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Alice Braga

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Alice Braga
Braga at the ATX Television Festival in 2016
Born
Alice Braga Moraes

(1983-04-15) 15 April 1983 (age 41)
São Paulo, Brazil
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
Years active1998–present
PartnerBianca Comparato (2017–2023)
RelativesSônia Braga (aunt)

Alice Braga Moraes[1] (Brazilian Portuguese: [aˈlisi ˈbɾaɡɐ moˈɾajs]; born 15 April 1983) is a Brazilian actress and producer. She has appeared in several Brazilian films, starring as Angélica in the acclaimed City of God (2002), Karinna in Lower City (2005), and Dolores in Only God Knows (2006).

Braga came to international prominence after appearing opposite Will Smith in I Am Legend (2007), and has since become a familiar face in Hollywood, having appeared in films such as Predators (2010), The Rite (2011), Elysium (2013), The Shack (2017), Soul (2020), and The Suicide Squad (2021). She portrayed the starring role of Teresa Mendoza in the USA Network crime drama-thriller television series Queen of the South (2016–2021).[2] In 2024, she starred in the Apple TV+ science fiction series Dark Matter.

Early life

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Alice Braga Moraes was born in São Paulo and raised in a Catholic family.[3] She speaks fluent Portuguese, English and Spanish.[4]

Her exposure to acting came at an early age; both her mother Ana Braga and aunt Sônia Braga[5] are actresses, and Braga often accompanied them to film sets. She began her career by appearing in school plays and commercials. Her first commercial was for yogurt when she was 8 years old. As a teenager, she began pursuing roles in television and films.[citation needed]

Career

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Braga made her acting debut in the Portuguese-language short film Trampolim (1998) and then returned to her schooling. Her breakthrough came when she was cast as Angélica in the critically acclaimed crime film City of God (2002), for which she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination from the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize. Afterward, she attended university while appearing in a pair of well-regarded South American films: Lower City (2005) and Only God Knows (2006). She also appeared in the popular Brazilian television program Carandiru, Outras Historias (2005).

Braga made her English-language debut with a starring role alongside Brendan Fraser, Mos Def, and Catalina Sandino Moreno in the crime thriller Journey to the End of Night (2006), which premiered at the 5th Annual Tribeca Film Festival. She received further recognition when she was cast opposite Will Smith in the blockbuster action thriller I Am Legend (2007). She subsequently had roles in the David Mamet-directed martial arts film Redbelt (2008), alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor,[6] the post-apocalyptic thriller Blindness (2008), alongside Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, and the crime drama Crossing Over (2009), alongside Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Jim Sturgess, and Ashley Judd.[7]

Braga at the 2008 Tribeca Film Festival

Braga portrayed Beth in the science fiction film Repo Men (2010).[8] She starred as Isabelle in Nimród Antal's science fiction action film Predators (2010),[9] which was shot and produced by Troublemaker Studios and Robert Rodriguez.[10] Braga appeared as Frey Santiago in Neill Blomkamp's science fiction action film Elysium (2013), co-starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster.[11] In 2014, she starred as Vania in the Brazilian jungle film The Ardor, as Olivia in the Argentine romance drama Latitudes, and as Alice Taylor in Kriv Stenders' action-thriller Kill Me Three Times.[12]

In 2016, Braga starred as Marisol Kingston in the western drama The Duel, alongside Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson. In 2017, she starred as Sophia in the Christian drama The Shack, alongside Octavia Spencer and Sam Worthington, based on the novel of the same name.

From 2016 to 2021, Braga starred in the crime drama series Queen of the South, produced for USA Network, an adaptation of Arturo Perez-Reverte's best-selling novel La Reina del Sur. The series marked Braga's first lead American television role. She previously had small supporting roles in a non-English television series.[13]

Braga starred as Cecilia Reyes in the superhero horror film The New Mutants, which was released in 2020.[14] She starred as Maggie Teixeira in the HBO drama miniseries We Are Who We Are, which was written and directed by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino.[15] Braga appeared in the superhero action film The Suicide Squad, which was released in August 2021.[16]

Personal life

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In January 2020, Braga revealed she was in a relationship with actress Bianca Comparato, which began three years prior.[17]

Braga maintains residences in Los Angeles, California, and São Paulo, Brazil.[18]

Filmography

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Braga with co-stars Simon Pegg and Luke Hemsworth at the Kill Me Three Times premier in March 2015

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1998 Trampolim Cláudia Short film
2002 City of God Angélica
2005 Lower City Karinna
2006 Only God Knows Dolores
Journey to the End of the Night Monique
Drained Waitress
2007 The Milky Way Júlia
Rummikub Daughter from São Paulo Short film
I Am Legend Anna Montez
2008 Redbelt Sondra Terry
Blindness Woman with Dark Glasses
2009 Crossing Over Mireya Sanchez
Cabeça a Prêmio Elaine
2010 Repo Men Beth
Predators Isabelle
Predators: Moments of Extraction Isabelle (voice) Short film
2011 The Rite Angelina Vargas
2012 On the Road Terry / Bea Franco
City of God – 10 Years Later Herself
Uma Vida Inteira Woman Short film
2013 Elysium Frey Santiago
Os Amigos Júlia
2014 Muitos Homens Num Só Eva
Latitudes Olivia Also producer
The Ardor Vania
Kill Me Three Times Alice Taylor
2016 The Duel Marisol Kingston
Entre Idas E Vindas Sandra
2017 The Shack Sophia
2020 Eduardo & Mônica Mônica
The New Mutants Cecilia Reyes
Soul Counselor Jerry A (voice)
2021 22 vs. Earth Short film
The Suicide Squad Sol Soria
2023 Hypnotic Diana Cruz
TBA House/Wife Grace Sutton Post-production

