Ilva Niño Mendonça (November 15, 1933 – June 12, 2024) was a Brazilian actress, director, and theater teacher. Throughout an artistic career that spanned eight decades, she was particularly notable in television and theater, immortalizing numerous characters, many of whom represented women from the Northeast or domestic workers.
In 1957, she won the Best Actress award at the National Amateur Festival for her performance in the play O Auto da Compadecida by Ariano Suassuna as the ‘Baker's Wife’. From then on, she continued to act in a series of plays, founding the Luiz Mendonça Ninõ Theater of Arts, a tribute to her husband, actor and director Luiz Mendonça (who died in 1995), where she taught art classes for many years.
From the 1970s onwards, she became a regular feature in various soap operas and programs on TV Globo, playing maids, housewives, and women from the Northeast, helpful women with strong personalities, such as the long-suffering Alzira in Pecado Capital, the dreamer Cotinha in Sem Lenço, sem Documento (No Handkerchief, No ID, 1978), the grumpy Iara in Partido Alto (1984), the religious Sister Teresa in Terra Nostra (1999), the cangaceira Cândida in Cordel Encantado (2011), and Epifânia from Piauí in Cheias de Charme (2012). However, in 1985, she experienced one of the most memorable moments of her career, playing the submissive Mina in Roque Santeiro, a maid who suffered at the hands of her boss, Viúva Porcina, played by Regina Duarte, who yelled the catchphrase “Minaaaa!” every time she called the maid.
Biography The actress was born in Pernambuco, in the city of Floresta, on November 15, 1933. She is a film and theater actress, but mainly a television actress. Ilva moved to Rio de Janeiro shortly after the military dictatorship of 1964. She was brought to television in the 1970s by author Dias Gomes. The actress is the widow of theater director Luiz Mendonça and is the mother of the late actor .
Always playing supporting roles, Ilva Niño has had a long career in television, appearing in more than 30 soap operas and several series, all of which were broadcast by TV Globo. Among her many soap operas, she is still remembered today for her role as the maid Mina in Roque Santeiro, when the entertaining Viúva Porcina (Regina Duarte) immortalized the catchphrase “Miiiiiiiiiiinaaaaaa” whenever she needed the maid. Ilva is well known for almost always playing a maid in soap operas.
Her television debut came in 1971, acting in , a soap opera by Dias Gomes in the 10 p.m. slot, playing Santa, one of the members of the family of migrants from the northeast of Brazil led by Severino (played by actor Sebastião Vasconcelos). She returned to the small screen three years later in Corrida do Ouro, where she played Jandira.
From then on, Ilva landed several roles in soap operas. In 1975, she played Filomena, the maid in Gabriela, and Alzira, the mother of the protagonist in Pecado Capital.
In 1977, she played one of the main maids in Sem Lenço, sem Documento, in which she played Cotinha, the eldest sister of the four maids, a very funny woman who was in love with the voice of a radio announcer. She then appeared in several productions on Rede Globo, such as Água Viva, , Lampião e Maria Bonita, and .
In 1984, she stood out in the prime-time soap opera Partido Alto, playing the gossipy Iara, the terror of the neighborhood, foul-mouthed and talkative, always present in the events of the soap opera. In 1985, she played the unforgettable Mina in Roque Santeiro.
She accumulated several other roles at TV Globo, such as: the welcoming Belmira in O Outro, the long-suffering Mainha in Bebê a Bordo, the cook Anésia in O Sexo dos Anjos, the maid Naninha in Pedra Sobre Pedra, and another maid, Neide, in Tropicaliente. In 1995, she joined the cast of Manoel Carlos' História de Amor, where she played the cook Chica, who worked for Rômulo Sampaio (Cláudio Corrêa e Castro) and Zuleika Sampaio (Eva Wilma). In 1996, she made a special appearance in O Rei do Gado as Joana. In 1997, she appeared in Por Amor as the housekeeper Dalva.
In 1999, she appeared in two primetime soap operas, one after the other: Suave Veneno as Valdomiro's (José Wilker) maid, Zezé, and Terra Nostra as the nun Teresa. She participated in the first phase of Aguinaldo Silva's soap opera Porto dos Milagres in 2001. She made a special appearance in the 2002 season of Malhação.
After special appearances in Senhora do Destino, Alma Gêmea, and Pé na Jaca, she joined the cast of Walcyr Carrasco's soap opera Sete Pecados, playing the maid Marli.
In 2009, she played Ernestina, a sweet maid in Cama de Gato. In 2011, she returned to soap operas playing the cangaceira Cândida in Cordel Encantado. In 2012, she played Epifânia in Cheias de Charme, in which she was the mother of the comical Socorro (Titina Medeiros) and was contacted by singer Chayene (Cláudia Abreu) to work as her personal midwife, until she discovered that her pregnancy was a hoax. In 2013, she was in the cast of Saramandaia, as the housekeeper Cleide.
In 2016, after three years away from TV recovering from intestinal cancer, she returned to acting in , playing Damiana, the grandmother of the protagonist Joana.
Her last appearance in soap operas was a special guest role in Aguinaldo Silva's O Outro Lado do Paraíso in 2018.
Personal life She was the widow of playwright and theater director Luiz Mendonça, to whom she was married from 1957 to 1995. Together they had one son, actor Luiz Carlos Niño, who died in 2005 at the age of 40.
Ilva was also the director and teacher at the “Niño de Artes Luiz Mendonça” theater school, which she founded in 2003 in honor of her husband, and a theater teacher at -Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, both in Rio de Janeiro.
Death In early 2014, Ilva took a break from her artistic work to treat intestinal cancer, from which she recovered in 2016.
