Laura Cardoso

Laurinda de Jesus Balleroni (née Cardoso; 13 September 1927 – 17 August 2026), known professionally as Laura Cardoso, was a Brazilian actress. Regarded as a grande dame of Brazilian drama, she was a pioneer of television, working in the medium from its launch in 1950. She appeared in more than 100 telenovelas and received numerous awards, including three Grande Otelo Awards, five APCA Awards, two Shell Awards and two Troféu Imprensa Awards. In 2006, she was awarded the Order of Cultural Merit for her contribution to Brazilian culture. Cardoso began her career in radio in the 1940s before moving to television in the 1950s, becoming one of the early performers on TV Tupi. She made her telenovela debut in 1958 in Os Miseráveis and subsequently worked for Brazil's major broadcasters, including Band, TV Cultura, Record and Globo, where she remained from 1983. She also had a distinguished stage career, winning two Shell Awards for Best Actress. Across more than seven decades, she became known for her versatility and for portraying characters in productions including Felicidade, Mundo da Lua, Mulheres de Areia, A Viagem, Chocolate com Pimenta and Caminho das Índias.