Ney Latorraca

Life and career

Ney Latorraca was born on 27 July 1944 in the port city of Santos, São Paulo state, to Alfredo, a casino crooner, and Nena, a showgirl who performed in casinos. Actor Grande Otelo was his godfather, and he grew up in an artistic environment. Two years after his birth, casinos were forbidden in Brazil by a presidential decree, and his family thus lost their primary means of survival. As a result, his parents decided to move to São Paulo. His mother became a house wife and his father got a job at Rádio Record.

Latorraca started his acting career early. At six, he made an appearance on a radio series by Rádio Record. At nine, he made his first appearance on a TV programme, in the miniseries Alô, Doçura by Rede Tupi. In 1957 his family moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he continued his studies.

In 1964, Ney took part on his first play, "Pluft, O Fantasminha" written by Maria Clara Machado and directed by Serafim Gonzales. From that moment on, he decided that he would be a famous actor. His first professional opportunity came in the next year, when he was selected to join the cast of the play Reportagem de um Tempo Mau, a criticism of the military dictatorship that was ruling the country. The play was presented only once, being subsequently banned by the Federal Censorship and the whole cast arrested for a few days. Soon after, Latorraca moved back to Santos and participated in several amateur plays with the theatre group of the Faculty of Philosophy of Santos.

Beginning in 1967, Latorraca attended the University of São Paulo's School of Dramatic Art for 3 years, graduating as the first of his class. Marília Pêra was the godmother of his graduating class.

From 1968 on, Ney Latorraca participated in numerous plays, telenovelas and movies. In 1979 he performed alongside his godfather Grande Otelo in the musical play Lola Moreno. In the telenovela Um Sonho a Mais, Latorraca interpreted five different characters, including a woman. Some of his most memorable roles are the playboy Mederiquis in the soap opera Estúpido Cupido (1976), the polygamous Quequé in the miniseries Rabo de Saia (1984), and the old man Barbosa, in the comic series TV Pirata (1988).

In November 1986 he premiered with Marco Nanini one of the most successful plays in Brazilian history, O Mistério de Irma Vap, directed by Marília Pêra. The play was staged for 11 consecutive years and watched by more than 2.5 million people, setting a Brazilian record included in the Guinness Book. The play originated a motion picture, Irma Vap – O Retorno (2006), also interpreted by the two actors.

Latorraca was in a relationship for over 20 years with fellow actor Edi Botelho. Latorraca died from prostate cancer in Rio de Janeiro on 26 December 2024, at the age of 80.

Works

Television

1968 – Beto Rockfeller

1969 – Super Plá

1972 – Quero Viver

1972 – Dom Camilo e Seus Cabeludos

1972 – Eu e a Moto

1973 – Vidas Marcadas

1973 – Venha Ver o Sol na Estrada

1974 – Escalada – Felipe

1975 – O Grito – Sérgio

1976 – Estúpido Cupido – Mederix

1977 – Sem Lenço, sem Documento – Marco

1978 – Saudade Não Tem Idade

1978 – Dancin' Days

1979 – Malu Mulher

1979 – Plantão de Polícia

1979 – Aplauso, Como Matar um Playboy

1980 – O Bem Amado

1980 – Chega Mais – Jonas

1980 – Coração Alado – Leandro Serrano

1982 – Caso Verdade, O Menino dos Milagres – Antoninho da Rocha Marmo

1982 – Elas por Elas – Porteiro do motel

1982 – Avenida Paulista – Sérgio

1983 – Eu Prometo – Albano

Cinema

1969 – Audácia: A Fúria dos Desejos

1973 – A Noite do Desejo – Toninho

1974 – Sedução

1976 – Deixa Amorzinho... Deixa – Dino/Dalma

1976 – Anchieta, José do Brasil – Anchieta

1978 – O Grande Desbum

1979 – Uma Estranha História de Amor – Daniel

1981 – O Beijo no Asfalto – Arandir

1982 – Heart and Guts – priest

1984 – A Mulher do Atirador de Facas

1985 – Ópera do Malandro – Tigrão

1986 – Ele, o Boto – Rufino

1987 – A Fábula da Bela Palomera – Orestes

1989 – Festa – Actor

1994 – Dente Por Dente

1995 – Brevíssimas Histórias da Gente de Santos

1995 – Carlota Joaquina, Princess of Brazil – Jean-Baptiste Debret

1996 – For All – o Trampolim da Vitória

2001 – Minha Vida em Suas Mãos – Analyst

2003 – Viva Sapato! – Claudionor

2004 – O Diabo a Quatro – Senator Heitor Furtado

Theater

1965 – Reportagem de Um Tempo Mau

1970 – Hair

1972 – Jesus Christ Superstar

1973 – Bodas de Sangue

1975 – A Mandrágora

1983 – King Lear

1986/97 – The Mystery of Irma Vep

1994 – O Médico e o Monstro

1995 – Don Juan

1996 – Quartett

1999 – O Martelo

2000 – 3 x Teatro

2011 – A Escola do Escândalo

2022 – Seu Neyla

Awards

São Paulo Association of Art Critics (APCA)

Troféu APCA (1984) (Best television actor)

Contigo! Magazine

Contigo! Award (1998) (Best villain, as Silas Vadan in Zazá)