Ruth de Souza Dies at 98: Remembering the Trailblazing Afro-Brazilian Actress
Legendary actress Ruth de Souza passes away at 98. Known for her groundbreaking roles, she was a symbol of resilience and talent in Brazilian entertainment.
Ruth de Souza, 98 anos atriz brasileira
The 98-year-old actress had been hospitalized for a week. Ruth had pneumonia in the Intensive Care Unit of the Copa D’Or Hospital, in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro.
Her love for acting began in her childhood, when she first came into contact with cinema and theater. It was the American film “Tarzan, Son of the Jungle” (1932) that sparked her desire to get involved in the field. She also watched some plays at the Municipal Theater. One day she read an article in Rio magazine about a group of black actors who were part of the Teatro Experimental do Negro (TEN) group, under the baton of Abdias do Nascimento since 1944. When she sought out the activist, she joined the group and had her first opportunity. She didn’t know it at the time, but she was definitely going to make history.
In 1946 she would make a milestone when she became the first black actress to perform on the stage of the Teatro Municipal in Rio de Janeiro with the play “The Emperor Jones”. The group would go on to perform with several successes. Imagine how difficult it was at that time. Before that, what was happening was the presentation of white actors painted as black (blackface), and playing characters in a stereotypical way. At the same time, she would receive offers to start a film career. Finally, in 1948, she was recommended by Jorge Amado for “Terra Violenta”, a screen adaptation of her book Terras do sem Fim.
Acting in various branches of drama, Ruth also participated in several radio soap operas and teletheaters, always bearing the mark of her competence. In the 60s, she began to dedicate herself to television, the channel through which she became best known. Contracts came with TV Excelsior and later Rede Globo. In this regard, Ruth also became a pioneer, being the first black actress to be the lead in a soap opera. It was in A Cabana do Pai Tomás (Uncle Tom’s Cabin) (1969).
Ruth recalled in some interviews how much she had to overcome to overcome all the obstacles, and she is fully aware of her importance in the fight against social stereotypes in Brazil. How did she do it? She herself explains in the interview given to UOL:
“It’s because I always fought and demanded a lot from everyone to have space. But it was Janete Clair and Dias Gomes who gave me and Milton Gonçalves the opportunity to do all kinds of work. Before them, I was just the happy fat black woman, like the maid in ‘Gone with the Wind’. There was a lot of that in theater, before television and cinema. And even in Hollywood, it was only after Hattie McDaniel won the Oscar that this began to change. Before, black people were portrayed in a ridiculed way.”
Balancing TV, cinema and theater, she became one of the greatest actresses of our time. But the path was not so easy. If in our time we still fight to combat racism, in the decades in which Ruth began and continued her career it was even more difficult. Did she overcome herself? Yes, and we are very grateful for that. But it shouldn’t be that difficult. The obstacles that the great actress had to overcome for decades should have been smaller. But greater than them was her victory in roles that were marked by her competence. For all her career, talent and struggle, our eternal thanks to the iconic Ruth de Souza.
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