Cinemateca Brasileira is the institution responsible for preserving Brazilian audiovisual production. Over the last weekend, from June 7th (Friday) to June 9th (Sunday), they held an event to honour and celebrate the legacy of Zezé Motta, who will mark eight full decades at the end of the month. Let us explore her impact in the contemporary age and her connection with Hattie McDaniel.
Zezé Motta made her debut in Brazil in the late 1960s in "Roda Viva," a play by none other than Chico Buarque, who at the time was not yet the iconic artist known today. Soon, she became recognized for her talent and vocal range, which propelled her singing career. In 1968, she made her debut in a secondary role in the telenovela "Beto Rockfeller," marking her entry into Brazilian television screens. Despite starting with small roles in film and television, Motta garnered attention for her popularity and critical acclaim, especially after her leading role in "Xica da Silva" (Carlos Diegues, 1976).
Zezé Motta bore the responsibility of representing African Brazilians, who at that time were voiceless. Unknowingly, she held the power to shape their future. Despite Brazil having the largest Black population outside the African continent and being known for socio-economic inequality, poverty has a dark hue. Beyond their cultural contributions, the country bears socio-historical scars for being the last in Latin America to abolish slavery in the 19th century without implementing any historical reparations policies.
Hattie McDaniel, in the United States, earned her accolade for her role as Mammy in “Gone with the Wind” (Victor Fleming, 1939), making her the first African American to win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 1940. It is worth remembering the segregation that limited her roles, yet she still made history, albeit in challenging circumstances. She received a plaque and was segregated from the other guests. Furthermore, her portrayal perpetuated negative racial stereotypes. Similarly, Zezé Motta witnessed the limited and stereotypical roles available to Black actresses in Brazilian telenovelas from the 1970s and 1980s, often depicting them as slaves or maids.
Both roles as in slaves and housekeepers reflect the experiences of Black Brazilians. After slavery was abolished in 1888, following many struggles throughout the 19th century, including escapes to quilombos and rebellions, as well as gradual legal emancipation, many formerly enslaved individuals migrated in search of better opportunities and to reunite with their relatives, when not obstructed by their former owners. However, they faced repression and were often labelled as idle and vagrant. Moreover, they lacked access to land, which forced them to accept low wages offered by large landowners. Additionally, the lack of access to education was a significant concern, further marginalizing this group and limiting their opportunities for advancement, trapped in a cycle of poverty.
Motta played a crucial role in embodying and giving voice to the forgotten figures of Brazilian history. They were often relegated to mere statistics, overlooked by the media and society at large. In addition to this, she helped to portray them in a positive light, bringing glamour and visibility to their stories on stage and screen, which were the primary means of communication. Despite often being confined to stereotypical roles, she infused her characters with depth and humanity.
A noteworthy aspect is Zezé Motta's offscreen contributions. She is a political activist with the “Movimento Negro Unificado,” a pioneering organization in the fight against racial discrimination in the country. Additionally, her personal story is significant, coming from a humble family in the countryside of Rio de Janeiro, with a mother who worked as a seamstress and a father who was a driver.
Until they moved to a favela in Rio de Janeiro for better opportunities when she was younger, Zezé Motta was cared for by her aunt and uncle. Her aunt worked as a housekeeper, while her uncle was a janitor in the servant’s quarters of their boss’s apartment in Leblon, known as the city's wealthiest area. From the ages of 6 to 12, she attended a girls' boarding school where she learned various skills such as cleaning, crochet, knitting, embroidering, and cooking. By the age of sixteen, their financial situation improved after her mother opened her own fashion atelier, and they relocated to Leblon.
In adolescence, before pursuing opportunities as an artist, Zezé worked as a factory worker in a pharmaceutical industry to contribute to household expenses. At night, she attended a teacher training course. On weekends, she began attending a theatre course at the reputed The Tablado Theater, where she eventually graduated as an actress.
In the present day, diversity is no longer just a quota; it is a demand on screens. Political awareness is a hallmark of the new generation, and screens play a significant role in promoting literacy. These factors have created an environment conducive to the emergence of a new storytelling method centred on Black excellence, highlighting their achievements and abilities. Despite controversies surrounding Motta’s roles, her portrayal of stereotypical characters paved the way for this elevated level of representation. As a talented singer and actor across various mediums including theatre, television, cinema, and streaming, Motta provided a sense of belonging for Black individuals in a country where they are deeply contributors, a part of its cultural roots. She opened their windows to see their wide horizon of possibilities. She is a pen, amongst pencil’s smudges poorly, with hate still being the repressive form of silencing voices.
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