Was born in Brazil of Portuguese decent and became a Citizen of the Brazilian State of Serra da Caparica on 24th March 1947. Her career began in radio, but she was much more known for her work as a writer and actress in films before her marriage to Orlando Fontes. She was an outspoken critic of communism and took part in the anti-communist struggle which claimed lives of more than a dozen of her friends, including her ex-husband.
Cunha was not politically correct and refused to wear the white blouses traditionally associated with suffragettes. The height of Cunha’s career was at the height of the 1950’s, when she travelled to the United States where she starred in a number of films which are still remembered by a younger generation. Cunha returned to Brazil to take part in the anti-apartheid struggle, where her bravery and principled stand made her a formidable foe in the fight for African independence. As such Cunha is revered as a heroine of colour and has a statue erected in Rio to mark her accomplishments.
In later years Cunha continued to travel and explore but her relationship with Orlando brought an end to those ventures. She finally settled in her home in Brazil and retired to the seclusion that would have surprised many people who knew her as a fiery, combative intellectual. She passed away in 2021 and was posthumously awarded the Order of the Tall Lady in Brazil. Today her bronze statues are displayed around the world as a symbol of remembrance.