Francisca Xavier Queiroz de Jesus (22 January 1932 – 8 August 2020), known professionally as Chica Xavier, was a Brazilian actress and producer. Xavier worked in stage, film, and television. She was known primarily for her work in Rede Globo's telenovelas, but was active in stage for 60 years. Xavier was born in Salvador, Bahia. She was married to actor Clementino Kelé.[1][2][3]
Chica Xavier | |
|---|---|
 Xavier in 2010 | |
| Born | Francisca Xavier Queiroz 22 January 1932 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil |
| Died | 8 August 2020 (aged 88) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1953–2012 |
| Spouse |
Clementino Kelé (m. 1956) |
| Children | 3 |
Xavier started working at 14 years as bookbinder at the Official Press of the State of Bahia. She moved to Rio de Janeiro in 1953 and studied theater with Pascoal Carlos Magno. Her theater debut was on September 25, 1956 at the Teatro Municipal. Xavier acted in Orfeu da Conceição alongside Haroldo Costa, Léa Garcia, Cyro Monteiro, Dirce Paiva, Clementino Kelé, among others. Xavier played the role of Dama Negra, which symbolized Death; she recited verses from Vinícius de Moraes and danced to atabaques, or Afro-Brazilian drumming.[2]
Xavier's film debut was in Assalto ao Trem Pagador in 1962, directed by Roberto Farias. She then worked in several Rede Globo productions. In 1973 Xavier debuted on TV in the telenovela Os Ossos do Barão. She played more than 50 characters on television, and was a cast member in Sinhá Moça, Dancin' Days, Renascer, Pátria Minha, Força de um Desejo, and the miniseries Tenda dos Milagres, where she played the mãe-de-santo Magé Bassã.[1]
Xavier published Chica Xavier canta sua prosa: Cantigas, louvações e rezas para os orixás in 1999. The book had a preface by her friend Miguel Falabella, and was illustrated by her daughter Izabela d'Oxóssi. She was the subject of a biography in 2013 by Teresa Montero titled Chica Xavier: Mãe do Brasil. Xavier was born at a Candomblé terreiro, or temple. She was the leader of a Candomblé religious community in Rio de Janeiro, the Cercado de Boiadeiro.[2]
Filmography
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | O Assalto ao Trem Pagador | Lino's wife | |
| 1973 | Um Virgem na Praça | ||
| 1975 | Uma Mulata Para Todos | ||
| 1979 | Lerfá Mú | ||
| 1979 | A Deusa Negra | ||
| 1983 | Inocência | ||
| 1986 | Sinhá Moça | Virgínia | TV series |
| 1988 | Fera Radical | Júlia | TV series |
| 1993 | Encontros imperfeitos | D. Joana | |
| 1993 | Renascer | Inácia | |
| 1996 | O Rei do Gado | TV series | |
| 1999 | Força de um Desejo | Rosália | TV series |
| 2001 | A Partilha | Bá Toinha | |
| 2002 | Esperança | Nhá Rita | TV series |
| 2004 | Um Só Coração | Isolina | TV mini-series |
| 2006 | Só Deus Sabe | Mãe de Santo | |
| 2007-2008 | Duas Caras | Setembrina | 51 episodes |
| 2010 | Nosso Lar | Ismália | |
| 2016 | Mulheres no Poder | Senadora entrevistada | (final film role) |
References
edit- ^ a b Brito, Carlos; Gimenez, Elza (2020-08-08). "Chica Xavier, atriz de 'Sinhá Moça' e 'Renascer', morre aos 88 anos". G1 (in Portuguese). Globo Comunicação e Participações. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
- ^ a b c Lopes, Nei (2014). "Xavier, Chica". Enciclopédia brasileira da diáspora africana. Selo Negro Edições.
- ^ "Artistas lamentam falecimento de Chica Xavier". A Tarde (in Portuguese). Salvador. 2020-08-09. Archived from the original on 2020-08-12. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
External links
edit- Chica Xavier at IMDb
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