Filho da Mãe (2022) - full transcript

Didn't he say he would pay me a tribute?

But in a tribute, someone sings for you...

- But you put me to work, so I'll sing.
- You'll fall down like a crab.

I told you that.

- He likes to make fun of me.
- Mama does what she wants. Ridiculous.

You're ridiculous, Paulo Gustavo.

- Do you want a drink? Sit here.
- Actually, I'd like to have some whiskey.

No, you can't drink whiskey,
you'll talk too much.

Have some water.

The other day my mom had whiskey,

and started to talk about the whole
"Men wear blue, women wear pink."



Some agreed, others didn't.

She had two shots and said,

"Guys, I dressed Paulo Gustavo in blue
for all his childhood and now he's gay.

"Colors are irrelevant."

You guys are killing it!

People see me on stage singing,
but they don't know I had gastritis,

constipation, back pain and insomnia.

That's the life of an artist.

You keep following me.
You got nothing better to do, right?

I'm like Kim Kardashian to you.

What's the next stop, Paulo?

Madison Square Garden, New York.
See you there.

Attention, all passengers
traveling to Galeão, Rio de Janeiro,

the temperature is 60 degrees.



Bia and Carol.

You'll spend the night at mine,
I'm afraid of ghosts.

- No.
- Thales went out.

Someone has to sleep over.
My husband isn't home.

Let's be together. Me, you and your farts.

- He talks like he doesn't fart.
- Yeah.

He started his career
with My Mom Is a Character.

MOVIE "MY MOM IS A CHARACTER 1"

Mocking me, laughing, teasing.

And ended with Son of a Mother,
which is a tribute to me.

This is an amazing tour.
Very important to me and my trajectory.

It's a way to thank my mom,
to thank my friends,

and everyone who's been in my life.
It's all here.

Son of a Mother

I'm here in the rain, bringing
my own food, because I'm on a diet.

JAM HOUSE STUDIO - RJ

Hey, guys.

This golden microphone
will make your voice sound perfect.

- Let's do this, guys.
-"Mommy." Isn't it a tribute for me?

- Yes.
- Then it's for me.

Make it sound ludic.

MARCH, 2019
FIRST "SON OF A MOTHER" REHEARSALS

You have a runny nose.
You have the flu. You'll give me the flu.

Let's go.

Screw it, I don't fucking...

Don't say "fucking care" on stage!

Say "freaking care."

This show actually means much more
than a regular show for me,

because it's a tribute to my mom.

I got the songs she used to sing

in bars, pubs, steakhouses,
wedding parties, she used to...

She used to sing Bossa Nova and MPB
at night to make more money.

He walked into the studio
to set up the show.

MUSICAL DIRECTOR

I asked him
if he wouldn't follow a script.

He said, "No, I'll tease my mom,
piss her off, and that'll be the show."

When it was silent,
he would come very close to the mic,

and say, "Because my mom..."
And I knew something was coming.

He caught everyone's attention.

I don't see the point
in traveling to the US to go shopping.

- Brazilian people are tacky.
- Yeah, say that.

Brazilians are tacky.
They go to an outlet mall

to buy cotton, cotton swabs...
It's so tacky.

- You...
- I'd rather go to Paris and go to a café.

Then go to Paris.

- Mom...
- Listen to music in Montmartre.

My mom went to Paris and drank champagne
from a plastic cup below the Eiffel Tower

- singing La Vie en Rose. Ridiculous.
- You're ridiculous.

- People in Paris thought she was crazy.
- Bullshit. They applauded me.

She did a video all sweaty.

You're lying.
I sent you a wonderful video.

Everyone loved it. It was midnight...

You could see the nurses in the video.

We're setting things up,
figuring it out...

It has to match your identity.
When it's done, it'll be great.

- We have to...
- It already is.

It will be great.
You won't be there, another guy will sing.

That's the career of an actor.
Challenges every day.

I love doing this show,
I love seeing myself as a singer.

Maybe there's a Maria Bethânia
hidden inside me.

- Ninety.
- What's Xuxa's size?

- Just tell me.
- It's 74 cm.

That's so sad.
Xuxa's waist is 74 cm, mine is 90 cm.

That's so sad.

- What about my butt?
- It's okay. It's 103 cm.

- What's Xuxa's butt size?
- I think it's 98 cm.

My butt is bigger than Xuxa's. Thank God!

Susana, I'm starting to get nervous.
I won't even read this.

She gave it to me and I just...

- It's great.
- I didn't even read it.

DRESS REHEARSAL

I think they both should come
without this, just to make sure.

I need to read the lyrics.
I need them in front of me.

You won't read the first and second ones.

- What if I get it wrong?
- Then we'll improvise.

This is a show, not a game.

I need my phone, Carol.

- My phone.
- I think it's charging.

Paulo, how was the rehearsal?

It was great. I'm exhausted.
My mom is so difficult.

She won't rehearse.
She needs to walk in the end, you know,

and sing the Mangueira samba
behind the LED display.

I told her 20 times, but she gets
carried away and she won't rehearse.

I told her, "Mom, you have to rehearse.
It's not just fun and games."

I'll have some cappuccino,
I need some sugar.

- Is there any sugar on this?
- Everything's fine.

I want sugar, dairy, gluten.

I want something made of gluten,
a gratin with dairy and sugar on top.

Like this... Put some sugar like this.
And salt, to confuse my stomach.

CAIO MARTINS STADIUM
PAULO GUSTAVO'S HOMETOWN

SON OF A MOTHER

Music is something very special for her.

She wanted to be a singer,
a professional singer.

Paulo decided to put me on stage
to pay me a tribute.

Mom, get on stage and slay.
The audience is waiting for you.

APRIL 2019

PAULO GUSTAVO'S LAST PREMIERE IN THEATER

Go, Mom!

My mom has reached an age
in which she falls asleep like a pigeon.

- She's sitting down...
- He'll mock me.

She falls asleep out of nowhere,
just like this.

- Just like this, you know?
- Very funny.

She talks about me, but when she sleeps
over, her phone rings all night.

My mom is in a WhatsApp group
with 69 old ladies.

My mom has some very funny friends
from Barra do Piraí.

They all bought tickets
to see our show in Vivo Rio,

but 20 of them couldn't buy it,
because it was sold out two months ago.

Now they hope someone gets sick
to give up their ticket.

They call each other every day and say,
"Isn't she sick?"

- Oh, God.
-"I just need one more ticket."

Don't you pinch me.

She comes like this.

She pinched me on stage once,
and my arm looked like a rainbow later.

You'll get arrested
for calling people old.

There are 69 of them.
If you want to get in my mom's group,

they elect presidents,
they care for the environment.

If you sell Avon,
you can advertise there.

He's such a coward.

- Come closer.
- I'm just walking and avoiding you.

If you don't stop this,
Paulo Gustavo, I'll slap you.

- You'll get arrested if you hit me.
- The hell I will. Guys, listen.

We have the Statute
of the Child and Adolescent.

- It doesn't apply to him anymore.
- It doesn't.

We have the Statute of the Elderly.
It doesn't apply to him either.

He's at an age
in which I can slap him all I want.

If he fights back,
he's the one who will be arrested.

- Déa!
- Déa!

He didn't like studying.

PAULO GUSTAVO'S MOTHER

He'd flunk out. He got expelled twice.

Once from Salesiano School,
a private school.

PAULO GUSTAVO
11 YEARS OLD - 1989

So, I put him in a public one,
because I didn't have money.

He caused so much trouble in school.

On the other hand,
he was able to appreciate culture.

There were these wonderful serenades
in the afternoons.

So, I'd bring them along and tell them,

"If you open your mouths,
I'll pinch you."

So they'd behave
and listen to the music.

And they enjoyed it.

JULIANA (SISTER), 13 YEARS OLD - 1993

PAULO GUSTAVO, 15 YEARS OLD - 1993

"MY MOM IS A CHARACTER" WRITER

We saw the world in a similar way.
We'd walk here in Campo de São Bento,

in Niterói, watching people
and making up their biographies.

We smoked,
but we didn't have money for cigarettes,

so we asked people for cigarettes
on the streets.

