Born in Pittsburgh, Marpessa Dawn moved to England as a teenager and started acting in small roles in television; upon moving to France, she danced and sang in nightclubs while at times working as a governess before getting her big break as "Eurydice" in "Black Orpheus". Married twice, she left five children and four grandchildren at her death, which occurred forty-one days after that of her co-star in "Black Orpheus", Breno Mello.