born in campos dos goytacazes, she moved with her family to rio de janeiro at the age of two. she attended the school of tablado theatre and began her acting career in 1966, starring in the play "roda-viva", by chico buarque. other plays she worked in include "arena conta zumbi" (1969), "orfeu negro" (1972), and "godspell" (1974) she began her singing career in 1971 in the nightclubs of são paulo. between 1975 and 1979, she released three lps, and a further three albums in the 1980s. in 1976 she starred in the film "xica da silva". in (1994), motta participated in the film "the lion king", where she sang the opening song "circle of life" in the brazilian version. over the decades she has acted in some of the most popular television soap operas and series.