Kate Lyra

Origin

Ray, Estados Unidos

Also known as

Katherine Lee Riddell Caughey

Years Active

1967

Genres

MPB

Biography

Kate Lyra, stage name of Katherine Lee Riddell Caughey, was born in Ray, United States, on July 3, 1949, and built a solid artistic career in Brazil. She moved to the country after marrying renowned Brazilian musician Carlos Lyra, initially working as a model and later establishing herself as a film and television actress, as well as a director and researcher.

In the 1970s, she stood out on television in comedy shows like Praça da Alegria and Planeta dos Homens, achieving great popularity with the catchphrase "Brasileiro é tão bonzinho" ("Brazilians are so nice"). In 1977, she even recorded a musical EP with this same theme. Her career on stage and screen crossed paths with important names in Brazilian culture, having acted in productions by directors such as Carlos Imperial, Braz Chediak, Walter Hugo Khoury, and Bruno Barreto, in addition to collaborating artistically with figures like Luis Eça and Emílio Santiago.

In addition to her striking work as an actress and screenwriter — having won the APCA trophy for the screenplay of A Causa Secreta, directed by Sérgio Bianchi —, Kate Lyra dedicated herself to academic research at the Musical Studies Center of the Cândido Mendes University. Her studies delved into aspects of urban music and Brazilian youth culture, such as carioca funk and rap, generating articles and publications of relevance to cultural studies in the country.