Loyola to host Brazilian actress Fernanda Montenegro at virtual event
The event will offer a 90-minute program where students and faculty will have the chance to interact synchronously and ask questions. To students, it will be an opportunity to broaden their knowledge of an actor’s place in the world and how this work evolves with the actor’s life and societal changes. To faculty, the program will provide a deeper look at Montenegro’s career and her achievements from a scholarly perspective.
The event is free and open to the public.
“Having Ms. Montenegro speak to the Loyola community is an unbelievable honor,” said Daniel Pinha, MFA, associate professor of theater. “She is the embodiment of theater to so many of us, and Loyola friends can hear for themselves how this modest and approachable woman continues to inspire all those around her to identify and go for their vocation."
Montenegro’s career has spanned through diverse historical, social, and technological contexts for over seventy years. Born in Brazil, Montenegro started her career at just 15 years old. Since acting on on stage for the first time in 1950, Montenegro has been involved in more than a hundred plays and more than 30 movies. Considered by many the greatest Brazilian actress of all time, she is often referred to as the great lady of Brazilian theater, cinema, and performing arts.
“Ms. Montenegro is beyond thrilled to have the opportunity to speak with the Loyola community. She plans to share her experiences, what she has witnessed throughout her life and how it has affected her work,” said Carmen Mello, the executive producer for Montenegro and her projects.
Montenegro has accumulated numerous national and international awards over the years. These include being awarded an Emmy in 2013 for the TV show “Sweet Mother”; a Silver Berlin Bear in 1999 for her acting in the film “Central Station” (1998), for which she was also a Golden Globe and Oscar nominee for best actress; and achieving the National Board of Review Award for best actress in 1998.
For a more extensive list of her 50+ awards and nominations since the turn of the century, visit her IMDB page. In 1999, she was awarded her country's highest civilian honor, the National Order of Merit, “in recognition of her outstanding work in the Brazilian performing arts,” delivered by then-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso. At 91, she is still actively working in the industry.