We decided together who we'd ask.

So a smoker would walk by and we'd say,

"We shouldn't ask them,
I didn't like their face."

We made up the person's life story.

Paulo Gustavo did that all the time.
He liked to tell people's stories.

My family couldn't pay
for a private college...

PAULO GUSTAVO'S SISTER

...for me and my brother.

So, my brother decided to apply

for Martins Pena,
which is a public acting college.

That's when he developed a panic disorder,

and to get in that college,
he had to pass a test.

So, when they called his name
to do the test, he got desperate.

He said, "I can't do it."
I said, "You can.

"You'll go there, get on stage,
pass the test,

"and I'll be here waiting for you."

He walked in

and came back a few moments later,
pale, his hands cold.

He said, "I couldn't do it, Juju."

I believed in him so much
that once we got home,

I gathered the family and said,
"Guys, we'll pay for his studies."

I gave up my own education,
because he needed help.

We faced many hardships.

PAULO GUSTAVO'S STEPMOTHER

He was like, "That's what I want
for my future, for real."

So, we gathered the family
and I decided to pay for his college,

so he could move forward.

And thank God he moved forward.

We're here with Paulo Gustavo.

- What should I say?
- I'm sorry.

ACTRESS

Are you nervous, tense?

Yes, I'm a bit nervous. The premiere
is tomorrow, I'm in the main cast.

ACTOR

I'll be behind the curtains
in total despair.

My family is crazy.
Even our ancient ancestors were crazy.

My mother has an aunt called Lúcia,
who lives in São Paulo, also crazy.

The whole family inspired me
to do these movies and projects.

She went with my mom to a shoe store.

There were Mom, her,
three people and a mirror at the store.

My mom was like this.
Lúcia sat down, looked to the side,

and saw herself in the mirror.

So, she said, "Déa,

"don't look now.

"There's a woman that looks just like me,
trying the same shoes on."

Aunt Ana Lúcia is 80 years old
and she wears a wig,

because her hair is thinning.

She goes out at night and gets drunk
and keeps touching it like a hat.

By the end of the night,
she has five different hair styles.

- Five.
- Poor thing.

- The wig comes loose and she pulls it.
- She pulls it forward like this.

- She scratches here, it moves up.
- She's very crazy.

- Once... She has some hemorrhoids.
-"Some hemorrhoids," he says.

They'll never know who she is, it's okay.

She has some hemorrhoids. Once, she yelled
to her son, "Where's my ointment?"

He said, "It's on the nightstand."
In the dark, she applied Corega.

It's a denture fixative.

- She said it worked.
- She glued her butthole at 3:00 a.m.

DÉA LÚCIA AND PAULO GUSTAVO'S AUNTS

He told that story of when you got
the ointment and Corega mixed up.

- I made a mistake.
- Applied Corega on your butthole.

- And you got better.
- I never had a problem again.

You glued your butthole and it was solved.
Never had a problem again.

Do you think his success was by accident?
He was raised in the middle of this mess.

Sometimes he'd mitigate the stories.

- He'd mitigate.
- Yeah, he did.

And let me tell you something.

I've always thought Paulo was so smart,

because he did great things
with so little.

From a family story,
he made a whole plot,

and that's who he was.

Paulo Gustavo impersonated his mom a lot.

COSTUME PARTY

At costume parties,

he dressed as what would become
Mrs. Hermínia. She wasn't called that yet.

When he was studying acting,
there was a play called Surto.

A friend of ours called Samantha,
who was already a professional actress,

was invited to play a role on Surto.
After this, we went out with the cast.

And Paulo Gustavo was always hilarious.

So, at the bar table, he was playing
with the cast, laughing, telling stories,

and they were like,
"Guys, he's hilarious."

"Are you an actor too?
Do you want to play a role?"

And then he said, "I do."

So, they asked him if he had a character,

and he said, "Yes."
But he didn't have a character.

So, they told him
he would be on next week.

Throughout the week,
me, him and Samantha

got together and he said, "I don't have
a character. What now? What should I do?"

And Samantha said,
"Impersonate your mom.

"You always impersonate her,
it's very funny."

So, we got together at Samantha's house,

he stood up holding a broom
he found at Samantha's house.

Samantha and I were sitting on the couch,
and we started improvising.

MRS. HERMÍNIA'S FIRST APPEARANCE

I don't want my daughter
involved in theater.

In fact, she can't do it,
due to her intestinal problems.

Because of her medication.
She's had constipation since she was born.

Imagine if the medication works
in the middle of the scene, boy.

It will be a shit show!

And she got that from her father,

who had the audacity of leaving me
with three children to raise on my own.

Three! And one of them is a little weird,
because he's queer.

Now, I'd understand if the queer kid
wanted to act.

He's a lost cause.

But she is a good girl.

This is for people
who can't study Physics, Chemistry...

They go for the arts.
And theater people don't believe in God.

The other day she was saying
she's the daughter of Iansã and Ogum.

What am I, then? A motherfucker, right?

Mrs. Hermínia, why are you holding
that broom?

I didn't even notice
I was holding a broom, boy.

I left my house so angry.

I brought a broom
like I was bringing a pen.

Mrs. Hermínia, the day rate is good.
Did you know that?

What is day rate? A paycheck?

Yes, it is.

How much is it?

It's 1,500 reais.

How much?

In April 2005, after my play,
Men Are From Mars had just premiered.

ACTRESS

I was at Diagonal Pizza, in Leblon,
in Rio's bohemian spot,

I was there with the cast
when suddenly someone approaches me,

and says, "Hi, how are you? My name
is Paulo Gustavo, I'm from Niterói.

"I've seen your play four times,
and I want to make a project like yours.

"I want to make a monologue.
I'll use my own stories,

"based on my mom,
and I want to show you, can I?"

And I said, "Sure!"
Then, he got his project.

A plastic folder with pictures
of Mrs. Hermínia, the synopsis...

I remember looking at it,

looking at that boy in front of me
from Niterói, that look on his eyes...

of someone who loves life,
who wants to win,

who believes in himself
and in the beautiful journey he'd create.

I looked at him and said, "Darling, do it,
because it will change your life."

Before graduating,
I was already on Surto.

I met them here in Niterói, at UFF.

They had space for guest appearances.
They invited me and I accepted.

I kept performing with them,
and spent six months performing in Surto.

The character I played in Surto
gave life to My Mom Is a Character,

which is the show I'm on now.

We warm up at the beginning,
so I'd walk around in my mother costume,

from one wing to another.
It was very crazy.

To make them laugh,
I'd walk by carrying a vase, a ladder,

with props from the Alternativo play.

We'd laugh out loud.
It was nice to be in Surto.

I loved doing it. I really loved it.

When I started my career, I wrote a play

in collaboration with Fábio Porchat,
called Infraturas.

Marcus Majella, Fábio Porchat and I
were in the same classes.

So we did it, Fábio and I,
but it wasn't a hit.

We were on this show for eight months,
my dad gave us some money.

My aunt, Dad's wife,
who paid for my time in CAL.

CAL means "Casa das Laranjeiras,"
it's a professional acting course.

My mom also helped as she could.

But our play wasn't a hit, so I said,

"I can't afford a play
that's not working."

It wasn't much money,
but it was a lot for us.

So I went home and I was like,
"I won't accept that. I'll write a play."

I wrote My Mom Is a Character,
a tribute to my mom,

which is the show that changed my life.

So, I showed it to my mom and said,
"Mom, I'll impersonate you in theater."

She said, "It won't work, Paulo Gustavo.

"This is a joke."

She saw the rehearsal and said,
"This is not funny."

I said, "That's because it's you."

Queen Déa was sitting right there.

Paulo was here, I was sitting over there.

DIRECTOR

He started to talk and Déa said,
"I can't believe it.

"I can't believe you included that,
Paulo Gustavo!

"Oh, my God. You said that.
You said that name. What's that?"

Paulo said, "Mom, you can't talk.
It's a rehearsal!

"You can't talk to me
while I'm performing!"

And it was wonderful.

I was seeing the character
and the inspiration talking.

Look at how my mom shows up, guys.

