Mônica Martelli

Mônica Martelli is a Brazilian actress, playwright, screenwriter and television presenter whose best-known work began as a one-woman stage comedy. Born in Macaé, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, she studied journalism before pursuing acting. Her breakthrough came with *Os Homens São de Marte… E É pra Lá que Eu Vou!*, a play she wrote and performed, portraying Fernanda, a single woman searching for a lasting relationship. The production became a major success in Brazil and established a character Martelli would return to in other formats.

The play’s popularity led to a film adaptation, released in 2014 and directed by Marcus Baldini. Martelli reprised Fernanda, alongside Paulo Gustavo, Daniele Valente and Eduardo Moscovis. The story follows Fernanda’s romantic misadventures and her attempts to reconcile her hopes for love with the realities of dating. A sequel, *Minha Vida em Marte*, arrived in 2018, again featuring Martelli and Gustavo. The films drew on the comic voice and relationship-centered premise that had first made the stage show widely known.

Martelli also built a television career. She presented *Saia Justa*, the discussion program on the Brazilian channel GNT, joining its panel of women talking about relationships, family, work and public life. The conversational format suited the candid, humorous persona she had developed onstage, while giving her a platform beyond scripted comedy. She has also appeared in Brazilian television productions, including the series *Dilemas de Irene*, in which she played the title character.

Her work often starts from recognizable situations in women’s lives, but its appeal is closely tied to particular characters and comic observations rather than abstract advice. Fernanda, for example, is not simply a romantic lead: she is a woman whose professional life and friendships continue even as she looks for a partner. Martelli’s performance and writing make that tension central to the humor. The success of the character across theater and cinema reflects both the durability of the premise and her ability to carry it in different settings.

Martelli’s career has therefore crossed several forms: live performance, film, television acting and hosting, and writing. Rather than being known for a single screen role, she is especially associated with creating and inhabiting a character that originated in her own play. The journey of *Os Homens São de Marte… E É pra Lá que Eu Vou!* from the stage to two feature films remains the clearest thread connecting her work, while her television appearances have broadened her public profile in Brazil.