Márcio Paschoal - Rogéria: uma mulher e mais um pouco

2016, Brazil, Márcio Paschoal, Portuguese,

Original title: "Rogéria: uma mulher e mais um pouco" (bbbbbb) by Márcio Paschoal.

"Rogéria's story is more like fiction. Born Astolfo Barroso Pinto, she had to face great challenges to assert herself as a homosexual, an icon of transformism and, above all, an artist. Moved by an enormous passion for art and life, she conquered, over more than 50 years of career, her space in theater, cinema and television, consecrating herself as an irresistible, almost mythical character: Rogéria, the transvestite of the Brazilian family.

In this book, Marcio Paschoal reconstructs the intense trajectory of Astolfo-Rogéria from his first steps as a make-up artist for the singers of the radio era and the stars of TV Rio, through his debut on stage in the middle of the dictatorship, international success and artistic recognition on his return to Brazil. To draw a faithful portrait of Rogéria, the author did a great deal of iconographic research, gathering beautiful photos.

He also chose to give voice to the biographee, who tells, with all her irreverence, delicious showbiz stories. Without naming names, but giving enough clues to instigate readers, Rogéria reveals spicy details of her love affairs with politicians, artists, businessmen, sportsmen and journalists. Rogéria often says that a transvestite needs intelligence and talent to know that she is not a real woman. These are qualities that Rogeria, a woman and a little more, does not lack."

Rogéria, born as Astolfo Barroso Pinto (25 June 1943 – 4 September 2017), was a renowned Brazilian actress, singer, makeup artist, and drag queen. She began her artistic career as a makeup artist for celebrities at the now-defunct TV Rio. Rogéria lived in Paris for five years, where she presented various shows. She was fluent in French and could sing in the language.

In 1979, she received the Mambembe Trophy for a show she did alongside Grande Otelo. Despite being a transformista (drag queen), she chose not to undergo sex reassignment surgery and did not change her baptismal name on her documents. She lived alone in Rio de Janeiro since the 1960s.

Rogéria was a frequent figure in Brazilian cinema and also participated as a judge in several variety programs. She is best known for her roles in movies such as “A Maldição do Sanpaku”, “Ambitious Women”, and "Mulheres no Poder"1. Over the course of her career, she worked in 11 films.

In addition to her film work, Rogéria also had a notable presence in Brazilian soap operas. She appeared in popular shows such as “Tieta”, “Paraíso Tropical”, and more recently, "Força do Querer". Rogéria’s life and artistic trajectory were also depicted in documentaries. She was featured in the 2016 documentary film “Divinas Divas”, directed by Leandra Leal. In 2018, another documentary titled “Rogéria, Senhor Astolfo Barroso Pinto” was released, directed by Pedro Gui. This documentary followed Rogéria’s life and artistic trajectory, exploring the duality between the artist and the character, between Rogéria and Astolfo.

Rogéria’s contributions to cinema and television, along with her vibrant personality, made her a beloved figure in Brazilian entertainment. Her work continues to be celebrated and remembered today. She passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from sepsis caused by a urinary tract infection on 4 September 2017 at the age of 74.

Available via Amazon

Photo by Roberto Valverde/Divulgacão via Wikipedia