She's so ridiculous, isn't she?

She's got hair curlers on. Pitiful, right?

Mrs. Hermínia makes money
because of the curler.

- Curlers.
- Curler!

He mimics me in every detail.

I slept every night with hair curlers,
he'd mimic that.

He'd mimic how I spoke,
he'd mimic my gestures.

Anything to become Mrs. Hermínia.

He'd mimic how I scolded him,
threatening him with a flipflop.

Ever since he was a child,
he built this character.

In the building where I used to live,
he and Juliana had a friend, Rafael.

Rafael was Hermínia's son,
who lived in the building.

Sometimes I wanted to call him
and I yelled,

"Hermínia, are Paulo Gustavo
and Juliana there?"

So, he thought of "Hermínia"
when he was writing the play,

because he thought it sounded good.

Pose for the pictures!

You're so annoying.
Who do you think you are?

- A star.
- Beyoncé?

- Beyoncé.
- Beyoncé, my ass.

Pose for the pictures, smile!

Okay. Who's there? How many people?

There are nine people.

- Oh, my God!
- They all lived across from Grandma's.

- They grew up with me.
- I don't want to.

- But you will.
- Are they here?

- They are here.
- Are they outside?

They're coming. You better smile.

That's so annoying.

Every town has a boring old lady
wanting to hug you and say,

"Hi, I grew up with your mom!"

Go! Get her out of here, guys,
she's losing it.

I am losing it.
I'll lose it on your face!

I can't believe it!

Everybody's here. Oh, guys!

Valde! These girls here
lived across the street.

I was born and raised with them.

- I can't cry.
- No, don't cry.

Paulo Gustavo, we lived across the street,
at Grandma's house.

Grandma did those crazy stuff,
talk nonsense.

Welcome the herd, darling.
Hi, honey, keep going.

"MY MOM IS A CHARACTER 3"

Give her the diapers and leave,
don't ask questions.

Are you crazy?

They're friends.
I invited them to Marcelina's baby shower.

- How do you know them?
- Old folks are everywhere.

An old person walks by, you say hi,

wave at them, they wave back,
they're bored,

- maybe you have a mutual friend.
- Okay.

- But that's a gigantic group.
- No, they die and the group is renewed.

Tomorrow there'll be a new group.
We're always recruiting.

Listen, I don't want all these people
at my wedding.

Maybe I won't go to it.

People think only Mom is funny,
but the whole family is like that.

She's always been
a great inspiration for my brother,

but my dad was also an inspiration
for him. My dad...

Whenever my dad is in a group,
he makes everyone laugh.

Close to the premiere, I told my dad,
"Dad, I need your help with money."

I remember my father saying,
"Son, I have an S-10

"that I use to carry parts for work."

He transported parts between companies.
He worked as a carrier.

Then he said, "Maybe I could sell my S-10
and buy a Fiorino."

I don't remember the car's name.

"Something smaller,

"a small pickup truck, and give you
the difference." Poor thing.

He said, "Is it a nice play?
I'll sell my car and give you the money."

It took me six checks for me to buy
the material for the stage scenery

and the costumes.

And I did it.
And that's become My Mom Is a Character,

which was a success all over Brazil.

In tours, theaters,
then it became a movie, a TV show.

It's Mrs. Hermínia, right?
I don't need to explain.

It was nice, because he started
making money with the play.

PAULO GUSTAVO'S FATHER

It worked out,
and he gifted me a black Saveiro.

With a big red bow on it.

He showed up and said,
"Dad, come here." I said, "What?"

"Come here, I wanna show you something."
When I opened the door,

there was a beautiful black Saveiro

with a big red bow on top of it.

You know,
when My Mom Is a Character began...

LIVESTREAM WITH MÔNICA MARTELLI

I did...

I did the play and was invited
to perform at a barbecue.

- Honey, I was starting my career.
- I know, honey.

I was invited to perform at a barbecue.

There wasn't anything
to act as a stage, okay?

I kept saying, "Marcelina!" Like that.

Nobody looked at me.

They just ran around holding food.

Kids soaking wet running around
holding chicken thighs.

And I was yelling, "Marcelina!"

Whoever saw me not knowing I was an actor,

must've thought I was
an annoying friend of the guy.

ACTRESS

He loved Cócegas.
He'd watch Cócegas a lot.

He wanted to do things
like me and Lolô did to make it work out.

We began in Cândido Mendes,
a tiny theater.

Our premiere was on May 4th.

He waited

so his premiere
could be on May 4th in Cândido Mendes.

That play was sold out
since the beginning.

It's something I've never seen.
It sounds absurd.

It's like a fairytale.
Things just happened.

Newspapers' front pages,

more and more people
talking about it, watching,

he was nominated for the Shell Awards.

It sold out. It was wild.
He filled gymnasiums.

More than 5,000 people.
He toured all over Brazil.

Paulo knew it. He had no doubts,

and I also had no doubts that that play
could become a great movie.

The process of making the movie
was very difficult...

MOVIE PRODUCER

...because of all the bullying.

"Oh, it's a man dressed as a woman.
I've never seen this guy, is he on TV?"

There was always, "Never seen him on TV."

The first private screening was traumatic,

because there was a silence.

And after that awkward silence,

Ribeiro, who is an important
and experienced film exhibitor,

pushed me aside and said,

"A new national cinema has just been born.

"A new kind of comedy.
Everyone will try to copy this."

4 MILLION, MARCELINA!

PAULO GUSTAVO IS A CASE OF STUDY
7 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE WATCHED

SALVATION IN 2020

Since then, everything changed.

It's one thing to do a successful movie,

but it's different to be more successful
in every movie you do.

That made us very proud, so...

The most wonderful thing to me

is that we announced the movies
and when I said it was by Paulo Gustavo,

the Hollywood competition
stepped aside. The date was ours.

There was Disney and Marvel
with their superheroes and all,

but Paulo Gustavo
was the great Brazilian superhero.

That's the truth.

There was no Globo, nothing.

JOURNALIST

it was the greatest box office
in the history of Brazilian cinema.

Nobody has ever attracted
so many people. It's very rare.

To be the conduit for one's own success,

and share this success
with others afterwards.

Who did Paulo look at?

He looked at himself, at his mother,
at his roots, at his home.

By talking about a very intimate thing,
he connected with the whole world.

Who would've thought
that a housewife with hair curlers

talking about her kids
would be so revolutionary?

In my opinion, what's brilliant
about Mrs. Hermínia

is that she's an ordinary woman,

like everyone's seen at home,

but she uses her voice
to talk about things that aren't ordinary.

- Mom?
- What?

- Where are my shirts?
- I put them away.

- Where?
- The trash can.

PAULO'S MANAGER

We talked about Hermínia
in the third person.

"Can Hermínia do this thing?
Is Hermínia coming? Hermínia or Paulo?"

They were two completely
different personalities.

When we did a commercial,

Hermínia costed more,
depending on the product.

Look at Susana coming after me.

Look, she has a notebook

to write My Mom Is a Character.
Show it there.

You'll drop it.

Look at this. She's desperate.
My Mom Is a Character 3.

She's been chasing me all day
to write this.

If I sing one song
and leave for a minute, she's like...

"On page seven, there's a scene
that needs improvement."

Hey, you forgot "my mom is a character"
inside the van.

Stay there!

I'm not staying.
I'll go with Cabral, he's wonderful.

- Come in!
- May I come in?

They want to see your dressing room.
See what it's like.

It's wonderful.
My dressing room is like this.

Do you want to know my requirements?

- Yes.
- I always demand this water.

One, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine. I pee a lot,

so I ask for ten. I already had one.

Okay?

I also ask for one, two, three,
four chairs. Why?

Because artists are like this.
For example, I'm sitting here.

Then I have a diva moment.

I'm famous. Then I sit here, you know?

Then I decide to move to this one.

Sometimes I feel like sitting
towards the edge. Artists are crazy.

I ask for coconuts. I never drink them,
because I can't open them.

But they leave them here.

We can open them
if we throw them on the floor like this.

Once they're open, I drink them.
But I'm lazy today.

I always ask them to leave these here,
because we always need them.

