Portuguese actress Rita Blanco was born in Oeiras. At the age of 18, she began dedicating herself to acting and, by 22, had completed professional training at the Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema and the Conservatório Nacional. During this period, she made her film debut in 1983, appearing in “Le Cercle des Passions” by Claude D’Anna and “Ninguém Duas Vezes” by Jorge Silva Melo. Two years later, she worked with the esteemed Portuguese filmmaker Manoel de Oliveira on “Le Soulier de Satin.” 

In 1987, she began a long-term collaboration with director João Canijo, appearing in the film “Três Menos Eu”, which earned her a selection for the “Les Stars de Demain” festival in Geneva, Switzerland. She continued to work with Canijo across film, theatre, and television.

Rita Blanco has also collaborated with other prominent directors such as João César Monteiro, João Botelho, and João Mário Grilo.

Her theatre debut also came in 1983 with “Mariana Espera Casamento”, directed by Luís Miguel Cintra. However, she became widely known to the public through television, particularly for her comic roles. Her television career began with humorist Herman José, who invited her to appear in the RTP comedy series “Casino Royal”, followed by several other programs.

Rita Blanco has been honored by the French Ministry of Culture with the title of Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters for her contributions to the arts.