Maria José Motta de Oliveira (born 27 June 1944),
known as Zezé Motta, is a Brazilian actress and singer. She is considered one of the most important actresses in
Brazil
Brazil, officially the Federative Republic of Brazil, is the largest country in South America. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by area, fifth-largest country by area and the List of countries and dependencies by population ...
.
Life and career
Born in
Campos dos Goytacazes
Campos dos Goytacazes () is a city located in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, with a population of 483,540 inhabitants. It is the largest city in Rio de Janeiro (state) outside of the Greater Rio de Janeiro metropolitan ar ...
, she moved with her family to
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
at the age of two. She attended the school of
Tablado Theatre
Teatro O Tablado is a theatre in Rio de Janeiro, established in 1951 by Maria Clara Machado. Actors who have appeared here include Drica Moraes, Malu Mader, Ernesto Piccolo, Andréa Beltrão, Catarina Abdala, Louise Cardoso, Miguel Falabella, Luiz ...
and began her acting career in 1966, starring in the play ''Roda-viva'', by
Chico Buarque
Francisco Buarque de Hollanda (born 19 June 1944), popularly known simply as Chico Buarque (), is a Brazilian singer-songwriter, guitarist, composer, playwright, writer, and poet. He is best known for his music, which often includes social, econom ...
.
Other plays she worked in include ''Arena Conta Zumbi'' (1969), ''Orfeu Negro'' (1972), and ''Godspell'' (1974) She began her singing career in 1971 in the nightclubs of
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 ...
. Between 1975 and 1979, she released three LPs, and a further three albums in the 1980s. In 1976, she starred in the film ''
Xica da Silva''.
Over the decades she has acted in some of the most popular television soap operas and series.
Discography
# ''Gerson Conrad & Zezé Motta'' (1974) LP/CD
# ''Zezé Motta (Prazer, Zezé)'' (1978) LP/CD
# ''Negritude'' (1979) LP/CD
# ''Anunciação / Negritude'' (1980) Compacto
# ''Dengo'' (1980) LP/CD
# ''O Nosso Amor / Três Travestis'' (1982) Compacto
# ''Frágil Força'' (1984) LP
# ''Quarteto Negro'' (with Paulo Moura, Djalma Correia and Jorge Degas) (1987) LP/CD
# ''La Femme Enchantée'' (1987) DVD
# ''A Chave dos Segredos'' (1995) CD
# ''Divina Saudade'' (2000)
# E-Collection ''Sucessos + Raridades'' (2001) 2 CDs
# ''Negra Melodia'' (2011) CD
Television
* 2023 - ''
Fuzuê
''Fuzuê'' is a Brazilian telenovela created by Gustavo Reiz. It aired on TV Globo from 14 August 2023 to 1 March 2024. The telenovela stars Giovana Cordeiro, Nicolas Prattes, Marina Ruy Barbosa, Edson Celulari, Lilia Cabral, Felipe Simas, He ...
'' - Rosa Maria dos Santos "Dama de Ouro"
* 2020 - ''
Salve-se Quem Puder
''Salve-se Quem Puder'' (English title: ''Run For Your Lives'') is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast by TV Globo. It premiered on 27 January 2020, replacing '' Bom Sucesso'', and ended on 16 July 2021. The series is written by Daniel ...
'' - Neusa Ferraz
* 2017 - ''
O Outro Lado do Paraíso'' - Mãe Quilombo
* 2016 - ''
3%'' - Nair
* 2011 - ''
Rebelde
''Rebelde'' ( English: ''Rebel'') is a Mexican telenovela produced by Pedro Damián for Televisa, broadcast by Canal de las Estrellas (now known simply as Las Estrellas). It is a remake of the Argentine telenovela, '' Rebelde Way'', adapted f ...
'' - Dalva Alves (Dadá)
* 2009/2010 - ''Cinquentinha'' - Janaína (Naná)
* 2007 - ''Luz do Sol'' - Odete Lustosa
* 2006 - ''
Sinhá Moça'' - Virgínia (Bá)
* 2005 - ''
Floribella'' - Titina
* 2004 - ''Metamorphoses'' - Prazeres da Anunciação
* 2002 - ''
O Beijo do Vampiro'' - Nadir
* 2001 - ''
Porto dos Milagres
Porto dos Milagres (English: ''Port of Miracles'') is a Brazilian telenovela that was produced and aired by TV Globo
TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known a ...
'' - Ricardina
* 2000 - ''Esplendor'' - Irene
* 2000 - ''
Almeida Garrett
João Baptista da Silva Leitão de Almeida Garrett, 1st Viscount of Almeida Garrett (; 4 February 1799 – 9 December 1854) was a Portuguese poet, orator, playwright, novelist, journalist, politician, and a peer of the realm. A major promoter ...
'' - Rosa Lima
* 1999 - ''Chiquinha Gonzaga'' - Conceição
* 1998 - ''
Corpo Dourado'' - Liana
* 1996 - ''Xica da Silva'' - Maria da Silva
* 1995 - ''
A Próxima Vítima
''A Próxima Vítima'' ( English: ''The Next Victim'') is a Brazilian telenovela that was produced and aired by TV Globo
TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply kn ...