She died on June 12, 2024, at the age of 90. The actress had been hospitalized since May 13 at Quali Hospital in Ipanema neighborhood, after undergoing heart surgery to treat respiratory, digestive, and kidney complications, which culminated in multiple organ failure.
Filmography
Television Year Title Role Notes 1971 Santa de Jesus Barbosa (Santinha) 1973 Senhora Episode: "O Duelo" 1974 Corrida do Ouro Jandira 1975 Gabriela Dona Filomena Episode: "14 de abril" Pecado Capital Alzira Batista 1977 Sem Lenço, sem Documento Maricota Galvão (Cotinha) 1978 PiYear's wife Episode: "A Enxada" 1979 Feijão Maravilha Filomena 1980 Água Viva Antônia 1982 Mariúcha's mother Episode: "8 de maio" Helena Lampião e Maria Bonita Odete Conceição de Oliveira 1983 Guerra dos Sexos Woman in the jungle Episode: "6 de junho" Amélia Episode: "Chico Xavier, Um Infinito Amor" 1984 Partido Alto Iara de Jesus 1985 Roque Santeiro Filismina (Mina) 1987 O Outro Belmira Pescolato Silveira 1988 Bebê a Bordo Maria Bezerra (Mainha) 1989 O Sexo dos Anjos Anésia 1992 Você Decide Genoveva Episode: "Cigarra ou Formiga" Pedra sobre Pedra Naninha 1993 Neusa Você Decide Elza Episode: "Faça a Coisa Certa" 1994 Dona Sebastiana Episode: "Ainda Não!" Tropicaliente Neide 1995 História de Amor Chica 1996 O Rei do Gado Joana 1997 Madame Esmeralda Episode: "Na Palma da Mão" Por Amor Dalva 1998 Você Decide Maria Episode: "A Volta por Cima" 1999 Suave Veneno Maria José (Zezé) Terra Nostra Irmã Letícia Episodes: "21–26 de outubro" 2000 Malhação Yolanda 2001 Porto dos Milagres Valderice 2002 Malhação Sister Teresa de Almeida 2004Sítio do Picapau Amarelo Tonha Timbó Episode: "A Estrada" Senhora do Destino Severina Pimentel (Dona Bil) Episode: "28 de junho" 2005 Alma Gêmea Almerinda Episodes: "25–27 de junho" 2006 Um Menino muito Maluquinho Irene Pé na Jaca Santa Mangabeira de Arrabal 2007 Sete Pecados Marli Pereira 2008 Duas Caras Risoleta Episodes: "26–28 de março" Faça Sua História Dalva Episode: "Álbum de Família" Naná Episode: "O Belo e as Feras" 2009 Toma Lá, Dá Cá Dona Damiana Episode: "O Anel que Tu me Deste" Cama de Gato Ernestina Tibiriçá 2011 Cordel Encantado Cândida Araújo 2012 Cheias de Charme Maria Epifânia Cordeiro de Jesus 2013 Saramandaia Cleide Neves Tavares 2016 Mister Brau Dona Zoraide Episode: "24 de maio" Malhação: Pro Dia Nascer Feliz Damiana Miranda 2017 Dona Fofinha Episode: "A Franga Passou!"2018O Outro Lado do ParaísoSebastiana Almeida (Tiana)Episodes: "19–20 de fevereiro"2019–21Dona Santinha2020 Janice Episode: "4 de agosto"
Cinema Year Title Role Notes1971 André, a Cara e a Coragem Carolina Zefa 1972 Prostitute 1973 Aladim e a Lâmpada Maravilhosa Customer complaining about the elixir 1975 Com Um Grilo na Mão Rosa Uma Mulata Para Todos 1976 Josefina 1980 Mother of the accident victim 1981 Only vocals1982 Piranha de Véu e Grinalda Raimunda Segment: "Dois Dedos" 1986 Otávio's mother Dóris Pelanca Vento Sul 1987 Babysitter Victim of land grabbers 1990 Beggar 2011 Federal Bank Heist Marisa Mello 2016 Minha Mãe é Uma Peça 2 Zezé 2019 Lamento Otilia
Theater YearTitleRole of Ilva NiñoAuthorPremiere DateNotes1956O Auto da CompadecidaActressAriano SuassunaSeptember 11, 1956Her breakthrough role; won Best Actress at the National Amateur Festival in 19571961A Derradeira CeiaActressEarly theater work in Pernambuco/Rio transition period1962Julgamento em Novo SolActressMay 5, 19621962A IncelençaActressDecember 29, 1962Later remounted/directed by others (e.g., Camilla Amado in 2013)1963Estórias do Mato: A Afilhada de Nossa Senhora da ConceiçãoActressSeptember 15, 1963Part of a cycle of regional stories1963Estórias do Mato: A IncelençaActressSeptember 15, 1963Likely a companion piece or remount in the same series1966Se Correr o Bicho Pega, Se Ficar o Bicho ComeActressDias Gomes & Ferreira GullarApril 9, 1966Classic Brazilian political satire1968Paixão de CristoActressReligious-themed passion play1971Casa Grande e SenzalaActressAdaptation inspired by Gilberto Freyre's work; listed twice in source but counted once1976O Último CarroActressMarch 30, 1976Produced by Grupo Opinião (Rio de Janeiro); award-winning play delayed by censorship1978A Ópera do MalandroActressChico BuarqueJuly 26, 1978Iconic Brazilian musical theater adaptation1980O Último dos NukupyrusActressEnvironmental/indigenous-themed play
Prizes YearAwardsCategoryNomineeResultRef.19571º Festival de Amadores NacionaisBest ActressO Auto da Compadecida2018Festival de Cinema de TriunfoContribution to ArtTribute
References