresses
20th-century American actresses
21st-century American actresses