I ask them just to throw a fit.

I always ask for a clothes hanger.

I always ask for some unfilled holes
on the walls.

From constructions. I say, "I want holes."

So they make them. I throw a fit.

I flip out, break everything.
I say I want two holes and they...

They do everything I ask.

In the bathroom, I always ask
for at least one toilet. One.

There's no need for more.
I'm humble about that. Just one toilet.

I just noticed there's no rug.
Oh, my God! I can't believe it!

Guys, I asked for a rug!
No one's brought me a rug!

You have to treat them this way.
Otherwise, no one thinks you're a star.

Where's my rug?

They'll come with the rug
in a few minutes, you'll see.

Look, everyone's laughing.

See how I make people laugh?

I make everyone laugh here.
Tickets are 80 reais each.

I can make it 40 for you.

Are you paying? No? There's no show, then.

This is what I do for a living.
Are you crazy?

My ex. But I kiss him.

I'm introducing everyone.

Guys, I yelled, "Give me my rug!"

Someone in the audience
might say I'm crazy.

Nobody's come in yet.

No? Okay, then. Because someone
once made a false accusation...

They made a false accusation
on the internet

saying I mistreated my fans,
argued with them.

They said I was cocky and arrogant.
Then a girl said,

"He once elbowed me
at the Fortaleza airport."

"I got elbowed by him
at Fortaleza Airport.

"He came in and did this
to me and walked away."

Can you picture me hitting anyone?

I had three... two bottles of wine
last night and lost my voice today.

How did Amy Winehouse sing, guys?

I wonder. Amy Winehouse drank a lot,
and was an amazing singer.

I drank my ass off last night
and today I can't even sing

"Happy Birthday to You."

I threw a stick at a cat...

We can't sing this anymore.
Throw a stick? To kill it?

How is the rush, Paulo?

Small talk, really?
"How is the rush, Paulo?" Great.

- Just hanging out.
- Yeah, I'm just hanging out.

Shot a commercial for Motorola
in São Paulo all day.

Now I'm going to Rio
to go to Juiz de Fora by car.

"How is the rush, Paulo?"
What a stupid question.

Carolina, close the... Where's the...
Can't we pull the glass up?

You're the one who wanted this!

Don't we have a partition in my car?

I'm all ugly.
I don't have my makeup on...

I don't consent. I don't.

PAULO'S PERSONAL ASSISTANT

- Being filmed?
- Yeah. I'll sue you.

Every artist's car
should have a partition!

Beyoncé just has to press a button
to avoid the cameras.

She doesn't stare at it.

Mine doesn't have it. I'm pressing it.

There's not a single glass to lock us up.

Working with Paulo Gustavo was great,
because he was very generous.

All of his friends must have
the same impression.

He couldn't shine by himself.

He would be very upset if a script
had jokes just for him.

ACTOR

He stopped.
He'd say, "Your part is bad.

"His part was not well-written."
He didn't like to be favored.

He was terrified of that.
So we'd stop, change everything,

he'd write new lines for you,
so everyone could feel good.

Then we could start.
That's how he was on set.

ACTRESS

What usually happens is that
when an artist gains notoriety,

leaving their bubble
and becoming really famous,

they usually change a little.

Paulo remained the same Paulo.

Paulo still got nervous during interviews.
Still got all sweaty.

His success
and achievements didn't change him.

He was so friendly, generous and caring.

He grew and became the greatest icon
of comedy we've ever seen.

MANAGER

He brought joy to people's houses.
Everyone liked him.

His plays, his movies.

But he was always generous when it came
to supporting people in his life.

He never let anyone down.

I remember that, when I started singing,

I was talking to a friend
and she said to me...

SINGER

"...Girl, you'll be friends
with Paulo Gustavo in no time."

It's really something.

If you're into TV and entertainment,
Paulo was always the best.

So, Paulo once posted a video,

and I remember checking my Instagram
followers, because it would go up.

I had 8,000 followers,
and I already thought it was a lot.

The next day, at 10:00 a.m.,

I woke up excited
because of what happened the day before.

I checked, and I had 80,000 followers.

That's something
that would take me forever to achieve.

Then he invited me to sing at his party.

He provided me a work experience
I never had in my life.

I was really nervous. There were
a lot of people I admired.

As if that wasn't enough,
at the end of the party,

he pulled me aside and said,
"Preta, follow Iza, she's a great singer."

He took me by the hand
and introduced me to a lot of people.

He made a point
of taking care of me, you know?

And many times this care was

what kept my spirits up,
because if someone so amazing

like Paulo Gustavo liked my work,
I was doing it right.

That was what I felt.

We're doing a rehearsal.

Iza.

SHOW'S BANDLEADER

- It's wrong.
- It's right.

You've got it right, Paulo.

- Then I'm doing the show. Okay?
- Go ahead.

Then I'll get on stage. See you there.

MAY, 2019

Great!

Is that for me? Give it to me.

Thanks, darling. What is this?

Perfume. Okay. You made it?
You're amazing!

It smells great.
I'm keeping it. I'll wear it.

Thank you. Do you mix and make it?
You know what's in here, right?

I'm not going to be dead tomorrow, right?

Thanks for the poster.

Thank you, Sofia. Thank you.

But this is not a poster, okay?
You did this in a hurry.

Posters are usually bigger than this.
They're usually this big.

- I'm keeping it.
- I'll hang it in his living room.

I'm keeping it. I'll ask Xuxa
where she's kept hers for all these years.

I'll put it...

I'm kidding, honey. I'll keep it for sure.
I'm kidding, I'll keep it.

Throw it away for me, darling.

- Does anyone have a song request?
- No!

My mom's traumatized with song requests
because she used to sing at bars...

Yes.

What song?

- Ivete! Listen...
- Ivete? Are you kidding me?

- Mom, look...
- Do you think I can do this?

Honey, the stage is not made of concrete,
don't hop around.

- Don't you diss me!
- Look, the stage is shaking.

People always asked
my mom to sing Ivete's songs.

She'd say, "I can't." My mom loves Ivete,
but she can't sing Ivete's songs.

"I can't sing those songs,
I can't sing songs from Bahia."

And I said, "Mom, sing songs from Bahia,
they're asking.

"It's part of the job."
She said, "I won't sing it!

"I'll sing Ary Barroso, Noel Rosa,
Vinícius de Moraes."

I told her they'd stop booking her gigs.

In the end, that's what they did.

A month later, I went to a party
and she was singing Fafá de Belém.

I swear! She even did a mashup!
She'd sing,

Let them know I'm coming home later Olodum...

Don't deny it.
And wrap up with...

Bom, xibom, xibombombom

So ridiculous.

- And your nails?
- I got them done too.

- Did you?
- I added glitter on mine.

I'm a little gayer than you.

I'm a tad bit gayer.

I'm a little more effeminate,
just a little.

- But I'm manlier.
- But you know who you are.

- He's on the fence.
- His nails are undefined.

- Show me your nails.
- They look terrible.

I have to add a base coat.
I removed the wrap.

- Base coat?
- They're bullying him.

- A base coat?
- You get the drift?

- You're asking to be bullied.
- Base coat?

Is it normal for a straight guy
to add base coat?

No, no, no.

Base coat for your nails?
He's got a special manicurist.

Let me ask the minister.

Hello, Madam Minister? Is it normal
to add base coat on your nails?

It's Claudio Costa, a musician,
friend of mine.

He's straight, or that's what he says,

but he adds base coat on his nails.
What do you think?

You know this will be a joke
on his show, right?

- He'll do it.
- Hit the notes, queen.

Then, no one hits the notes,
and I'll say none of them are queens.

- Nice, Déa.
- Then you'll say...

- Have you fucked him?
- No, don't say that.

You'll say the whole band are queens.

- Have you banged any of them?
- Say that and I'll slap you in the face.

Then you'll ask me,

-"How do you know that?"
- How do you know?

I'll say I've kissed them all.

- Even him, the chubby one?
- Not him, due to logistical problems.

But he promised me
he's getting a weight loss surgery.

You've turned my own joke against me!

- None of them are queens, Paulo Gustavo.
- How do you know?

