Ana Maria Bustorff Queiroz, known professionally as Ana Bustorff, is one of Portugal’s most distinguished actresses. With a remarkable 47-year career spanning theatre, cinema, and television, she’s become a cultural icon in Portuguese entertainment. She is currently starring in SIC’s prime-time series A Herança.
Biography
Ana Bustorff, born on November 15, 1959 in Miragaia, Porto, grew up in what she fondly describes as a “fairy-tale” childhood in Porto. She’s one of five siblings in a creative, intellectually stimulating household. Her father, an engineer from Lisbon, and her mother, trained in pharmaceutical chemistry, both worked at the brewery now known as UNICER.
Bustorff enrolled at the University of Porto to study Biology, hoping to become a researcher and work in Africa. But destiny had different plans. After nearly completing her first year, she abandoned science for the stage, enrolling in the “Iniciação à Prática Teatral” course at Porto’s prestigious Seiva Trupe theatre company.
Her talent was immediately evident. Upon finishing her training, she was invited to join the troupe professionally. At just 17 years old, she made her debut in 1977 with Contos Cruéis by Jorge de Sena. That single decision launched what would become nearly five decades of acting. During her time at Seiva Trupe, she performed in acclaimed productions like Frei Luís de Sousa (1978) and Amor de Perdição (1978), working alongside Rui Madeira, who’d later become her husband.
Career
Bustorff’s career is deeply rooted in theatre, where she honed the craft that would define her work across all mediums. The 1982 production Um Cálice do Porto became a major success, running for two years with sold-out performances. By 2014, she’d participated in over 40 theatre productions, including a 2015 nomination for Globo de Ouro’s Best Actress in Theatre for Coriolano at Teatro Nacional D. Maria II.
Her cinema career began with Agosto (1987), directed by Jorge Silva Melo. However, her breakthrough came with Joaquim Leitão’s Adão e Eva (1995), where she played Tê, the lesbian girlfriend of the protagonist. The film became the highest-grossing Portuguese film of its era, attracting over 250,000 viewers and catapulting Bustorff into the national spotlight.
The years 1997-1998 proved career-defining. She appeared in Tentação (1997) and Elles (1997). João Canijo’s Sapatos Pretos was her first lead film role as Dalila, a frustrated married woman in a crime drama based on a real Alentejo case. That same year, she starred in Leonel Vieira’s Zona J. These performances earned her back-to-back Globos de Ouro for Best Actress in Cinema in 1998 and 1999, an achievement she’s described as the work that most marked her career.
Bustorff’s film work spans four decades with remarkable consistency. Her 1990s output included Terra Fria (1992), Manual de Evasão (1994), Dois Dragões (1996), and Inferno (1999). The 2000s brought Noites (2000), A Bomba (2001), Portugal S.A. (2004), Na Cidade Vazia (2004), O Fatalista (2005), Alice (2005), and O Crime do Padre Amaro (2005).
Her work continued strong in the 2010s with A Cura (2011), Fátima (2017), and Ruth (2018). The latter earned her the Prémio Sophia for Best Supporting Actress in 2019. Most recently, she appeared in Surdina (2020), the critically acclaimed musical Fogo-Fátuo (2022), which premiered at Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight, and As Meninas Exemplares (2025).
Bustorff has worked across all major Portuguese networks, including RTP, SIC, and TVI. Notable series include A Lenda da Garça (1999-2000), Conta-me Como Foi (2007-), Equador (2008-2009), and Inspector Max (2014-2015).
In 2020, she appeared in 182 episodes of Quer o Destino as Elvira. She starred in Lua de Mel (2022) for 122 episodes and Festa é Festa the same year. Her 2023 role in Netflix’s Rabo de Peixe (internationally titled Turn of the Tide) marked her streaming debut as a medical examiner. In 2024, she appeared in 236 episodes of Cacau as Lola, plus Irreversível and RTP’s O Americano.
Currently, she’s starring in A Herança, which premiered on SIC in January 2025. The series is now in its second season, which began in June 2025, with a confirmed third and final season ahead.
Awards and Recognition
Throughout her career, Bustorff has accumulated five wins and eight nominations according to IMDb. Her major accolades include:
- 1998: Globo de Ouro for Best Actress in Cinema (Zona J)
- 1999: Globo de Ouro for Best Actress in Cinema (Sapatos Pretos)
- 2015: Globo de Ouro nomination for Best Actress in Theatre (Coriolano)
- 2019: Prémio Sophia for Best Supporting Actress (Ruth)
Personal Life
Ana Bustorff married fellow actor and director Rui Madeira, co-founder and artistic director of Companhia de Teatro de Braga. They met during their early theatre days at Seiva Trupe. The couple had one son, Frederico Bustorff Madeira (born circa 1982-1983), before divorcing. Despite their separation, they’ve maintained professional collaboration, with Rui directing Ana in several productions.
Frederico studied Sound and Image at the Catholic University of Porto, later completing studies in Brussels through Erasmus. He received an eight-month scholarship for documentary work with Companhia Nacional de Canto e Dança in Mozambique and now works in the video department at his father’s theatre company. He has a daughter, Manuela (born circa 2018-2019), making Ana a proud grandmother. In 2024, she described having an “excellent relationship” with her granddaughter.
Health Battle and Resilience
Around 2014, Bustorff faced her most challenging role yet. She was diagnosed with bladder cancer during a routine examination. Just ten days after diagnosis, she underwent surgery, followed by 18 months of chemotherapy at IPO. Initially, she traveled weekly from Lisbon while continuing her theatre work. She’s been cancer-free since completing treatment and has attributed her illness to work stress and heavy smoking. In a March 2024 interview, she candidly reflected on the experience, calling it “a very lonely disease.”
Bustorff has lived in Lisbon since approximately 1989, having moved there with “no money, no house, nothing.” She’s spoken openly about guilt over not being a more present mother due to her demanding career, a honesty that’s endeared her to fans.
Physical Profile and Social Media
Standing 165 cm (5’5″) tall with blonde hair and brown eyes, Bustorff maintains an active presence on social media. She does have verified social accounts. Her Instagram (@bustorffana) boasts approximately 19,000 followers, and she’s also active on Threads. Her Twitter account, created in April 2014, remains inactive.
In January 2021, at age 61, she made headlines by posing nude for Cristina magazine’s cover, describing it as “starting the year without prejudices.” The bold move challenged ageism in the entertainment industry.
