Who is Fernanda Torres, Oscar-nominated Brazilian actress

Brazilian actress Fernanda Torres was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Eunice Paiva in “I'm Still Here”, directed by Walter Salles, which was also nominated in the categories of Best Picture and Best International Feature.

Torres is the second Brazilian to be nominated in the acting category. The first was her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, who competed in the film “Central Station”, also directed by Salles, in 1999. Torres' performance won her the Golden Globe for Best Actress in Drama.

Now 59, Torres has a career spanning four decades. The daughter of Montenegro and fellow actor Fernando Torres, the actress made her theatrical debut in 1979 at the age of 13. In the same year she made her television debut and made her first film appearance in 1983 in the movie “Inocência”.

She also won the best actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for “Eu Sei Que Vou te Amar” (1986), a drama directed by Arnaldo Jabor. Later, in 1997, she starred in “O que é Isso, Companheiro?”, nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

Some of the actress's iconic characters are: Alex, from the movie "Terra Estrangeira” (1995), by Walter Salles and Daniela Thomas; Vani from "Os Normais" (2001 - 2003), an iconic comedy series; and Fátima, from "Tapas & Beijos" (2011 - 2015).

As well as acting, writing is another occupation in which Torres excels. She has written scripts for series and films, chronicles, columns and books. In 2018, he won the Jabuti Prize, Brazil's most traditional literary honor, with the book ‘Fim’.

The actress is now in the running for an Oscar for her role as Eunice Paiva, a lawyer and activist who fought for recognition of the death of her husband, Rubens Paiva, during the military dictatorship.

“This is proof that art can endure in difficult times, as Eunice Paiva, who I play, showed. It's a movie that helps us show how to survive in difficult times,” said Torres on winning the Golden Globe. She was the first Brazilian to win the award.

“I'm Still Here” was a success with audiences in Brazil and around the world, winning praise from critics and specialized publications. For Brazilians, however, the Oscar nomination only confirms something already known: Fernanda Torres' iconic status in Brazilian cinema.