I've kissed them all.

- Can't a mom do it?
- Of course.

- Okay.
- But you with Marcelo Linhares?

Marcelo is fat, and so am I.

So, there's a logistical problem.

But he promised me
he's getting a weight loss surgery.

She's decided you're the one
who needs to lose weight, not her.

- You're not fat, you're "chubbylicious."
- I'm "crappylicious."

I'm done!
I have arthritis, arthrosis, rheumatism,

- high blood pressure.
- When she gets blood tests done,

the lab doesn't send the results,
they send flowers and say they're sorry.

"Enjoy your life."

I am enjoying it!
I'm here, and it's beautiful.

I enjoy my life.

- Are you excited, Déa?
- Definitely!

I like it. It's great to be on stage
with Paulo Gustavo.

People here are so kind to me.

They are like,
"Look, it's Mrs. Déa!" You know?

They recognize me
as Mrs. Hermínia, and I like it.

Here, get yourself a treat.

I asked her to say good things
about the show and the tour.

- Go get yourself a skirt, or something.
- I'll get his card...

I already got something. Look.

He keeps mocking me,
so I got myself a pair of sneakers.

All colorful. I've also got
this cape thing. These things...

A cape thing, a sneaker thing, a thing...

All things, nothing has a name.
She doesn't remember names.

JUNE, 2019

I got all dressed up
for São José do Rio Preto. Look.

I'll start off on the right foot
in São José do Rio Preto.

Want to ride shotgun?

Bring something to help get my mom up.

Stop, Paulo Gustavo!

"Good afternoon, Paulo. You're performing
in São José do Rio Preto today.

"I'd like to know if I could
propose to my girlfriend on stage.

"I'll have the rings with me.

"Best regards,
Alexandre Augusto Costa." He can!

- Let him know! Get in touch with him.
- Maybe it's a surprise for her!

No, they've emailed Dando,
from Way Model.

Let him know I'm up for it.
I'll let him up on stage.

- Yeah, email her.
- Let's bring luck to this marriage, guys.

- He's so delusional. He thinks it'll work.
- Tell Dando to email me.

The ideal would be
to get his phone number.

- Would be quicker than e-mail.
- I'm kidding. I'm sure it'll work out.

Marriage is tough, but we have to believe,
or else we'll never do it, right?

I'll be with Thales
for the rest of my life.

That's how I felt about your dad.
He won't put up with you.

Or else I wouldn't be with him.
Of course he will.

If Thales breaks up with me,
he won't find anyone like me.

In my good or bad aspects.
My bad aspects are also good.

And my good aspects are bad, you know?

I'd like to propose
to my girlfriend, Isabela.

Oh, my God! Where is she?

Come here, Isabela!

We wish you the best of luck.

Of course, be our guests.

Will you marry me?

- If she doesn't, I will.
- Yes!

Yeah!

Let's try it. I don't know the words.

Paulo Gustavo, don't mess it up.

I won't forgive you. When Luciana
came back, I proposed to your son for her.

- You told me you couldn't.
- I can't promise you my son!

We're in the 21st century!

Besides, my son is gay.
How would he marry her?

But I proposed. They would get along.

But I want my son to be happy,
let him choose.

There's a lot of girls into me. A lot.

I travel the country and they follow me.

I tell them, "Let it go, I'm gay.

"Give up. I'm even married now.

"It's really impossible.

"You might have a chance
with some gin and tonic...

"I could be with you.
Me, you, gin and tonic.

"Not anymore. Give up.
I'm happily married now."

- Are you legally married?
- Yes.

We didn't change names
because we'd have to change our documents.

ID, social security, voting cards, passport...

So I said, "Thales, let's keep our names."
But we're legally married.

- Was that a mutual decision?
- Yeah.

It was like,
"Want to get married?" "Sure."

We decided to get married. It was awesome
to get married and talk about it.

PAULO'S HUSBAND

I really wanted to get married
and have kids.

When that was allowed in Brazil,
we decided to do it.

We wanted it.
I wanted to check "married" on forms.

I wanted to say I had a husband.
And our wedding was a dream come true.

Our friends celebrated with us
and also our family. It was great.

It was the most special night of my life.

We were going to be happily ever after.

We were, while it lasted.

Oh, well.

DECEMBER 20TH, 2015

First, he called me and said,
"You know what?

"We'll get married at Parque Lage,
Thales and I...

ACTRESS

"...and I want you as the 'priestess.'"
I was like, "What?"

"The priestess." I said, "Priestess?"
"Yeah, the priest!"

As a kid, I never thought
I'd live something like this.

It's something so amazing.

It fills us with happiness and hope
that we'll live in a world

that's less hateful and has more love.

A world that knows how to do
what they're doing now:

celebrate diversity.

I hope you two are very happy,

for better and for worse,
in sickness and in health,

for richer and for poorer.

I'm sure everyone here hopes for that too.

An applause for the grooms.

I said, "It's not just a gay wedding.

"It's a gay wedding that will change
a lot of people's lives." And it did.

One day my mom asked me,
"Son, are you gay?"

And I said, "I am."

So, my dad heard about that.
And he didn't react as well as my mom.

Sometime later,
he called me to the living room and said,

"Paulo Gustavo,
there's something on TV you might like."

It was Gala Gay, at Scala.
I don't know if you remember.

I said, "Dad, I can watch Gala Gay,

"but I wouldn't like to participate."

A while later, he called me
to the living room again.

"There's something on the news I think
you might like." It was about drag queens.

I said, "Dad, I can watch it with you,
but I'm not a drag queen."

I explained it to him.

But I understood that was his way
of getting closer to me.

At some point in my life, I realized

he wanted much more to befriend me

than to judge me,
or judge whether it was right or wrong.

So, today, the reason

I can be living
the happiest moment of my life,

with the most amazing guy I've found,
I don't even know if I deserve it.

Thales looks like a saint compared to me.

We'll have a lot
of new experiences together.

We'll fight, we'll love, we'll feel.

And we'll take plenty
of important steps in our lives.

We'll have four legs, or six, or eight.

As many as our family comes to have.

That's what I want. A strong,
united family, with plenty of diversity.

I think our differences
will make us add up to one another.

I love you so much.

I'm very happy to be here today

with the person I chose
to spend the rest of my life with.

You make me feel so good.

I want us to always add up,

multiply, and never again get divided.

I don't think I'm an activist,
but I'm a political person.

Because I'm publicly married to a man,

and I inspired other gay couples
to do the same.

Now we want kids, it's a step further.

We're showing that we have
a united family that accepts us.

And we put it on the internet
and spread this message.

We inspire other people,
and that's politics.

That's political. It's doing politics
without being an activist.

He could hack the system
of prejudice and oppression.

SINGER

He did it with humor, kindness,
with his character, his strength.

So many times we were walking,

and someone would come and say,
"Paulo, thank you.

"My son is gay and I didn't accept it,

"but I watched your movie
and it opened my mind."

When Paulo Gustavo and I
did My Mom Is a Character 3,

in our first reunion
to talk about the script,

Paulo said he wanted to talk
about Hermínia's son's gay wedding.

The country was at a complicated moment.

People said he was crazy,

that there was no way
we could approach this topic.

But he was so sure
he could get into people's homes.

He was so sure that if he talked
about this mother's love for her son,

this story would be accepted,
and it really worked.

That was Paulo Gustavo.
He was very funny, but in the end,

what drove his life was love.

Son, what you're doing here
is really beautiful.

You'll inspire a lot of people.

Son, I'm really proud
that you're following a loving road.

Thank you, Mom.

Honey, I'm here in Porto Alegre.

I really miss you.

I saw you this morning,
and I'll see you again on Tuesday,

but I already miss you so much.

How are you?

The food is cold.
You said you'd be here half an hour ago.

Half an hour.

Where is it? That looks delicious.
Did you make it?

Yeah, I heated everything up.

- You just heated it up, Thales?
- Of course.

- What is this?
- There are several dishes.

That's spaghetti with filet mignon
and mushroom. It's delicious.

- What's this? Pumpkin?
- Pumpkin with feta cheese.

- Chicken.
- Shrimp. Chicken.

