Ana Paula Arósio

Ana Paula Arósio (; born 16 July 1975) is a Brazilian former actress and model based in Swindon, England. She began her modeling career at age 12 and appeared on numerous magazine covers worldwide, becoming one of Brazil’s most visible young models before transitioning to acting as a teenager. She gained national recognition in television dramas and miniseries such as Hilda Furacão and Terra Nostra (1999), both of which were major hits in Brazil.

Early life Ana Paula Arósio was born to businesswoman Claudete Aparecida Arósio and industrial mechanic Carlos Arósio, and is of Italian descent, with family roots in the Lombardy region of Italy.

Career Arósio began her professional career as a child and teen model, quickly becoming one of Brazil’s most recognizable faces in fashion through magazine covers and television advertisements early in her career.

Her transition into acting began in the mid‑1990s, with early television roles including the SBT series Éramos Seis (1994), followed by appearances in Razão de Viver and Os Ossos do Barão, which helped establish her presence as an emerging television actress in Brazil.

Arósio’s breakthrough came in 1998 with the lead role in the miniseries Hilda Furacão, which brought her national recognition and critical acclaim.

In 1999, she starred in the globally successful telenovela Terra Nostra, a period drama about Italian immigration to Brazil that aired in several countries, significantly expanding her international visibility.

Throughout the early 2000s, Arósio took on distinctive roles in productions such as Os Maias (2001) and Esperança (2002).

In 2004, she portrayed socialite Yolanda Penteado in the miniseries Um Só Coração, produced to commemorate São Paulo’s 450th anniversary.

In 2005, she reunited with actor Fábio Assunção in the historical miniseries Mad Maria, depicting the construction of the Madeira‑Mamoré Railway, and appeared in the feature film O Coronel e o Lobisomem, showcasing her range across television and cinema.

She also expanded into contemporary roles with her performance as Olívia in Páginas da Vida (2006), marking her second modern‑day character after earlier period pieces.

In 2007, Arósio was chosen as the brand ambassador for the global cosmetics company Avon in a major advertising campaign.

In 2008, she returned to a period production by portraying Laura in the telenovela Ciranda de Pedra, an adaptation of the work by Lygia Fagundes Telles.

Arósio’s final major television role was in the series Na Forma da Lei (2010). Later that year her contract with Rede Globo was terminated and she stepped away from regular television roles.

Despite her departure from television, Arósio continued acting in film. She starred in Anita & Garibaldi (2013), a film released after being shot in two production periods; the movie reflects her continued interest in cinema beyond television dramas.

She also appeared in A Floresta Que Se Move (2015), a suspense/drama marking her return to the big screen, and Primavera (2018).

Legacy Arósio is regarded as one of the most significant Brazilian actresses of her generation, particularly for her work on television in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Her breakthrough roles in productions such as Hilda Furacão and Terra Nostra remain iconic within Brazilian popular culture and television history.

Personal life In 1996, Arósio' then‑fiancé, businessman Luiz Carlos Leonardo Tjurs, died by suicide following an apparent jealous episode shortly before their planned wedding, an incident that had a severe impact on her life.

Following his death, Arósio had relationships with several public figures before eventually establishing a long-term partnership. In the early 2000s she dated actors and industry professionals including Marcos Palmeira and Tarcísio Filho, among others.

In April 2009, she began a relationship with architect and equestrian Henrique Plombon Pinheiro, whom she married on 16 July 2010 at her ranch in Santa Rita do Passa Quatro, São Paulo. The couple share a passion for horses and rural life, which has shaped their life together outside the entertainment industry.

After leaving television in 2010, Arósio and her husband lived on a farm in the interior of São Paulo before relocating in 2015 to the rural area of Swindon, England, where they continue to raise horses and live a largely private life. Her appearances in media remain rare, though she has occasionally appeared in advertising campaigns since 2020, including for a major Brazilian bank.

Arósio’s relationship with her family has also been the subject of public attention. Reports indicate a strained relationship with her mother, which has endured for many years, and she did not attend her father’s funeral following his death in later life, reinforcing her choice of privacy and distance from public life.

Filmography

Film Year Title Role 1991 Forever Berenice 2005 O Coronel e o Lobisomem Esmeraldina 1996 Razão de Viver Bruna SBT 1999 Terra Nostra Giuliana TV Globo 1997 Fedra — Theatre 1999 Harmonia em Negro — Theatre 2000 Diário Secreto de Adão e Eva — Theatre 2002 Casa de Bonecas Nora Helmer Also producer

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Work Result 1998 Troféu Imprensa Revelation of the Year Hilda Furacão 1999 Best Actress Terra Nostra 2002 Best Actress Esperança 2004 3rd Film Festival of Varginha Best Supporting Actress Celeste & Estrela 2005 Prêmio Contigo Best Supporting Actress O Coronel e o Lobisomem