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Fernanda Torres returned to the spotlight for the right reasons on Tuesday as she made her first public appearance since being forced to apologise for wearing blackface make-up in an awkward comedy sketch.
The Brazilian star is among the contenders for Best Actress at the forthcoming 97th annual Academy Awards courtesy of her role in foreign language biographical drama Ainda Estou Aqui (I’m Still Here).
But the remarkable achievement was overshadowed after a 17-year old clip of her appearance on Brazilian TV show Fantástico emerged this week.
Torres, 59, played multiple characters on the show, including one who unwisely wears racially inflammatory blackface make-up.
With the dust setting on its poorly-timed emergence, she returned to public life as she attended the Chanel Haute Couture Spring-Summer presentation during Paris Fashion Week.
The actress looked elegant in a sweeping black gown from the French fashion house while posing for photos ahead of the show.
Fernanda Torres returned to the spotlight for the right reasons on Tuesday as she made her first public appearance since being forced to apologise for wearing blackface make-up in an awkward comedy sketch
The actress wore racially inflammatory blackface make-up while appearing on Brazilian sketch show Fantástico some 17-years ago (pictured)
Apoologing for her unfortunate Fantástico sketch in a recent statement to Deadline, she said: ‘Almost twenty years ago, I appeared in blackface in a comedy sketch from a Brazilian TV show.
‘I am very sorry for this. I’m making this statement as it is important for me to address this swiftly to avoid further pain and confusion
‘At that time, despite the efforts of Black movements and organizations, the awareness of the racist history and symbolism of blackface hadn’t yet entered the mainstream public consciousness in Brazil.
‘Thanks to better cultural understanding and important but incomplete achievements in this century, it’s very clear now in our country and everywhere that blackface is never acceptable,’ she continued.
‘This is an important conversation we must continue to have with one another in order to prevent the normalization of racist practices then and now.
‘As an artist and global citizen, and from my open heart, I remain attentive and committed to the pursuit of vital changes needed to live in a world free from inequality and racism.’
Torres broke several other barriers with her Golden Globe win, which was the first in that category for a Latin American and Portuguese-speaking actor.
She’s also in rare company after earning her Oscar nomination, as only one other Brazilian actress has been previously nominated — her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, 95, for the 1998 film Central Station.
With the dust setting on its poorly-timed emergence, she returned to public life as she attended the Chanel Haute Couture Spring-Summer presentation during Paris Fashion Week
Torres played multiple characters on Fantástico, including one who unwisely wears blackface make-up (pictured)
The show that featured Torres’ blackface display, Fantástico, still airs weekly on Sunday nights.
It originated in 1973 as a black-and-white variety series with a mix of musical performances, dance numbers, dramatic scenes and comedy sketches, along with news broadcasts.
After 15 years, the show transitioned from a pre-taped affair to a live broadcast, and in 1993 it was reimagined as a TV newsmagazine, but it continues to feature entertainment segments.
Torres’ offending sketch was reportedly titled The Opposite Sex: The Family (Father Vs. Mother), and it featured her and a male actor.
According to Deadline, Torres and her costar both addressed the camera directly as multiple characters as the sketch humorously interpreted whether mothers or fathers were more important to families.
The Brazilian star is among the contenders for Best Actress at the forthcoming 97th annual Academy Awards courtesy of her role in foreign language biographical drama Ainda Estou Aqui (I’m Still Here – pictured)