It's like Thai chicken, right?

- I'll get some salad, first.
- There's some cooked pumpkin salad.

- With eggplant.
- I'll have just a bit of this salad.

- Have some more.
- No, I won't eat salad.

- Have some more.
- Just a little bit.

Xuxa was always like that.
She put on some lip gloss...

I miss everything.

I miss my life with him, it was happier.

I miss hearing him say,
"Thales! Thales!" around the house.

It was all day long.

There are two pimples growing on my chin.

Why do they grow on my face?
Why not in the arm or the armpit?

They grow on my face. They're nasty.

Thales, what can I use on these pimples

to prevent them from growing?
Nip the evil in the bud?

He left the room. Where is he?

What do I have there, Thales?

- Chilblains.
- What? Chilblains?

- Athlete foot, fungus.
- I don't have chilblains, guys.

- Since when?
- Intertrigo.

I'm not even going out.
Why do I have chilblains?

I'm pissed at those chilblains.

Fuck them! I'll make them hit one another.

I killed the chilblains.

I just left my room. I just woke up.

I haven't eaten anything.

I'll go down to the lobby,
someone will ask for a picture.

I'll have to take a picture while fasting.

Because people who can't see me now
think I just had champagne.

Because I'm an artist, right?

- I know what they think.
- An illusion.

There's this illusion.
"He must've been to a cocktail party,

"or in a meeting, having drinks."

- No sleep in your eyes.
-"Rich."

No sleep in my eyes, no bad breath,
no hunger, nothing.

It's another level.
Look, I even carry everything.

Guys, it's so nerve-wracking.

Why does the building need 24 stories?

Twenty-nine.

Oh, my God!

The plane could land up there,
we go on board and go to Rio.

- It stopped.
- It stopped.

Damn.

There's no room

- It's full.
- It's full.

Hey, it's "My Mom"!

- Who's your mom here?
- You!

"My Mom," so good! "Hey, My Mom!"

She doesn't know the actor's name.

Hilquias, have you seen my play?

- Yes.
- I'm great, aren't I?

You're really great.

- See? I influenced him to say that.
- Especially your mom...

- My mom is great.
- She's great.

Great, but I'm the one in your car.
Am I better than her?

You're better than her.

I'll teach you to sing
a contemporary song.

- I knew you'd interrupt me.
- Know this one?

- Let's go.
- Sit down.

I'll sit down.

- Do you know this one?
- That's Anitta.

- Can you sing it?
- I can't.

- I'll learn it by the end.
- I'll teach you.

I've learned it! Look!

- You have to laugh.
- Mom...

My mom found out I was gay
going to the kitchen,

I was in the living room,

she walked by the living room,
looked at me and said,

"Paulo Gustavo, are you gay?"

I said, "I am." And she was like...
And she went to the kitchen.

I went to the kitchen
and asked, "Why, Mom?"

She said, "Oh, nothing.

"I'm just worried you suffer out there,
but here at home, I support you."

That's what she told me.

Then she went to the kitchen.

After a while, she said,
"Paulo Gustavo, come here."

I said, "What, Mom?" And she said,

"Did you know your sister is a lesbian?"

- I said, "She never told..."
- Behind her back!

But she's a lesbian on Instagram.

Then, she said to me...
I said, "She never told me anything."

Mom said, "Once she gets here,
I'll say it.

"She must be dying to tell you."

Sometimes people ask me,
even on interviews.

People ask me,

"What is it like
to be a mother of homosexuals?"

And I keep wondering
what the sexual orientation of my children

has to do with their character,
dignity, or ethics?

There is no such relation, you know?

So, thank God, I don't have...

It's not easy, we have to do a lot.

But I think a mother
that rejects her child for being gay

is throwing her child at the lion's den.

We must protect those we love.

- That's what I have to say.
- And homophobia is a crime.

Let's not forget that.

HOMOPHOBIA IS A CRIME

"BRAZIL IS THE COUNTRY

"WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER
OF HOMOSEXUALS KILLED"

SOURCE: RADIO SENADO

When I was a kid,
my dream was to be Emília.

FAN

I went to school painted like her,
I took a ballpoint pen

and drew doll's sewing marks
all over my body.

I asked my grandfather
for an Emília's box,

a little chest where she kept
all her surprises.

At the time, he gave me a toolbox.
I didn't understand why.

But watching My Mom Is a Character 3,

that scene in which Juliano
wants to be Emília at the school party,

was really touching.

That scene reminded me
of a hard moment in my life.

Every kid that's different suffers
because of it, for being different.

When you're a kid, you don't get why,
or what's wrong with being different.

He gave me a lot of courage,
which I think he had.

To be myself above all.

To be proud of who I am,
with every quality and flaw.

To be in front of the world
as a man who's proud of who he is.

Thanks to Paulo Gustavo, I could find

the truest version of myself.

- Let's go, then?
- Let's go.

Mom, I'm taking my earbuds
to listen to music.

Don't try to talk to me, okay?

Take off those earbuds, then,
because I'll talk your ears off.

"On Tuesday." I said, "A club?"

I realized it was a gay club
in Rio de Janeiro.

I got into the car with a friend of mine,

and when we arrived,
the bouncer wouldn't let me in.

My friend reasoned with him
and went inside.

When Paulo Gustavo saw him,
he said, "Mom is outside."

He left the club upset.

When he got in,
I turned around and faced him,

and I slapped his face while on my knees.

From Rio de Janeiro to Niterói.
I did that.

Tonight, Paulo Gustavo, when you tell

that I have arthritis, arthrosis,
I'll say you're the cause of some of this.

You can be gay and go to the club,
but you have to study first!

- I'll say that.
- Say it. It's hilarious.

Say that on stage tonight, it's hilarious.

- You're the cause of those pains.
- Of those pains.

Pain on my knees. You're guilty.

Then say it! Say it!

I'll say, "It's your fault my knee hurts."

You didn't go into the club, Dad did.

- Mauro went inside.
- Your friend went inside.

- My friend got inside...
- The bouncer saw you,

he looked at your face
and knew you were crazy.

He could tell by looking at your face
that you're insane.

- I said, "I came to get my son."
- The driver will get hit.

- The man got pale.
- You'll let him laugh, Mom?

Alê, you can't laugh at your boss!
Stop this!

I'll get you fired!

- This side of Alê is all red...
- Bruises.

- I hit him. He's shameless!
- Bruises.

His arm is unrecognizable.

He has to replace his arm with a...

He wants to move to New York.
To be my driver in New York.

He can barely drive in Rio after 20 years.

He'll go the wrong way in New York
and end up in Saquarema.

Let's see how much urine will come out.

Let's see if I'm still famous,

or if I'm on Xuxa's level.

Xuxa probably
doesn't have to use the bathroom.

Let's see, guys. Hang on.

Let's see.

TO LAUGH IS TO RESIST

He was the funniest person
I've ever met in my life.

I knew that whenever we met or talked
on the phone, I would laugh my ass off.

Now that he's gone, we realize
how rare it is to meet someone that funny.

Someone that makes you laugh out loud
on the phone, or anywhere.

He had this thing, he was very focused.

I've never seen anyone
so focused on their career,

so sure of what they wanted.

He had such a high self-esteem
that he boosted ours as well.

- Listen. Am I arrogant, Alê?
- No.

- I'm not, right?
- He treats me as an equal.

And that's more valuable
than any money in the world.

PAULO'S DRIVER

Great. Go buy yourself a little something.

Or I could just say it like this.
"Alê, am I arrogant?

"Am I?"

- Of course not.
- Go buy yourself something.

Working with Paulo Gustavo
was like an amusement park.

Because Paulo Gustavo
never lost his inner child.

The best parts of it.

So he brought
to the set or to any work environment

playfulness and fantasy.

- It's show time!
- Hold me back!

Hold me back! Hold me back!

It's showtime, fuckers!

- Take off his cap!
- Sucker!

They play with Father Fábio de Melo,
so they want to play like this with me.

Last time it sounded bad.

- It sounded bad!
- It sounded dead.

I sounded dead, right?
So I put a devil inside everyone.

