Zezé Motta

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.

Born in Campos dos Goytacazes, she moved with her family to Rio de Janeiro at the age of two. She attended the school of Tablado Theatre and began her acting career in 1966, starring in the play Roda-viva, by Chico Buarque. 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. 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.