مريم العذراء
In spite of a successful minor appearance as Mary (mother of Jesus) in the mini-series "O Auto da Compadecida" (1999), later re-cut into a theatrical film (internationally known as "A Dog's Will"), Montenegro's television career struggled in the late 1990s and early 2000s. In 2001, another attempt was made in telenovela comedy with "As Filhas da Mãe", which covered the backstage of Brazilian Fashion Industry. Short of a celebrated scene, early on, which featured Montenegro's character winning an Oscar, the telenovela was, once more, a flop. Lackluster ratings and overall negative reviews led to its swift cancellation. Nevertheless, Montenegro still managed to be nominated as Best Actress in the Contigo Awards, which laureates excellence in Brazilian telenovelas.