- Like this, look.
- It sounded too soft.

They got the devil,
Father Fábio can bless them later.

My show has to be chaotic.

Bro, I'm going to bang
so many girls in Recife.

There are so many
awesome people here, man!

It will be the best.

- Not even a shark can stop us.
- I can even bang a shark tonight.

I'm the shark here, dude.

We came to this beach,
sat on this place

to shoot the last scene of my movie
because of Paulo.

The movie was done.

We watched it, and in the end,
my character had one more date.

Another attempt at a happy ending.
We all want a happy ending.

Paulo Gustavo watched the movie,

and, brilliantly, he said,
"This isn't how the movie ends.

"The ending should be about our love.
The love between friends.

"That love never ends."

MOVIE "MY LIFE ON MARS"

As time goes by, we get to understand
what it really means to have a friend.

I never treasured the good moments
I've had with such a great friend.

My wish is to always be with you.

I'm much happier with you, you know?

I think we fall in love with our friends.

There are people in our lives...

I can't do this.

Some people just pass us by, right?

Some people just pass us by,
some people stay with us.

Paulo Gustavo stayed with me.

He definitely stayed with me.

He was the type of friend
who supported you, you know?

The friend who always told you the truth.

People say that real friends remain
friends after knowing your real self.

That was Paulo Gustavo.

Paulo Gustavo was there to tell the truth.
He had no...

He was not there just to praise you.

He would call me and say,
"Honey, are you nuts?

"I saw you laughing and you have
grey dental fillings. Switch to white.

"Are you nuts?"
I'd laugh and say, "Totally!"

What other friend would tell me that?
Only Paulo Gustavo.

We met here at CAL. In this exact place.

The first thing Paulo Gustavo said to me,
the first thing I remember him saying was,

"Do you have a check?"
I was like, "What do you mean?"

"I need to pay for a coat
in five installments. Can you do it?"

"But I don't know you."
We never talked before.

He didn't even know my name.

It was a class of 40,
he was making eye contact.

"Who can lend me a check?"

Then he asked me.
I said, "I have a check, but...

"How would we do that?" He said,
"I'll pay you back every month."

I thought it was so bold of him
to ask me that,

if I could buy him a coat,

that I lent him the money.

The coat was amazing,
but he never paid me back.

I never saw any money, but we started
a beautiful friendship after that check.

- Talk to the camera and I'll come in.
- Okay.

- Got the plane?
- Do I take it off your head?

Yeah, take it off.

"Stop! This catchphrase isn't yours!
It's Luisa Marilac's.

"Let's hurry up and leave.
Not ours."

- We borrowed it.
- They only let us take a picture.

Okay.

We're filming.

The rumors said I was in a bad place.

If this is a "bad place,"
well, I don't know...

Stop this! This catchphrase isn't yours,
it's Luisa Marilac's!

Don't be ridiculous.
This plane isn't ours.

Let's take the commercial plane. Come!

This is awful!

- Now...
- Let me see...

the post.

Wait, give me a catchphrase.

The ratings are high. Keep them there.

I wipe... I wipe my enemy's something.

The jealousy.

I step on your jealousy.

Girl!

He was the kind of person
who gave gifts without an occasion.

He saw something he liked on a trip,
"Marquinhos, for you."

There was no reason for it.

And he gifted me stuff.
He'd show up at my place with a bag.

"What's this, Paulo?" "For you."

I'm kind of doing this now.
I see something...

and buy it for a friend,
without a special occasion...

One small thing
can make someone's day better.

A gift doesn't have to be
a physical object.

You can say "I love you."
But it can be a gift.

And...

And today I'm more...

affectionate towards my friends.

I care more about them. That's all him.

You have to care about your friends. Sometimes...

Hadn't he told me to lose weight,
I might not be here.

I could've died of something.
I wasn't healthy.

- Can we take a picture?
- Yes.

How can a living fish

Live without cold water?

How can a living fish

Sorry, guys.

My family is from Niterói.

It's a humble family.

How can I live

Without your, without your

Without your company?

My dad got all the girls he wanted.

- I don't know about that.
- He did. He had his fun.

Manly man. Then I was born gay
and clipped his wings.

In my family, guys,

a whole flock of gay people was born.

I'm a member of the flock.

I always pay tribute to my mother
and never to my father, so...

I saw a movie by Eduardo Coutinho.

There was story of a boy who fought
with his dad and went to the US.

His dad died before they made peace.

A really sad video.
I made my version to make some drama.

I did a video crying,
the whole thing, and when I posted it,

people preferred to believe my dad
really died than that I was a good actor.

As I'm talking,
he must be somewhere listening.

DRAMATIC SCENE

We end up believing in religion
because of that too.

To... you know, to...

We believe they're somewhere else,

because it's weird to live
with the loss, the emptiness.

We don't know what happens after death.

Where is that guy who always called me?

It's fucking weird, but...

Anyway, he must be somewhere, doing fine,
watching me and seeing I regretted it.

Because I'm not 19 anymore,
I understand it was...

That he just wanted to protect me.

I'm still demoralized about playing drama,

and my dad's still trying
to prove he's alive.

Every photo I post with my dad,
someone comments,

"What a lovely TBT."

On Father's Day everyone says,
"Wherever your dad is..."

Dad lives in Niterói, bless him.

Guys, look at my dad's photo.
People think he's already dead.

They put a black and white photo.
It looks like he's already dead.

- He's alive.
- For now, Paulo Gustavo.

His father and I live on the same floor.

Indeed, Dad lives at 901 and Mom at 902.

- Either he kills me or I kill him someday.
- Bullshit. You love him.

Mom likes him, but it's not like that.

Mom loves him and also loves Aunt Penha,

my dad's wife,
they've been married for 30 years.

Mom's very grateful,
as she handled the issue of my dad.

So, my mom is eternally grateful.

My mom said, "Penha, I don't have anywhere
to put Júlio at home.

"If you could put him up there..."

Is there a chair? I'll sit down here
and sing a song my dad loves.

I'll sing for him.

- Sing it right.
- I can't sing it well.

People will join me,

because what matters is
that I sing from the heart.

Everybody knows this song.
Sing along with me.

Beautiful!

I love you, Dad.

Wave to the people, Dad. Look.

Aunt Penha is next to him.

Thales and I have something to tell you.

- Mom.
- Say it, boy!

- We have something to tell you.
- Did we win the lottery?

We're pregnant with two little boys.

- No way!
- It's been six months.

They'll be here in three months.

We suspected as much!

They're both boys. Two boys.

You didn't say if it was a boy or a girl.

- Oh, my God!
- We'll be parents.

He's so cute. Look.

ULTRASOUND
SAN DIEGO (USA)

He always wanted to have children.

As our relationship became more serious,
he mentioned this.

And if I didn't want a baby with him,
he'd have it with a friend.

He'd raise the child
and I'd be the stepdad, no problem.

I said I wanted to be a father too.

We decided to start two processes.
We had to find two surrogates.

We interviewed women.
We wanted to do it at the same time,

so they'd be partners
and grow up together.

But Romeu was born prematurely.

She went into labor on our last day
of shooting My Mom Is a Character 3.

I cancelled the shoot.
Paulo Gustavo couldn't go.

He had a show the next day
in a crowded stadium. He couldn't cancel.

Thales and I flew to the USA.

Paulo Gustavo was desperate,
but had to stay.

He said, "Mom, what will happen?"

I said, "Let's pray,
everything will be all right."

Nobody could know,
it'd be a surprise for everyone.

Nobody knew anything.
We prayed and prayed.

"Let's get on stage
and do a beautiful show for Romeu."

And I think
it really was the best show we did

in honor of Romeu,
and one day he will know that.

DAY OF ROMEU'S BIRTH
AUGUST 3RD, 2019

LAST DAY OF "SON OF A MOTHER" TOUR

Come on!

He was born, the labor was difficult.
10 days in the ICU. We suffered a lot.

We spent the whole day at the ICU,
we couldn't sleep.

As soon as Paulo Gustavo
was done with the show,

he flew to the USA to be with his son.

On the first day...

She put everything under the swaddle,
so it wouldn't show.

