Whereas many around the globe might instantly acknowledge Portuguese actress Lúcia Moniz for her starring position in Love Really, it seems she truly has one other sudden declare to fame.
In 2003, Richard Curtis’ romantic comedy was launched in theaters. Set in the course of the Christmas season, the movie delves into the totally different facets of affection – instructed in 10 separate tales a couple of sequence of people who find themselves found to be related because the movie performs out.
It was an enormous success on the field workplace, incomes $250.2 million (£185 million) after being made on a funds of $40 million (£29 million).
One in all these tales was the blossoming romance between author Jamie, performed by Colin Firth, and his Portuguese housekeeper Aurélia, performed by Moniz, whom he meets when he retreats to Marseille after discovering that his girlfriend is dishonest on him together with his brother.
Regardless of their preliminary attraction to one another, issues are sophisticated by her not talking English.
However decided to not miss the chance for love, Jamie begins to study Portuguese and rushes again to France to declare his love for Aurélia earlier than it is too late.
Greater than twenty years after being launched to the actress, many might don’t know that years earlier than Love Really, Moniz had one other notable profession achievement: she represented her nation within the Eurovision Tune Contest.
The now 49-year-old Moniz, the daughter of composer, performer and conductor Carlos Alberto Moniz, and singer and actress Maria do Amparo, grew up on the island of Terceira within the Azores earlier than the household moved to Lisbon.
She was solely six years previous when she began learning at a music academy after which additionally realized the violin.
When she was 19, Moniz then entered the Portuguese Competition da Canção – a nationwide competition produced and broadcast by Rádio e Televisão de Portugal (RTP) to pick out the entry for the Eurovision Tune Contest.
Moniz competed along with her tune O meu coração não tem cor (My coronary heart has no colour) and gained the competitors by simply 4 factors, earlier than representing Portugal within the Eurovision Tune Contest in 1996.
On the competitors – held in Oslo, Norway – she completed sixth out of 23 opponents and nonetheless holds the file because the nation’s second most profitable competitor, after Salvador Sobral gained in 2017.
After her success on the Eurovision Tune Contest, Moniz acquired her first performing position in 1997: she performed twins within the cleaning soap opera A Grande Aposta. She was then solid in one other cleaning soap opera entitled Terra Mãe.
In 1999, she then launched her first studio album Magnolia, which reached the highest 20 of the Portuguese album chart and was licensed gold. Her subsequent album, 67, was launched in 2002.
However it was her subsequent large job that will carry her worldwide consideration: she was solid in Love Really.
In 2021, she spoke to Portuguese Soul journal about her participation within the now iconic get together movie.
‘It was unbelievable. And it is unbelievable to be a part of a basic. Nobody anticipated the movie to have that influence,” she mentioned.
‘The movie was truly launched at Christmas as a result of it is concerning the Christmas season, however I by no means thought that after seventeen years it will nonetheless be thought of the basic movie we watch immediately.
‘It began with castings in Portugal and I used to be chosen from 25 actresses. The entire expertise was fantastic. I realized quite a bit and was uncovered to unbelievable actuality and wonderful actors like Colin Firth.”
When requested if she nonetheless stored in contact with any of the solid, she defined: ‘Sure, with Colin Firth and Invoice Nighy. I converse to Emma Thompson from time to time. There was a reunion two or three years in the past and it was nice. All of us urged Richard to jot down a sequel. However he did not need that. I actually consider we needed to make a second film as a result of it was so good to be collectively once more.”
Though that sequel has but to materialize, Moniz has launched three extra albums within the years because the unique: Leva-me p’ra casa (Take Me Dwelling), Fio de Luz and Calendário, the latter launched in 2015.
Two years later, she additionally reprized her position from Love Really for Pink Nostril Day Really, a sequel to the brief movie made for Comedian Aid.
On the massive display screen she additionally appeared within the Portuguese movies Fatima and Hear.
Whereas many will instantly acknowledge the actress from Love Really, her Eurovision success may also mark an enormous turning level in Moniz’s profession.
As she as soon as mentioned about collaborating within the competitors, “I used to be simply having enjoyable. I had an awesome, nice crew with me. We sang Portuguese music each day, within the lodge corridors and on the streets.’
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