By The Rio Times | Created at 2026-10-18 19:11:16 | Updated at 2026-10-18 20:19:31
1 hour ago
Lua Blanco, the Brazilian actress and singer known as Roberta Messi in Rebelde Brasil, has died at the age of 39. Her brother Daniel Blanco announced the death on Instagram on Sunday, 18 October 2026.
Rebelde is a franchise that many readers in the United States know through the original Rebelde and the band RBD. The Brazilian version aired on Record from 2011 to 2012, and Blanco was one of its cast members.
This report covers the news from Brazil and draws on Portuguese-language reports. We separate what the family and the press have confirmed from what is still unknown.
Key Facts
—Who. Lua Blanco, Brazilian actress and singer, known as Roberta Messi in Rebelde Brasil.
—What. She died aged 39; her brother Daniel Blanco announced it on Instagram.
—Where. Brazil. She was born in São Paulo, and the place of death has not been reported.
—When. Sunday, 18 October 2026; a farewell is reported for Monday, 19 October 2026.
—Status. As of 18 October 2026, 19:00 GMT
Prediction markets · who wins the runoff
Implied chance of winning Brazil’s presidency on 25 October, from traders’ prices.
Polymarket
Flávio Bolsonaro 80% · Lula 20.5% (US$187 million traded)
Kalshi (regulated in the US by the CFTC)
Flávio Bolsonaro 80% · Lula 21%
As of 18 October, 2:40 pm ET (19:40 Lisbon), updated every 20 minutes. Prices are bets, not polls, and can move fast.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What We Know
Blanco was born on 5 March 1987 in São Paulo and died on Sunday, 18 October 2026, aged 39. Her brother Daniel Blanco shared the news on Instagram.
He wrote that she died in peace, surrounded by the love of family and friends and sustained by her faith. He also wrote that she had fought cancer in recent months.
He did not name the type of cancer. We will not speculate about her illness.
This report draws on Terra, Metrópoles and O Tempo, three Brazilian outlets publishing in Portuguese. O Tempo also reported her death at 39.
Her sister Anaterra Blanco paid tribute in her Instagram Stories, writing in Portuguese. She called life “um sopro” (a breath), told her sister “te amo” (I love you) and wrote that she lives on in them forever.
Blanco was best known as Roberta Messi in Rebelde Brasil, shown on Record in 2011 and 2012. She was also a member of Rebeldes, the band that grew out of the series with five other cast members.
Before Rebelde Brasil, she was the singer and songwriter of the band Lágrima Flor. She was also the granddaughter of the composer and bossa nova musician Billy Blanco.
Bossa nova is the Brazilian style that blends samba with jazz. Billy Blanco worked in that tradition.
Record is a Brazilian television network. It aired both Rebelde Brasil and, in 2013, Pecado Mortal.
O Tempo lists other roles, including Três Irmãs in 2008, Malhação in 2009 and Pecado Mortal in 2013 on Record.
Metrópoles reports that a farewell will be held on Monday, 19 October 2026, from 13:00 to 16:00 local time. Rio de Janeiro is three hours behind GMT, so that is 16:00 to 19:00 GMT, and the venue is chapel 06 at the Cemitério Vertical Memorial do Carmo in Rio de Janeiro.
On the US East Coast, that farewell window runs from 12:00 to 15:00 on Monday, Eastern Daylight Time. The United States stays on daylight time until 1 November 2026.
Terra reports that the family has asked for privacy in its grief. The farewell schedule is Metrópoles’s account, and it may change.
Follow this story
Get an email when there’s news on Brazil entertainment
Free. One email a day at most, and only when there is news. This also signs you up to our weekday newsletter, The LatAm Brief. Nothing arrives until you click the confirmation link, and you can stop either with one click. Privacy policy.
What Is Not Known
The reports we reviewed do not say where Blanco died. They also do not name the type of cancer.
Details of a burial beyond Monday’s farewell have not been reported. The family has asked for privacy, and we will not press for more.
We have not seen confirmation of whether the farewell is open to the public. We have also not seen a statement from Record.
We have no verified account of her final months beyond her brother’s message. If the family shares more, we will update this article in full.
What It Means for Readers Outside Brazil
Rebelde began as a Mexican telenovela, and its cast formed the band RBD. The format later travelled to other countries, including Brazil.
Malhação, one of her earlier roles, is a long-running Brazilian youth drama. It shows that her screen career began before Rebelde Brasil.
Brazil’s version, broadcast by Record from 2011 to 2012, produced its own band, Rebeldes. Blanco was among its members.
Readers who know the franchise through RBD will recognise the outline of her career. We have no information on whether the Brazilian version aired outside Brazil.
For now, the main public statements come from her brother and sister on Instagram. The Portuguese-language reports linked below carry the details.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Lua Blanco?
Lua Blanco was a Brazilian actress and singer, born on 5 March 1987 in São Paulo. She was best known as Roberta Messi in Rebelde Brasil.
When did Lua Blanco die?
She died on Sunday, 18 October 2026, aged 39, according to her brother Daniel Blanco. He wrote that she had fought cancer in recent months, but did not name the type.
What was Lua Blanco known for?
She played Roberta Messi in Rebelde Brasil on Record from 2011 to 2012. She was also a member of the band Rebeldes and earlier sang in the band Lágrima Flor.
When is the farewell for Lua Blanco?
Metrópoles reports a farewell on Monday, 19 October 2026, from 13:00 to 16:00 local time. It is reported for chapel 06 at the Cemitério Vertical Memorial do Carmo in Rio de Janeiro.
