Alice Braga


Alice Braga Moraes is a Brazilian actress and producer. She has appeared in several Brazilian films, most notably starring as Angélica in the highly acclaimed City of God, as Karinna in Lower City, and as Dolores in Only God Knows.
Braga came to international prominence after appearing opposite Will Smith in I Am Legend, and has since become a familiar face in Hollywood, having appeared in films such as Repo Men, Predators, The Rite, Elysium, and The Shack. She portrays the starring role of Teresa Mendoza in the crime drama-thriller television series Queen of the South.

Early life

Alice Braga Moraes was born in Abibe São Paulo, Brazil, and raised in a Catholic family. She speaks fluent English, Portuguese, and Spanish.
Her exposure to acting came at an early age; both her mother Ana Braga and aunt Sônia Braga are actresses, and Braga often accompanied them to film sets. She began her career by appearing in school plays and commercials. Her first commercial was for yogurt when she was 8 years old. As a teenager, she began pursuing roles in television and movies.

Career

Braga made her acting debut in the Portuguese-language short film Trampolim and then returned to her schooling. Her breakthrough came when she was cast as Angélica in the critically acclaimed crime film City of God, for which she received a Best Supporting Actress nomination from the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize. Afterward, she attended university while appearing in a pair of well-regarded South American films: Lower City and Only God Knows. She also appeared in the popular Brazilian television program Carandiru, Outras Historias.
Braga made her English-language debut with a starring role alongside Brendan Fraser, Mos Def, and Catalina Sandino Moreno in the crime thriller Journey to the End of Night, which premiered at the 5th Annual Tribeca Film Festival. She received further recognition when was then cast opposite Will Smith in the blockbuster action thriller I Am Legend. She subsequently had roles in the David Mamet-directed martial arts film Redbelt, alongside Chiwetel Ejiofor, the post-apocalyptic thriller Blindness, alongside Julianne Moore and Mark Ruffalo, and the crime drama Crossing Over, alongside Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, and Ashley Judd.
Braga portrayed Beth in the science fiction film Repo Men. She starred as Isabelle in Nimród Antal's science fiction action film Predators, which was shot and produced by Troublemaker Studios and Robert Rodriguez. Braga appeared as Frey Santiago in Neill Blomkamp's science fiction action film Elysium, co-starring Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. In 2014, she starred as Vania in the Brazilian jungle film The Ardor, as Olivia in the Argentine romance drama Latitudes, and as Alice Taylor in Kriv Stenders' action-thriller Kill Me Three Times.
In 2016, Braga starred as Marisol Kingston in the western drama The Duel, alongside Liam Hemsworth and Woody Harrelson. In 2017, she starred as Sophia in the Christian drama The Shack, alongside Octavia Spencer and Sam Worthington, based on the novel of the same name.
Since 2016, Braga has starred in the crime drama series Queen of the South, produced for USA Network, an adaptation of Arturo Perez-Reverte's best-selling novel La Reina del Sur. The series marked Braga's first lead American television role. She previously had small supporting roles in a non-English television series.
Braga will next star as Cecilia Reyes in the superhero horror film The New Mutants, which set for release in 2020. She will star as Maggie in the HBO drama miniseries We Are Who We Are, which was written and directed by filmmaker Luca Guadagnino. Braga will also appear in the superhero action film The Suicide Squad, which is set for release in 2021.

Personal life

In January 2020, Braga revealed she has been in a three year relationship with actress Bianca Comparato.
Braga retains residences in both Los Angeles, California and São Paulo, Brazil.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1998TrampolimCláudiaShort film
2002City of GodAngélica
2005Lower CityKarina
2006Only God KnowsDolores
2006Journey to the End of the NightMonique
2006DrainedWaitress
2007The Milky WayJúlia
2007RummikubDaughter from São PauloShort film
2007I Am LegendAnna Montez
2008RedbeltSondra Terry
2008BlindnessWoman with Dark Glasses
2009Crossing OverMireya Sanchez
2009Cabeça a PrêmioElaine
2010Repo MenBeth
2010PredatorsIsabelle
2010Predators: Moments of ExtractionIsabelle Short film
2011Angelina Vargas
2012On the RoadTerry / Bea Franco
2012City of God – 10 Years LaterHerself
2012Uma Vida InteiraWomanShort film
2013ElysiumFrey Santiago
2013Os AmigosJúlia
2014Muitos Homens Num SóEva
2014LatitudesOliviaAlso producer
2014The ArdorVania
2014Kill Me Three TimesAlice Taylor
2016The DuelMarisol Kingston
2016Entre Idas E VindasSandra
2017The ShackSophia
2020Eduardo & MônicaMônica
2020The New MutantsCecilia ReyesCompleted
2021The Suicide SquadTBAPost-production

Television

Awards and nominations