For millions, the face of Portuguese actress Lúcia Moniz is forever linked to the festive romance of the classic film Love Actually. Yet, years before she captured hearts as Aurélia, Moniz had already achieved fame on one of the world's biggest music stages: the Eurovision Song Contest.
From Eurovision Hopeful to Christmas Film Icon
Long before she played the Portuguese housekeeper who charms Colin Firth's character Jamie, Lúcia Moniz was a talented singer with music in her blood. The daughter of composer Carlos Alberto Moniz and singer Maria do Amparo, she began studying at a music academy at just six years old.
In 1996, at the age of 19, Moniz entered Portugal's national selection contest, the Festival da Canção. Performing the song 'O meu coração não tem cor' (My Heart Has No Colour), she won by a narrow margin of just four points. This victory earned her the right to represent Portugal at the Eurovision Song Contest in Oslo that same year.
Moniz delivered a strong performance, finishing sixth out of 23 contestants. This result remains Portugal's second-best placement in the competition's history, only surpassed by Salvador Sobral's victory in 2017.
Building a Career in Film and Music
Following her Eurovision success, Moniz transitioned into acting, landing her first role in the 1997 soap opera A Grande Aposta. She continued to build her music career, releasing her debut studio album, Magnolia, in 1999, which was certified Gold in Portugal.
Her life changed dramatically in 2003 when she was cast in Richard Curtis's Love Actually. Chosen from among 25 actresses in Portugal, Moniz played Aurélia, the housekeeper who forms a touching, wordless bond with Jamie, played by Colin Firth. The film was a global box office smash, earning over $250 million (£185 million) worldwide.
In a 2021 interview, Moniz reflected on the film's enduring legacy, calling the experience "incredible." She revealed she still keeps in touch with co-stars like Colin Firth and Bill Nighy, and that the cast had urged director Richard Curtis for a sequel.
A Lasting Legacy in Two Worlds
Moniz has continued to balance both her artistic passions in the decades since. She has released three more albums, the latest being Calendário in 2015, and reprised her role as Aurélia for the 2017 Comic Relief short film Red Nose Day Actually.
She has also appeared in Portuguese films like Fatima and Listen. Looking back on her Eurovision experience, Moniz fondly remembers it as a time of pure joy, telling an interviewer, "I was just having fun. We were singing Portuguese music every day, in the hotel corridors and on the streets."
While Love Actually cemented her international fame, her Eurovision achievement stands as a significant and often overlooked milestone in a diverse and accomplished career, bridging the worlds of European pop music and Hollywood cinema.
