Maria Lucélia dos Santos is a Brazilian actress, director and producer. She received international acclaim for her leading role in the 1976 Rede Globo telenovela Isaura, The Slave Girl, broadcast in over 80 countries.
Santos in 2006
Lucélia Santos (third from left) with, from left to right, Milhem Cortaz, Juliana Baroni, Cléo Pires, Glória Pires, and Rui Ricardo Dias during the premiere of Lula, o filho do Brasil, during the film's premiere at the Brasília Film Festival (2009)
Escrava Isaura (1976 TV series)
Escrava Isaura is a 1976 Brazilian telenovela produced by TV Globo, originally broadcast between October 11, 1976 and February 5, 1977. Based on the 1865 novel of the same name by 19th century abolitionist writer Bernardo Guimarães, it tells the story of the struggles of Isaura, a mixed-race slave, to find happiness during the Brazilian Empire. It starred Lucélia Santos in the title role and Rubens de Falco as slave owner Leôncio Almeida, the main antagonist. It was adapted by Gilberto Braga and directed by Herval Rossano and Milton Gonçalves, running 100 episodes.
Young woman watching Escrava Isaura. Havana, Cuba. 2015.
Lucélia Santos