Lúcia Moniz facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lúcia Moniz
Moniz in 2014
Background information
Birth name	Ana Lúcia Pereira Moniz
Born	(1976-09-09) 9 September 1976 (age 48) Lisbon, Portugal
Genres	Pop folk rock
Occupation(s)	Singer, actress
Years active	1996–present

Ana Lúcia Pereira Moniz (born September 9, 1976) is a talented Portuguese singer and actress. She became well-known for representing Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. Lúcia Moniz has released five music albums. She has also appeared in many TV shows, plays, and movies. One of her most famous roles was in the 2003 British film Love Actually.

Early Life and Education

Ana Lúcia Pereira Moniz was born in Lisbon, Portugal, on September 9, 1976. She is the older of two daughters. Her father, Carlos Alberto Moniz [pt], is a composer and conductor. Her mother, Maria do Amparo, is a singer and actress.

Childhood in the Azores

Lúcia spent her early childhood on Terceira Island in the Azores. Both her parents were born there. In 1980, a big earthquake hit the islands. After this, her family moved to Lisbon.

Schooling and Exchange Program

From ages 5 to 14, Lúcia studied at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. She later decided to focus on visual arts instead of music. In 1993–1994, she was an exchange student in Minnesota, USA. She attended Eden Prairie High School and earned her high school diploma. While there, she sang in the school choir. She also performed in a school musical called Kiss Me, Kate.

Music Career

Lúcia Moniz started her music career at a young age. She quickly became known for her unique voice.

Eurovision Song Contest

In 1996, at age 19, Lúcia entered the Festival da Canção. This is a competition to choose Portugal's entry for Eurovision. She sang the song "O meu coração não tem cor". She won the final by a small margin.

Lúcia then represented Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1996. She finished sixth out of 23 countries. This was Portugal's second-best result ever, until they won in 2017.

Studio Albums

In 1999, Lúcia released her first album, Magnolia. It was named after the village in Massachusetts where it was recorded. The album featured pop songs in both Portuguese and English. It became a Gold-certified album in Portugal.

Her second album, 67, came out in 2002. It was named for the 67 days it took to make. Her longtime producer, Nuno Bettencourt, helped create it. After a break, she released Leva-me p'ra casa in 2005. This album's title means "Take Me Home."

Later, Lúcia released Fio de Luz in 2011. Her most recent album, Calendário, came out in 2015.

Acting Career

Besides music, Lúcia Moniz has had a successful acting career. She has appeared in many TV shows and films.

Early Television Roles

In 1997, Lúcia began acting on TV in the soap opera A Grande Aposta. She played twin sisters, Susana and Bárbara. Her success led her to another popular soap opera, Terra Mãe, in 1998. Because of her acting work, she didn't have time to finish her design degree.

International Film Success

In 2003, Lúcia got a big international role. She played Aurélia in the film Love Actually. This movie had many famous actors like Colin Firth and Hugh Grant. In the film, her character only speaks Portuguese, and Colin Firth's character only speaks English. They fall in love and get engaged by the end of the movie.

Lúcia reprised her role as Aurélia in 2017. This was for Red Nose Day Actually, a short film sequel. It was made to raise money for the charity Comic Relief.

Recent Acting Work

In 2021, Lúcia won an award for her acting. She received the Best Performance award at the Raindance Film Festival. This was for her role as Bela in the 2020 film Listen. In the movie, she plays a mother struggling to care for her deaf child.

Other Projects

In 2011, Lúcia Moniz worked on the design for a cookbook. This work won a Gourmand Award. Two years later, in 2013, a book of her photographs was published. It was called Vou Tentar Falar Sem Dizer Nada.

Personal Life

In 2004, Lúcia Moniz had a daughter named Julia Bettencourt Moniz. Julia's father is Portuguese musician Donovan Bettencourt. Julia was born in the Azores.

Selected Filmography

Film

Television

Discography

• Magnólia (1999)
• 67 (2002)
• Leva-me p'ra casa (2005)
• Fio de Luz (2011)
• Calendário (2015)

See also

In Spanish: Lúcia Moniz para niños