'' - Fátima Noronha
* 1994 - ''Memorial de Maria Moura'' - Rubina
* 1992 - ''
Você Decide
''Você Decide'' (''You Decide'' / ''It's Your Call'') was an interactive television program broadcast on the Brazilian TV network Rede Globo from 1992 to 2000. During each episode special cases were presented, and viewers would decide the ending ...
''
* 1990 - ''Mãe de Santo'' - Ialorixá
* 1989 - ''Kananga do Japão'' - Lulu Kelly
* 1989 - ''Pacto de Sangue'' - Maria
* 1987 - ''Helena'' - Malvina
* 1984 - ''
Corpo a Corpo
''Corpo a Corpo'' (''Body to Body'' in English) is a 1984 Brazilian telenovela, aired on TV Globo. It was written by Gilberto Braga and Leonor Brassères.
Cast
*Antônio Fagundes as Osmar
*Gloria Menezes as Teresa
*Débora Duarte as Eloá
*Hug ...
'' - Sônia Nascimento Rangel
* 1984 - ''Transas e Caretas'' - Dorinha
* 1978 - ''Ciranda, Cirandinha''
* 1976 - ''
Duas Vidas'' - Jandira
* 1974 - ''
Supermanoela'' - Doralice
* 1972 - ''A Patota''
* 1968 - ''
Beto Rockfeller
''Beto Rockfeller'' is a Brazilian telenovela produced by TV Tupi and aired from November 4, 1968, to November 30, 1969. It was created by Cassiano Gabus Mendes, written by Bráulio Pedroso and directed by Lima Duarte and Walter Avancini.
Plot
...
'' - Zezé
Cinema
* 2012 - ''
Gonzaga — de Pai pra Filho''
* 2009 - ''
Xuxa em O Mistério de Feiurinha'' - Jeruza
* 2007 - ''Deserto Feliz'' - Dona Vaga
* 2006 - ''
A Ilha dos Escravos'' - Júlia
* 2006 - ''Kinshasa Palace''
* 2006 - ''Cobrador: In God We Trust'' - Secretaría
* 2006 - ''O Amigo Invisível''
* 2005 - ''Quanto Vale ou É por Quilo?''
* 2004 - ''
Xuxa e o Tesouro da Cidade Perdida'' - Aurora Hipólito
* 2003 - ''
Carolina''
* 2003 - ''
Sehnsucht'' - Miguel's mother
* 2002 - ''
Xuxa e os Duendes 2 - No Caminho das Fadas''
* 2002 - ''Viva Sapato!''
* 2000 - ''Cronicamente Inviável'' - Ada
* 1999 - ''
Orfeu'' - Conceição
* 1997 - ''O Testamento do Senhor Napumoceno'' - Eduarda
* 1996 - ''
Tieta do Agreste'' - Carmosina
* 1990 - ''O Gato de Botas Extraterrestre''
* 1989 - ''
The Little Mermaid
"The Little Mermaid" (), sometimes translated in English as "The Little Sea Maid", is a fairy tale written by Danish author Hans Christian Andersen. Originally published in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for children, the story foll ...
'' -
Ursula (Voice-over; Brazilian version)
* 1989 - ''
Dias Melhores Virão'' - Dalila
* 1988 - ''
Mestizo
( , ; fem. , literally 'mixed person') is a term primarily used to denote people of mixed European and Indigenous ancestry in the former Spanish Empire. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturall ...
'' - Cruz Guaregua
* 1988 - ''
Prisoner of Rio'' - Rita
* 1988 - ''Natal da Portela'' - Maria Elisa
* 1987 - ''Sonhos de Menina Moça''
* 1987 - ''
Anjos da Noite'' - Malu
* 1987 - ''
Jubiabá''
* 1984 - ''Águia na Cabeça''
* 1984 - ''Para Viver um Grande Amor''
* 1984 - ''
Quilombo
A ''quilombo'' (); from the Kimbundu word , ) is a Brazilian hinterland town, settlement founded by people of Afro-Brazilians, African origin, and others sometimes called Carabali. Most of the inhabitants of quilombos, called quilombolas, were ...
'' - Dandara
* 1978 - ''
Tudo Bem'' - Zezé
* 1978 - ''Se Segura, Malandro!''
* 1977 - ''Cordão de Ouro''
* 1977 - ''Ouro Sangrento''
* 1977 - ''A Força do Xangô''
* 1976 - ''
Xica'' - Xica da Silva
* 1974 - ''Um Varão Entre as Mulheres''
* 1974 - ''Banana Mecânica''
* 1974 - ''A Rainha Diaba''
* 1973 - ''Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo''
* 1970 - ''Em Cada Coração um Punhal''
* 1970 - ''Cleo e Daniel''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Motta, Zeze
Living people
1944 births
Afro-Brazilian actresses
Afro-Brazilian women singers
Afro-Brazilian television hosts
Brazilian film actresses
Brazilian telenovela actresses
Brazilian stage actresses
Brazilian television actresses
Brazilian theatre managers and producers
People from Campos dos Goytacazes
Actresses from Rio de Janeiro (state)
20th-century Brazilian actresses
21st-century Brazilian actresses
20th-century Brazilian women singers
20th-century Brazilian singers
21st-century Brazilian women singers
21st-century Brazilian singers