Maria João Gonçalves Abreu Soares (Lisboa, 14 April 1964 – Almada, 13 May 2021), known as Maria João Abreu, was a Portuguese film, television and stage actress. Her most notable works include Portuguese TV series Médico de Família, Aqui Não Há Quem Viva, Golpe de Sorte, and her strong presence in the typical Portuguese genre of "teatro de revista". She was famous for her uplifting roles, mostly associated with humour.
Biography Maria João Abreu was born in Lisboa on 14 April 1964.
Between 1985 and 2008, she was married to fellow actor José Raposo, with whom she had two sons: Miguel Raposo and Ricardo Raposo. Despite the divorce, the two willingly worked together in several productions and remained good friends. She married musician João Soares in September 2012.
In November 2020, she tested positive for COVID-19, but recovered. Her father, who already had lung cancer, died of the disease.
On 30 April 2021, after fainting during the recording of episodes of the Portuguese telenovela A Serra, she was admitted to Hospital Garcia de Orta, in Almada, where she was diagnosed with a ruptured brain aneurysm and put into an induced coma. After multiple surgeries and complications, Abreu died on 13 May 2021, aged 57.
Television +Year(s)WorkChannelRoleNotes1988Uma Bomba Chamada EtelvinaRTP 1 -First work for television 1989Canto Alegre -1990O PostoMaria dos Anjos1990O Cacilheiro do Amor -1993Cos(z)ido à PortuguesaTVI -1994Trapos e Companhia -1994Quem Casa Quer Casa -1994–95Isto É o AgildoRTP -1994–95Cabaret -1995A Mulher do Senhor MinistroEmpregada1995Nico D'ObraRTPRapariga1995Camilo & Filho Lda.SICAmélia Marques1995Big Show SIC -1996Os Malucos do Riso -1996Queridas e MadurasRTP -1996PolíciasMulher de Joaquim1996Vidas de SalCeleste1998Não Há Duas Sem TrêsBranquinha1999As Lições do Tonecas -1998–2000Médico de FamíliaSICLucindaAbreu's most popular role 2000–01O Fura-VidasGraciete2000–01Jardins ProibidosTVIAnabela Morais2001A Senhora das ÁguasRTPMaria dos Prazeres2002Bons VizinhosTVIMargarida "Guida" Santos2006–08Aqui Não Há Quem VivaSICDulce Costa2007–08Morangos Com AçúcarTVIMarília Ferreira2007–10Conta-me como foiRTPClara de Jesus González2008Casos da VidaTVI -2008–09Feitiço de AmorSofia Reis2009A Minha FamíliaRTPLuísa2009–10Ele é ElaTVILara Nobre2009–10SentimentosJulieta Dias2010Cidade DespidaRTPMãe de Alexandra2010Regresso a Sizalinda -2010A Noite do Fim do MundoEmília2010–11Espírito IndomávelTVIGlória2011Liberdade 21RTP -2011Pai à ForçaCarlota2011Remédio SantoTVICândida2011A Família MataSICMónica Souda2011A Casa é MinhaTVIEstrelaOnly broadcast in 20162013Mundo ao ContrárioSusana2014Mulheres de AbrilRTPElisa2014–15Os Nossos DiasLeonor Cardoso2014Mar SalgadoSICCremilde Santos2015Donos Disto TudoRTPvárias personagens2016–17Amor MaiorSICDolores Matias2017–18PaixãoIsabel Galvão2019SulRTPAlexandra Chambel2019–20Golpe de SorteSICMaria do Céu GarciaFirst main role 2020A Máscaraherself (disguised as "O Monstro")2020–21Patrões ForaPalmira BarataShooting at time of death 2021Estamos em Casahost2021A SerraConceição "Sãozinha" GriloShooting at time of death; last work in television
Cinema
Amo-te Teresa (2000), by Ricardo Espírito Santo and Cristina Boavida Telefona-me! (2000), by Frederico Corado Call Girl (2007), by António-Pedro Vasconcelos A Mãe é que Sabe (2016), by Nuno Rocha Submissão (2019), by Leonardo António
References
External links