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
2005 Carandiru, Outras Histórias Vânia Episode: "Ezequiel, o Azarado"
2010 Superbonita Host Unknown episodes
2012 The Brazilians Mirtes Episode: "The Tameless from Ceará"
2014 A Mulher da Sua Vida Roberta Episode: "Roberta"
2016–2021 Queen of the South Teresa Mendoza Lead role; also executive producer
2018 Samantha! Symantha 2 episodes; also executive producer
2019 Sintonia None 6 episodes; producer
2020 We Are Who We Are Maggie Teixeira Main role
2022 Slumberkins Sloth's Mother (voice) 4 episodes
2023 A Murder at the End of the World Sian Main role
2024 Dark Matter Amanda Main role

Video games

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Year Title Role
2021 Predator: Hunting Grounds Isabelle (voice)

Awards and nominations

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Year Association Category Nominated work Result
2003 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Best Supporting Actress City of God Won
2005 Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival Best Actress Lower City Won
2006 ACIE Awards Won
São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards Won
SESC Film Festival Audience Award Best Actress Won
Critics Award Best Actress Won
Verona Love Screens Film Festival Best Acting Performance Won
Prêmio Contigo Cinema Best Actress Won
2007 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Won
2008 Black Reel Awards Best Supporting Actress Blindness Nominated
SESC Film Festival Audience Award Best Actress The Milky Way Won
Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Best Supporting Actress Drained Nominated
2009 Blindness Nominated
Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival Best Actress Cabeça a Prêmio Won
2010 Festival de Cinema de Punta del Este Won
2011 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Nominated
2014 Cine PE Best Actress Muitos Homens Num Só Won
2015 Cinema Brazil Grand Prize Best Supporting Actress Os Amigos Nominated
2016 Best Actress Muitos Homens Num Só Nominated
2017 Best Supporting Actress Entre Idas e Vidas Nominated
Imagen Foundation Awards Best Actress – Television Queen of the South Nominated
2018 Nominated
2019 Nominated
2020 Nominated
2021 Nominated

References

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  1. ^ "Alice Braga". Archived from the original on 19 April 2009.
  2. ^ "Queen of the South Ends, XL Million Little Things Finale, Loki Premiere, CMT Awards and More". 9 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Alice Braga & Colin O'Donoghue Talk Devils, Exorcisms & Sir Anthony Hopkins". Horror.com. 24 January 2011. Archived from the original on 12 November 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Alice Braga". Interview Magazine. 28 June 2016. Retrieved 18 March 2022.
  5. ^ Friedman, Roger (May 5, 2003). "Jimmy Fallon: Exiting Saturday Night Live?". Fox News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2008. Retrieved May 16, 2008.
  6. ^ AskMen.com – Alice Braga Archived 9 November 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. ^ "Star Alice Braga On Special Effects, Adrien Brody's Muscle & Schwarzenegger's Cameo".[dead link]
  8. ^ "The X-rays Continue With New Repo Men Poster". DreadCentral. 3 February 2010. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  9. ^ Barton, Steve (10 March 2010). "Alice Braga Talks Predators Rating and More". Dread Central. Archived from the original on 10 August 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  10. ^ "Latest 'Predators' Chatter: Hulking Out and Varied Creatures". Bloody Disgusting. 10 March 2010. Archived from the original on 13 March 2010.
  11. ^ Fischer, Russ (29 May 2011). "Alice Braga Joins Neill Blomkamp's 'Elysium'". /Film. Archived from the original on 25 July 2014. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  12. ^ Corrigan, Kalyn. "Interview: Alice Braga on Being A Female Action Star & 'Kill Me Three Times'". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2014.
  13. ^ "USA's 'Queen of the South' Adaptation Finds Its Star (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. 23 October 2014. Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  14. ^ Kit, Borys (29 June 2017). "Alice Braga Joins 'New Mutants' as Rosario Dawson Exits (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  15. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (18 July 2019). "Exclusive:Chloe Sevigny, Alice Braga, Kid Cudi to Star in HBO Drama From 'Call Me By Your Name' Director". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  16. ^ Whitbrook, James (13 September 2019). "Say Hello to the Very Disposable Stars of The Suicide Squad". io9. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
  17. ^ Smith, Jenni (8 January 2020). "Alice Braga Lives Long Distance Dating With Actress Bianca Comparato". Play Crazy Game. Archived from the original on 16 June 2021. Retrieved 17 August 2021.
  18. ^ LATAM Airlines Group. "Vamos/LATAM Alice Braga: de São Paulo a Hollywood" (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on 25 September 2019. Retrieved 24 September 2019.
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