[2] Maria Fernanda Cândido lived in Curitiba from the age of four to twelve, when she moved to São Paulo with her family.

After finishing high school, she lived in New York City for six months and, before returning to Brazil, went to the French capital for another season of runway shows.

[3] Back in Brazil, she applied for, and was accepted at USP where she studied Occupational Therapy, and course the full-time programme for three years before dropping out to join MTV working as a VJ hosting the show "Ilha do Biquini" (Bikini Island).

She formally withdrew from college to study vocal technique with Fátima Toledo, a famous speech therapist, in order to focus on acting for the cinema.

After sending a videobook to TV director Jayme Monjardim, of Rede Globo, she was invited to audition and soon joined the cast of Terra Nostra soap-opera in the role of an Italian young woman, Paola.

[6] The role led to her winning the prestigious Troféu Imprensa[7] and in 2000 she was voted the most beautiful woman of the century in a poll conducted by Fantástico a Sunday evening TV show.