Famous Brazilian Women

Regarded as the epitome of supermodel, Gisele Bündchen is credited with bringing an end to the heroin chic era of modeling and ushering in a healthy look with curves. She pioneered and popularized the horse walk and is considered the only remaining supermodel. 

Adriana Lima is a Brazilian model who became famous as a Victoria's Secret Angel. One of the longest-running Victoria's Secret Angels of all time, Lima was adjudged the most valuable Angel in 2017. Since 2003, she has been serving as a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics. One of the world's highest-paid models, Adriana Lima is also known for her charity work.

Alice Braga is one of the most popular Hollywood actresses from Brazil, having appeared in popular films like I Am Legend, Repo Men, The Rite, Predators, and Elysium. An openly bisexual actress, Alice Braga serves as an inspiration to the LGBT community, especially bisexuals.

Camila Alves’s rags-to-riches story is an inspiration to many. The Brazilian beauty went from being a waitress to the brand ambassador of a Macy’s collection. She designs the Muxo brand of bags and has also dabbled in hosting, lifestyle blogging, and entrepreneurship. Camila is also known as Matthew McConaughey’s wife.

Carmen Miranda was a Portuguese-born Brazilian samba dancer, singer, film star, and Broadway actress. Nicknamed The Brazilian Bombshell, Miranda is credited with popularizing the fruit hat outfit in the USA. Her performances also popularized Brazilian music and helped increase awareness of Latin culture. Her life and career inspired a documentary titled Carmen Miranda: Bananas is My Business.

Born to an English mother and a Brazilian father, actor Jennifer O'Neill had begun modeling at 15. She later became part of films such as Summer of '42. She had attempted suicide at 14 and had later got married nine times to eight men. She was also a promising equestrienne.

Sônia Braga is a Brazilian actress best known for playing important roles in films like Kiss of the Spider Woman, Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, and Moon over Parador. One of the most celebrated and critically acclaimed actresses of her generation, Braga was included in The New York Times' 25 Greatest Actors of the 21st Century list in 2020.

Brazilian economist and politician Dilma Rousseff served as the president of Brazil from 2011 to 2016, becoming the first Brazilian woman president. She has also served as former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s Chief of Staff earlier and has been part of various energy-conservation groups.

Brazilian MMA fighter Bethe Correia, also known as Pitbull, initially studied accounting but soon realized she wasn’t cut out for an office job. She has had a long stint with UFC and is known for her grappling skills. Her retirement bout in 2021 was postponed due to an appendix surgery.

Chrysti Ane is a Brazilian fitness model and actress best known for her portrayal of Sarah Thompson in the popular American children's television show, Power Rangers Ninja Steel. Renowned for her fitness regime and well-toned physique, Chrysti Ane enjoys a considerable fan following on social media platforms, such as Instagram.

Lais Ribeiro is a Brazilian model. She gained international fame when she was selected to work as a Victoria's Secret Angel. She initially received training to become a nurse. However, on the advice of a friend, she took up modeling gigs and soon found success. She has appeared in advertising campaigns for Ralph Lauren, Christian Dior, and Tom Ford.  

Izabel Goulart is a Brazilian fashion model best known for her stint as a Victoria's Secret Angel. She has also been featured in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She began modeling as a teenager and has modeled collections of top designers like designers such as Alberta Ferretti, Bill Blass, and Balenciaga. She is also involved in charitable work. 

Daniela Lavender is a Brazilian actress who appears on both English-language TV and Brazilian TV. She is also active on the stage and in cinema. She is trained in dancing and studied drama at the Dirceu de Mattos school before making her professional debut in the early 2000s. She is currently married to noted English actor Ben Kingsley. 

Astrud Gilberto is a Brazilian singer best known as an exponent of bossa nova and samba. She achieved international recognition in the 1960s after the release of her song The Girl from Ipanema. In 1992, she was honored with the Latin Jazz USA Award. In 2002, Astrud Gilberto was made an inductee of the International Latin Music Hall of Fame.

Izabelle Leite is a Brazilian actress and model. She works predominantly in the Indian modeling and film industries. She made her debut in Bollywood with an uncredited appearance in a major film. She soon bagged the leading role in a teen drama film and gained popularity. As a model, she has appeared in campaigns for Lakme and Procter & Gamble.

Kelly Piquet is a Brazilian model, blogger, columnist, and public relations professional. Piquet has made immense contributions to Marie Claire magazine as a columnist. As a model, she has posed for brands like PatBO. Kelly Piquet is also known as the daughter of famous Brazilian racing driver Nelson Piquet. 

