The actress Fernanda Montenegro, considered one of the ladies of the national theater, took office tonight (25) at the Academia Brasileira de Letras (ABL). The only candidate for the vacancy, she received, on November 4 of last year, 32 of the 35 possible votes and, at the age of 92, is the first woman to assume seat 17, succeeding diplomat Affonso Arinos de Melo Franco (1930-2020). ). 
In her speech, Fernanda Montenegro thanked the artistic class and highlighted the possession of an actress for the ABL “William Shakespeare immortalized this structural concept of the affirmation of an art. The world is a stage and all of us human beings are actors on that stage. I am very grateful to my heart and my reason for being accepted in this house, protagonist, referenced, of our highest culture, which is the Brazilian Academy of Letters”, she said.
“Excited, I take chair number 17. I am an actress, I come from this mystical archaic art that is theater. I am the first representative of the Brazilian scene to be received in this house. This office of mine expresses a strange understanding. The root of this art lies in the complexity of only existing through the body and soul of an actor or an actress when bringing dramatic literature to the scenic verticality”, he added.
Soon after being elected, Fernanda expressed on her social network that the Academia Brasileira de Letras is a cultural reference for 125 years. “It has housed and houses representatives who honor the diversity of our creativity in various areas. I see the academy as a space for cultural resistance. I appreciate the opportunity”.
The actress received the news of the election through the also immortal of the ABL, Nélida Piñon.
Arlete Torres
Fernanda Montenegro is the artistic name of Arlette Pinheiro Monteiro Torres, born on October 16, 1929, in Rio de Janeiro. An actress and writer, she is considered one of the best actresses in the country. She was the first Latin American and the only Brazilian nominated for an Oscar for Best Actress, in 1999, for the film Brazil Central, by director Walter Salles. She was also the first Brazilian to win the International Emmy in the category of best actress for her performance in the series Mother’s Sweetfrom TV Globo, 2013.
“In recognition of her outstanding work in the Brazilian performing arts”, Fernanda Montenegro was decorated, in 1999, by the then President of the Republic, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, with the highest civil commendation in the country, the Grand Cross of the National Order of Merit. In addition to the five Molière awards, she won the 1998 Silver Bear at the Berlin Film Festival for her portrayal of Dora in the film Brazil Central.
In 2013, she was elected the 15th most influential celebrity in Brazil by Forbes magazine. During the opening ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Fernanda read the poem The flower and the nauseaby Carlos Drummond de Andrade, dubbed in English by actress Judi Dench.
She was the first actress hired by TV Tupi, in 1951, where she participated in 80 teletheaters. In telenovelas, his debut took place in 1954, as the protagonist of The wall, on RecordTV. He worked for most TV drama production stations, such as Band, TV Cultura, RecordTV and Rede Globo, where he has been since 1981, in addition to the extinct TV Excelsior, TV Rio and Rede Tupi.
In the area of literature, the actress published, in 2018, the book Fernanda Montenegro: Photobiographical Itinerary and, in the following year, he released the book Prologue, Act, Epilogueby Companhia das Letras, written in partnership with Marta Góes.
Listen on Radioagencia:
