# Maria João Abreu

Maria João Gonçalves Abreu Soares (Lisboa, 14 April 1964 – Almada, 13 May 2021), known as Maria João Abreu, was a Portuguese film, television and stage actress. Her most notable works include Portuguese TV series Médico de Família, Aqui Não Há Quem Viva, Golpe de Sorte, and her strong presence in the typical Portuguese genre of "teatro de revista". She was famous for her uplifting roles, mostly associated with humour.

## Biography

Maria João Abreu was born in Lisboa on 14 April 1964.
Between 1985 and 2008, she was married to fellow actor José Raposo, with whom she had two sons: Miguel Raposo and Ricardo Raposo. Despite the divorce, the two willingly worked together in several productions and remained good friends. She married musician João Soares in September 2012.
In November 2020, she tested positive for COVID-19, but recovered. Her father, who already had lung cancer, died of the disease.
On 30 April 2021, after fainting during the recording of episodes of the Portuguese telenovela A Serra, she was admitted to Hospital Garcia de Orta, in Almada, where she was diagnosed with a ruptured brain aneurysm and put into an induced coma. After multiple surgeries and complications, Abreu died on 13 May 2021, aged 57.

## Television

| Year(s) | Work | Channel | Role | Notes |
| 1988 | Uma Bomba Chamada Etelvina | RTP 1 | - | First work for television |
| 1989 | Canto Alegre | RTP 1 | - | |
| 1990 | O Posto | RTP 1 | Maria dos Anjos | |
| 1990 | O Cacilheiro do Amor | RTP 1 | - | |
| 1993 | Cos(z)ido à Portuguesa | TVI | - | |
| 1994 | Trapos e Companhia | TVI | - | |
| 1994 | Quem Casa Quer Casa | TVI | - | |
| 1994–95 | Isto É o Agildo | RTP | - | |
| 1994–95 | Cabaret | RTP | - | |
| 1995 | A Mulher do Senhor Ministro | RTP | Empregada | |
| 1995 | Nico D'Obra | RTP | Rapariga | |
| 1995 | Camilo & Filho Lda. | SIC | Amélia Marques | |
| 1995 | Big Show SIC | SIC | - | |
| 1996 | Os Malucos do Riso | SIC | - | |
| 1996 | Queridas e Maduras | RTP | - | |
| 1996 | Polícias | RTP | Mulher de Joaquim | |
| 1996 | Vidas de Sal | RTP | Celeste | |
| 1998 | Não Há Duas Sem Três | RTP | Branquinha | |
| 1999 | As Lições do Tonecas | RTP | - | |
| 1998–2000 | Médico de Família | SIC | Lucinda | Abreu's most popular role |
| 2000–01 | O Fura-Vidas | SIC | Graciete | |
| 2000–01 | Jardins Proibidos | TVI | Anabela Morais | |
| 2001 | A Senhora das Águas | RTP | Maria dos Prazeres | |
| 2002 | Bons Vizinhos | TVI | Margarida "Guida" Santos | |
| 2006–08 | Aqui Não Há Quem Viva | SIC | Dulce Costa | |
| 2007–08 | Morangos Com Açúcar | TVI | Marília Ferreira | |
| 2007–10 | Conta-me como foi | RTP | Clara de Jesus González | |
| 2008 | Casos da Vida | TVI | - | |
| 2008–09 | Feitiço de Amor | TVI | Sofia Reis | |
| 2009 | A Minha Família | RTP | Luísa | |
| 2009–10 | Ele é Ela | TVI | Lara Nobre | |
| 2009–10 | Sentimentos | TVI | Julieta Dias | |
| 2010 | Cidade Despida | RTP | Mãe de Alexandra | |
| 2010 | Regresso a Sizalinda | RTP | - | |
| 2010 | A Noite do Fim do Mundo | RTP | Emília | |
| 2010–11 | Espírito Indomável | TVI | Glória | |
| 2011 | Liberdade 21 | RTP | - | |
| 2011 | Pai à Força | RTP | Carlota | |
| 2011 | Remédio Santo | TVI | Cândida | |
| 2011 | A Família Mata | SIC | Mónica Souda | |
| 2011 | A Casa é Minha | TVI | Estrela | Only broadcast in 2016 |
| 2013 | Mundo ao Contrário | TVI | Susana | |
| 2014 | Mulheres de Abril | RTP | Elisa | |
| 2014–15 | Os Nossos Dias | RTP | Leonor Cardoso | |
| 2014 | Mar Salgado | SIC | Cremilde Santos | |
| 2015 | Donos Disto Tudo | RTP | várias personagens | |
| 2016–17 | Amor Maior | SIC | Dolores Matias | |
| 2017–18 | Paixão | SIC | Isabel Galvão | |
| 2019 | Sul | RTP | Alexandra Chambel | |
| 2019–20 | Golpe de Sorte | SIC | Maria do Céu Garcia | First main role |
| 2020 | A Máscara | SIC | herself (disguised as "O Monstro") | |
| 2020–21 | Patrões Fora | SIC | Palmira Barata | Shooting at time of death |
| 2021 | Estamos em Casa | SIC | host | |
| 2021 | A Serra | SIC | Conceição "Sãozinha" Grilo | Shooting at time of death; last work in television |

## Cinema

* Amo-te Teresa (2000), by Ricardo Espírito Santo and Cristina Boavida
* Telefona-me! (2000), by Frederico Corado
* Call Girl (2007), by António-Pedro Vasconcelos
* A Mãe é que Sabe (2016), by Nuno Rocha
* Submissão (2019), by Leonardo António