Laura Cardoso, a veteran of Brazilian television who appeared in more than 60 soap operas over a career spanning eight decades, has died at the age of 98. Cardoso passed away at her home in the Sumaré district of São Paulo early Tuesday after feeling unwell, her family confirmed in a statement posted to her official Instagram account.
Born in São Paulo in 1927 to Portuguese immigrants, Cardoso began performing at age 15 on radio serials at Rádio Cosmos and debuted on television in 1952 on TV Tupi. She joined Globo in 1981, going on to feature in productions including "Mulheres de Areia," "Caminho das Índias," and "Gabriela." Her final soap opera role was in "A Dona do Pedaço" in 2019.
Cardoso received the Order of Cultural Merit from then-President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in 2006 and the Troféu Mário Lago in 2002. Her most recent work was the 2025 short film "Dona Rosinha".