Eliana Macedo

Origin

Itaocara, RJ

Years active

1948–1979

Genres

popular music, soundtrack

Instruments

vocals

Biography

Eliana Macedo, born Ely Macedo de Souza in Itaocara, was a prominent Brazilian actress and singer who became one of the biggest stars of Brazilian cinema during the golden age of Atlântida Cinematográfica. Raised in a musical family where she sang with the band XV de Novembro, she eventually transitioned to acting and starred in around 26 films, notably working under the direction of her uncle Watson Macedo. Her career was defined by her charismatic performances in popular musical comedies and chanchadas, where she often shared the screen with comedy legends like Oscarito, Grande Otelo, and Anselmo Duarte.

As a singer, Eliana recorded successful tracks and frequently performed musical numbers in her films, at times imitating the iconic style of Carmen Miranda. She often collaborated musically with artists such as Adelaide Chiozzo, interpreting hits like Pedalando and Encosta sua cabecinha. Her talent earned her major critical acclaim, including the prestigious Prêmio Saci in 1954 for her performance in A Outra Face do Homem, and she later showcased her versatility by dancing rock 'n' roll in the 1958 film Alegria de Viver.

In 1964, at the height of her stardom and as musical comedies began losing ground to the realistic dramas of Cinema Novo, she made the conscious decision to retire from filmmaking. Later in her career, she made a memorable television appearance in the 1979 telenovela Feijão Maravilha alongside Adelaide Chiozzo, revisiting the musical hits of her cinematic past. Eliana Macedo passed away in Rio de Janeiro in 1990, leaving behind a legacy as an emblematic figure of Brazil's mid-century popular culture.