Monica Mattos: The Brazilian Queen Who Never Looked Back

 

Anyone expecting the typical tear-jerker story filled with regret and the demonization of the adult industry—which, given today’s "holy inquisition" vibe, seems to be all the rage—is going to be disappointed. This is the story of a true professional, the one and only queen of Brazilian porn: Monica Mattos.

We’ve covered her several times; back in the early days of our blog, she was a massive star. To date, Monica is the only South American performer to win an AVN Award for Female Foreign Performer of the Year (in 2008). 

The horse of discord

She certainly proved right those who, early in her career, described her as "an extraordinary professional who doesn't win awards only because Brazilian porn is so overlooked abroad." "Overlooked" might be an understatement; let’s just say it lacks exposure and often falls into the trap of extreme sexual sensationalism that, in our opinion, crosses sometimes the line into trash. In 2006, Monica Mattos herself starred in a scene that sparked endless controversy and made her famous even outside of Brazil: the one involving a horse. “I never felt good about that scene,” she would state years later in an interview, “but I only did it for the money. For that one scene, I was paid an entire month's salary.” Indeed, another deep-rooted issue within the Brazilian and South American adult industry is the pay—significantly lower than the average for their American or European counterparts.

Conquering the Valley

Nevertheless, 2006 was the year Monica, after nearly four years in the business, began collaborating with some of the major production houses in Porn Valley. She worked for Elegant Angel, Evil Angel, New Sensations, and Zero Tolerance. Directors loved Monica for her versatility and her ability to handle any role: mistress, submissive, lesbian, anal, DP, transgender scenes, bisexual men, orgies, and gangbangs. From there, it was a short step to her well-deserved award in Las Vegas in January 2008. Interestingly, she wasn’t even in Vegas on the night of January 12th: her passport had expired and she hadn't bothered to renew it, convinced she wouldn't win anyway. “I didn't expect to win; they always award European performers,” she commented in the heat of the moment.

The Tigress and the Snow

On screen, the performer born and raised on the outskirts of São Paulo appeared like a sex-hungry tigress devouring everything in sight, as long as it was "sex." In reality, she confessed to having very little sex off-camera—almost none, according to a 2008 interview following the end of her relationship with actor Claudio Telles. “You won’t believe it, but for months now, I’ve only been having sex for work.” Most questions from the trade press were predictable, fueled by the "porn cyclone" image Monica projected in every scene. “Do I like wild sex? I like sex, but I think everyone does,” she replied in another interview. Kim Melo, a producer at the 'Brasileirinhas' studio, also weighed in on Monica’s off-screen persona: “Monica is a shy girl, but on set, she knows what she wants and what she needs to do. She’s a great professional.”

From porn to horror

Her career in the industry lasted a decade. She retired in 2013 after over three hundred scenes, though her name appeared in various productions until 2020 (all featuring archival footage). In the following years, she didn't leave the set entirely but transitioned into a different genre: horror. “I’ve loved horror movies since I was a kid. I remember watching them with my friends; they were all terrified, and I was laughing my head off. Filming horror movies was a dream come true for me.” Monica Mattos appeared in six horror films, sometimes featuring nude sequences, but never sex—not even softcore. She filmed her last movie in 2018, then left show business for good. Today, at 42, she is married and lives out of the spotlight. She has never regretted her time in porn. Monica was truly a great professional: self-aware, extreme, and wild, yet also shy and humble.

And we obviously bring you Monica at her best, in a scene from “Monica Mattos AKA Filthy Whore” released by X-traordinary in 2008.