Gloria Pires

With hazel eyes, black hair, and a 5'3" frame, Gloria Pires carries herself with the quiet authority of a woman who has spent nearly six decades in front of the camera. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she is of mixed-race heritage, with Native Brazilian and Portuguese roots. Her career began in 1968, and she has been active ever since, making her one of the most enduring figures in Brazilian entertainment.

Pires is best known for her roles in TV Globo telenovelas such as Dancin' Days, Vale Tudo, Mulheres de Areia, and O Rei do Gado. She also starred in films including the Academy Award-nominated O Quatrilho, the box-office hit If I Were You and its sequel, and Lula, Son of Brazil, the second most expensive Brazilian film of all time. In 2013, Forbes Brazil ranked her 28th among the country's most influential people, an honor she has carried with characteristic grace.

Her personal life has been as notable as her professional one. In the 1970s, she dated Nizo Neto, son of Chico Anysio. From 1979 to 1983, she was married to singer and actor Fábio Jr., with whom she had her oldest daughter, Cléo Pires, also an actress. Since April 1988, she has been married to singer Orlando Morais. Together they have three children: Antônia (born 1992), Ana (born 2000), and Bento (born 2004). With 7.1 million Instagram followers, she remains a significant presence both on screen and online.