Brazilian model Isabeli Fontana was in her teens when she became a Victoria’s Secret model in 1999, in a rare breach of the company’s policy of hiring models aged 21 or more. Apart from modeling for iconic brands such as Chanel and Armani, she has also appeared in magazines such as Vogue.

Luciana Gimenez is a Brazilian TV host and former model. She is best known for her association with RedeTV where she hosts popular shows like Superpop and Luciana by Night. Gimenez achieved international fame when she became pregnant with singer-songwriter Mick Jagger's son Lucas Jagger, who was born in 1999. Mick was unofficially married to Jerry Hall at that time.

Amanda Nunes is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently associated with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current UFC Women's Featherweight Champion. She is also a former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest female mixed martial artists of all time. She is openly lesbian. 

Caroline Celico is a Brazilian singer, socialite, and former Evangelical pastor. She started hogging the limelight in 2005 when she married the famous football player Kaká. Caroline Celico is also known for her philanthropic efforts; she is the founder of a non-profit organization named Horizontal Love, which aims at providing supplies for education and construction to Brazilian NGOs.

Clarice Lispector was a Ukrainian-born Brazilian short story writer and novelist. As a young woman, she entered the Law School of the University of Brazil and began her writing career while studying. She soon gained fame as a writer and won the prestigious Graça Aranha Prize for the best debut novel. She died of cancer at a relatively young age. 

Joana Ceddia is a Brazilian-Canadian vlogger, YouTuber, and former competitive runner and swimmer. She won an OFSAA gold medal in competitive school swimming before an injury ended her swimming and running career. Best known for her ironic and quirky sense of humor, Ceddia has received nominations for prestigious awards, such as Shorty Award and Streamy Award.

Brazilian-born Indian-origin model Nathalia Kaur initially studied law but later quit academics to concentrate on her modeling career. She is also known to be an opera singer and has appeared in a few Hindi films, too, such as Department. She was also part of Fear Factor: Khatron Ke Khiladi.

Mel Fronckowiak is a Brazilian actress, writer, and TV host best known for her work on the TV show A Liga. She began modeling as a teenager and appeared in many TV commercials and advertising campaigns. She soon ventured into acting as well and acted in the youth soap opera Rebeldes. She is also a published author.

Jessie Rogers is a Brazilian-American former pornographic actress known for her appearance in an adult film parody of the Spice Girls. She began her pornographic career shortly after her 18th birthday and has since retired. She has received numerous awards for her work. She is an advocate for mandatory condom use in pornographic films.

Elis Regina was a Brazilian singer who achieved national recognition in 1965 when she performed Arrastão on TV Excelsior. Best remembered for her interpretation and vocalization, Regina helped popularize tropicalismo in the late-1960s and early-1970s. Elis Regina's life, career, and untimely death at age 36 inspired a film titled Elis where she was played by Andréia Horta.

Ana Beatriz Barros is a Brazilian model best known for featuring on the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue on multiple occasions. She is also renowned for her work with popular brands like Victoria's Secret, Chanel, Intimissimi, and Bebe. A popular model, Ana Beatriz Barros has also been featured on the covers of numerous magazines like Glamour, Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire.

Juliana Paes is a Brazilian actress who achieved national prominence in the 2010s when she played important roles in popular telenovelas like Gabriela and Meu Pedacinho de Chão. Juliana Paes, who started her career as a model, went on to establish herself as a critically acclaimed actress. She has received many prestigious awards such as Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award.  

Xuxa is a Brazilian TV host, film actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her professional career as a model and soon started doing acting gigs as well. She became a superstar in the 1980s and her TV shows were broadcast in Portuguese, English, and Spanish worldwide. She is also a successful businesswoman with a net worth estimated at US$400 million. 

Susana Werner is a Brazilian actress and model. She is best known for her performance on TV shows and telenovelas. Susana Werner made headlines in 2002 when she married the popular Brazilian football player Júlio César. She was in a relationship with Ronaldo for two years before marrying Júlio César.

Ana Carolina Reston was a Brazilian model best remembered for her work with popular brands like Giorgio Armani. Reston succumbed to the unfair demands of the fashion industry and suffered from severe anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa. She died at the age of 21 and weighed just 40 kgs at the time of her death. 

Born the Archduchess of Austria, Maria Leopoldina was a great painter and also grew up studying subjects such as botany and mineralogy. By virtue of her marriage to Pedro I of Brazil and IV of Portugal, she became the queen of Portugal and the empress of Brazil.