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Francisca Xavier Queiroz de Jesus (22 January 1932 – 8 August 2020), known professionally as Chica Xavier, was a Brazilian actress and producer. Xavier worked in stage, film, and television. She was known primarily for her work in
Rede Globo TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto Marinho on 26 April 1965 ...
's telenovelas, but was active in stage for 60 years. Xavier was born in
Salvador, Bahia Salvador () is a Municipalities of Brazil, Brazilian municipality and capital city of the Federative units of Brazil, state of Bahia. Situated in the Zona da Mata in the Northeast Region, Brazil, Northeast Region of Brazil, Salvador is recognize ...
. She was married to actor Clementino Kelé. Xavier started working at 14 years as bookbinder at the Official Press of the State of Bahia. She moved to
Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, or simply Rio, is the capital of the Rio de Janeiro (state), state of Rio de Janeiro. It is the List of cities in Brazil by population, second-most-populous city in Brazil (after São Paulo) and the Largest cities in the America ...
in 1953 and studied theater with Pascoal Carlos Magno. Her theater debut was on September 25, 1956 at the Teatro Municipal. Xavier acted in '' Orfeu da Conceição'' alongside Haroldo Costa, Léa Garcia, Cyro Monteiro, Dirce Paiva, Clementino Kelé, among others. Xavier played the role of Dama Negra, which symbolized Death; she recited verses from Vinícius de Moraes and danced to ''atabaques'', or Afro-Brazilian drumming. Xavier's film debut was in ''Assalto ao Trem Pagador'' in 1962, directed by
Roberto Farias Roberto Farias (27 March 1932 – 14 May 2018) was a Brazilian film director, film producer, producer and screenwriter. He directed 15 films during his career. His 1982 film ''Pra Frente, Brasil'' was entered into the 33rd Berlin Internatio ...
. She then worked in several
Rede Globo TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto Marinho on 26 April 1965 ...
productions. In 1973 Xavier debuted on TV in the telenovela ''Os Ossos do Barão''. She played more than 50 characters on television, and was a cast member in '' Sinhá Moça'', '' Dancin' Days'', '' Renascer'', ''
Pátria Minha ''Pátria Minha'' (English: ''My Homeland'') is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast by TV Globo TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is ...
'', '' Força de um Desejo'', and the miniseries ''Tenda dos Milagres'', where she played the ''mãe-de-santo'' Magé Bassã. Xavier published ''Chica Xavier canta sua prosa: Cantigas, louvações e rezas para os orixás'' in 1999. The book had a preface by her friend Miguel Falabella, and was illustrated by her daughter Izabela d'Oxóssi. She was the subject of a biography in 2013 by Teresa Montero titled ''Chica Xavier: Mãe do Brasil''. Xavier was born at a
Candomblé Candomblé () is an African diaspora religions, African diasporic religion that developed in Brazil during the 19th century. It arose through a process of syncretism between several of the traditional religions of West and Central Africa, especi ...
''terreiro'', or temple. She was the leader of a Candomblé religious community in Rio de Janeiro, the Cercado de Boiadeiro.


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* 1936 births 2020 deaths Actresses from Salvador, Bahia Afro-Brazilian actresses 20th-century Brazilian actresses Brazilian television actresses Brazilian telenovela actresses Brazilian film actresses {{Brazil-actor-stub