Stella Marrazes is a Portuguese-Timorese actress currently based in Jersey City, NJ. Her life story is as captivating as her performances on stage and screen. Born in Dili, East Timor, she spent her formative years in Lisbon, Portugal. Stella is the youngest daughter of fifteen children born to António Maria de Araújo, a nurse and high school teacher, and Ana Maria de Araújo, a dedicated primary school teacher in Timor-Leste.

Stella’s early life was deeply influenced by her father’s active role in advocating for East Timor’s independence during the Indonesian occupation. In 1989, amidst escalating tensions, Stella’s family sought refuge and support from the Red Cross, eventually resettling in Portugal. It was there that Stella discovered her passion for acting, and in 2004 she graduated from the prestigious Escola de Teatro de Cascais, in Lisbon, Portugal, founded by the late well acclaimed Portuguese director, Carlos Avilez, who was her dear mentor.

Her notable performances include playing a lead character, Devil, in Gil Vicente’s Auto da Barca do Inferno, a role that took her on a national tour under the direction of António Feio, from 2009 to 2012. She also captivated audiences by co-directing, producing and acting in The Power and the Glory by Lee Wilhelm, staged at Lisbon’s Teatro Rápido (2011). She also worked backstage as producer, acting coach and head of wardrobe at the theatre company Palco Treze. In addition to her theatrical achievements, Stella ventured into film with roles such as Terrorist in the short film “Flightpath” (2005), directed by Matt Dickinson, a filmmaker and writer who is best known for his award-winning novels and his documentary work for National Geographic Television. Her television credits include an appearance in the Portuguese soap opera Sentimentos (2009).

Stella’s talents extend to voice-over work, lending her voice to animated series like “The Zorbs” (2020) produced by the United Nations. Her hosting skills were showcased at prestigious events such as the Dili International Film Festival (2020), where she hosted both the opening and closing ceremonies.

A creative force behind the camera as well, Stella has written and produced works like the documentary “Forgotten Patients” which premiered at the Dili International Film Festival (2019), highlighting her commitment to storytelling through different mediums.
In 2024 Stella expanded her horizons to the United States graduating from a Two-Year Program Performance for Film and TV at the New York Conservatory for Dramatic Arts, where she wrote, produced and acted in the web series “Apartment 3F”. She also took on the role of director for the web series “Rift” by Sunburst Productions and for the short film Flying Pain.

Alongside her professional achievements in acting and other fields, such as communication and government work, Stella has found personal fulfillment as a wife and mother. With Portuguese and Timorese citizenship, Stella is fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish and Tetum (Timorese language), reflecting her multicultural upbringing and international experiences.