Roberta Gambine Moreira (born 7 December 1964) is a Brazilian fashion model, actress and television personality. She is constantly mentioned in the media as one of the greatest Brazilian icons and one of the main sex symbols in the country between the 1980s and 1990s, in addition to being a pioneer of

transfeminism Transfeminism, or trans feminism, is a branch of feminism focused on transgender women and informed by transgender studies. Transfeminism focuses on the effects of transmisogyny and patriarchy on trans women. It is related to the broader fie ...

in her native country.

Biography

After debuting as a star at Carnaval in 1980, Close gained notoriety as the main character of the clip for the song ''Dá Um Close Nela,'' by Erasmo Carlos, in 1984. In the video, which achieved great commercial success after the release on '' Fantástico'', she plays a transvestite who attracts male gazes as she walks through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. The same year, she became the first transgender model to appear in Playboy magazine, in a record-selling issue upon launch. Later, Roberta Close has appeared on the catwalk for numerous fashion houses, including

Thierry Mugler Manfred Thierry Mugler (; 21 December 1948 – 23 January 2022) was a French fashion designer, creative director and creative adviser of Mugler. In the 1970s, Mugler launched his eponymous fashion house; and quickly rose to prominence in the fol ...

, Guy Laroche,

Jean Paul Gaultier Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 June 1952) is a French haute couture and Ready-to-wear, prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an "enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs in ...

. She also been featured in editorials for '' Vogue'' and wrote a memoir called ''Muito Prazer, Roberta Close'' (1997).

Filmography

* 1984: ''Big Close'' - TV Series; talk-show host * 1987: ''Uma Vez por Semana'' - stage play; actress * 1987: ''No Rio Vale Tudo'' - movie; actress * 1990: ''O Escorpião Escarlate'' - movie; actress * 1997: ''Mandacaru'' - TV Series; actress * 1999: ''O Lobo da Madrugada'' - stage play; actress * 1999: ''Performance'' - stage play; actress * 2000: ''Zorra Total'' - TV Series; actress * 2000: ''De Noite na Cama'' - TV Series; talk-show host * 2002: ''Kinky Gerlinky'' - movie; documentary character

Personal life

In 1993, Close married Roland Granacher. The wedding to her

Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...

husband took place in Europe, as it would not have been legal in Brazil. She lives with Granacher in

Zurich Zurich (; ) is the list of cities in Switzerland, largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. , the municipality had 448,664 inhabitants. The ...

and

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. In May 2015, Close told Brazilian television host Gugu Liberato that she recently underwent

genetic testing Genetic testing, also known as DNA testing, is used to identify changes in DNA sequence or chromosome structure. Genetic testing can also include measuring the results of genetic changes, such as RNA analysis as an output of gene expression, or ...

that revealed she is

intersex Intersex people are those born with any of several sex characteristics, including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical binar ...

. She was issued a new birth certificate by the Office of Public Records of the 4th district of Rio de Janeiro, which states that on December 7, 1964, a child of the female sex was born and was given the name "Roberta Gambine Moreira".

References

External links

Luiz Gambine Moreira - "Roberta Close"
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Close, Roberta 1964 births Intersex transgender women Intersex models Brazilian LGBTQ models Living people Models from Rio de Janeiro (city) Transgender female models Travestis Brazilian transgender actresses Brazilian intersex people