Aunt Karen is here to see you.

Look, he's awake.

- He's awake. Blow the family a kiss.
- Blow a kiss.

Blow a kiss to your family.

- Wave.
- They're in Brazil.

- A little wave.
- A little wave.

There was a day we got there,

and the doctor told us excitedly
that he was bottle-fed.

He had a bottle,
he'd drunk one milliliter of milk.

Thales and Paulo Gustavo hugged and cried.
That scene...

Looking at those two,
it was such a struggle.

I can't handle the cuteness. Look.

He's so cute, he's just been fed.

Look.

Romeu came home with us
healthy and very well,

totally recovered, thank God,
after 10 days.

Gael was born three days later,

in good state, thank God,
a normal and peaceful birth.

He was quickly discharged.

And we were with this pair at home.

They took care of them all day.

When they bottle-fed them,
they took off their shirts,

so Gael and Romeu could feel their bodies,
so they could be closer.

LOS ANGELES
SEPTEMBER, 2019

Say hi to the making-of crew.

Say, "Dad, go to work."

"Go to work." Say it.

"Good luck, team
of My Mom Is a Character." Say it.

Say, "Good luck."

"Have a great shoot."
Say, "Have a great shoot."

I can't resist the smell.

He's so cute! Look, Mrs. Lourdes.

Look at his cheeks, guys.

He's very healthy. God bless you, my son.

Two babies is very beautiful.
Are they yours?

- Yes. I'm also Brazilian.
- And I'm speaking bad English.

So cute. A stroll with their father,
Mrs. Lourdes.

- Thanks.
- And the mother?

Actually, we're two fathers.

- I got the chills.
- So beautiful.

So beautiful.

- Thanks.
- God bless you.

- Congrats.
- Reminded me of my son.

I hope he gives me a family like this.

LOS ANGELES
OCTOBER - 2019

He doesn't wake up.
He's fallen asleep again.

The whole time.

Don't you want to eat?

To stay awake?

Dad wants you to stay awake.

Thales is teaching
the baby to bottle-feed.

He's teaching the baby to bottle-feed

- to get rid of it.
- Dad is busy.

Put one hand here, the other there.

Dad has a lot of things to do.

Help Dad, put one hand
on each side, and pull.

Three minutes to land in Brazil, guys,
after two months.

Three minutes.

The best mattress.
Look. He's desperate.

He lies on you like a frog.

FIVE MONTHS LATER

MARCH - 2020

It's tough. The streets here in Rio
are completely deserted.

One of my neighbors
and his daughter have COVID.

Rio de Janeiro
has been taken over by COVID.

I've been isolated for three months.
Three months.

March, April, May, and June.

I've been in lockdown for three months.

I'm packing my stuff.
We're going to the mountains.

We rented a place for eight days.

We're packing right now.
We'll take the kids and go.

I like watching you, little lion

Walking under the sun

But we can't walk under the sun
because we're quarantined, dear.

I looked out of the window
and saw people strolling on the sidewalk,

riding their bikes, walking their dogs.

Going out like they were on vacation.

We're not on vacation,
we're in the middle of a pandemic.

I scratched my nose,
then I rubbed hand sanitizer on my nose.

I'm really worried.

Don't go out to the streets, dear.

Don't be crazy.

I'm talking to the ones who can...

Are you crying in Dad's livestream?

Will you cry during the video?

Will you cry in the middle of the video?

Are you laughing now?

We lived inside our houses,
with two babies.

We did our best to take care of them.

We learned a lot about ourselves
during the pandemic.

We helped each other lots.

Smile to show us how it is.

So cute!

AUGUST - 2020

So cute!

Where did you learn this is a smile, Gael?

Gael, it's like this.

Show us a smile, Romeu.

Show us a smile.

It's not like that, son, it's like this.
Look here.

Smile.

Gael, pretend you're crying.

DECEMBER 2020

He's such an actor. Romeu.

Romeu. Romeu, come here.

Romeu, don't mess with that, or else...

Romeu, what does Dad give you?

- A spanking.
- That's right. A spanking.

When the pandemic started,
the tour had ended four months ago.

He called me to ask how the band members
were doing financially.

I told him everybody had been
out of work for a long time.

He asked for each
of their account numbers,

and he deposited a huge amount
in each of their accounts.

He'd ask, "What about people in film,
theater? What are they doing?

"Let's contact everyone who's ever worked
with us on our recent movies

"to see if they need anything.
I want to help."

One day, I was at his mountain house

and he saw something on his phone,
and started to cry.

Then he ran to Thales, showed it to him,
Thales started crying and they hugged.

I asked them what was going on.
He said, "Susana, look at the replies."

People were thanking him.

"Paulo Gustavo, I just had a baby.
I didn't have food at home."

For instance, in the Amazon,
there was a shortage of oxygen.

It was one of the few times
Paulo Gustavo called me in tears.

He said, "Please, help me help them."

Once he was gone,
people realized the reach

of his immense generosity.

We all knew about it, but it went public.

I can't wait to get vaccinated!

Oh, my God!

People say you'll turn into an alligator.

Let's turn into alligators!

I've been vaccinated since I was born,
my whole life, guys.

I'll get vaccinated,
that's for sure, bitch!

I'll get lots of vaccines.

"You have to give permission."
I give my permission.

"The vaccine makes you gay."
I'm already gay, darling.

I'll get my shot, okay? No way around it.

When my turn
to get the vaccine comes, you'll see.

But it's taking so long, when my turn
comes, I'll have died of natural causes.

It was so crazy,
because he was healthy, young,

outside the risk group

and he'd say,
"If I get this, I'll die. I can't get it."

I have so many voice messages from him,

asking, "Preta, do you know
where there are vaccines?"

When the vaccination campaigns
started around the world,

and Brazil wasn't vaccinating yet,

we tried to find ways to travel,
but there were restrictions.

Brazil was also
an epicenter of the pandemic,

so we couldn't travel anywhere.

No one accepted Brazilians.

When he found out he had COVID,
because we tested every week,

and it came back positive, he got pale.

He said, "I got COVID! Oh, my God!"

We stayed home for six or seven days.

He had fever, body aches...

But no difficulty breathing, no cough,
no acute respiratory symptoms.

On the night of the seventh day,
which was my birthday, March 13th,

he woke up with a strong fever,

and wouldn't get better,
despite taking medication.

So we went to the hospital.

After Paulo Gustavo was hospitalized,

I decided to visit him.
I could enter since I'm a doctor.

When I got to the ICU,

he looked at me.

He had an oxygen catheter
to help him breathe,

but he was so happy.

He smiled at me.

I was absolutely sure that even
without my shot, I had to be there.

And he had an optimistic look in his eyes,

like he was sure things would be okay.
But still, he also looked afraid.

I tried to cheer him up
by talking about the upcoming projects.

Then a nurse came in,
then another, then a doctor.

Suddenly there was a whole audience.

He began to tell stories
in his hilarious way,

and improvised jokes on the spot.

His funny jokes.
Then he said something so brilliant

that he laughed out loud.

It was such a good laugh.

Everyone was having fun
and I kept thinking

that even in that place,
with COVID, he still brought people joy.

Brazil came together to pray for him,

each one praying
according to their beliefs.

Each one in their own way,

and in their faith.

And...

And he...

And I did it all, everything that came up.

Pray this or that way, do this, do that.
And I did everything.

I believed that...

he had a greater purpose.

That he would come back even greater.

He talked about his family,

he talked about his parents,
his sister, his friends, each friend,

but he couldn't talk about his children.

He said that he needed to block that.

At some point, he took his phone,
and looked at his children's pictures.

He tried to talk,
but he was out of breath.

He said, "I can't.

"I can't talk about my kids."

EVERYONE IS ANXIOUS FOR NEWS

EVERYONE'S PRAYING

After eight days with the oxygen catheter,

the doctors told him
he needed to be intubated.

He was always very positive,
so he said, "Sure. It's going to be okay."

And...

he was scared, but he was sure
it was going to be fine.

And...

minutes before being intubated,

he talked about his sons.

He only talked about his sons
right before being intubated.

He said that he really wanted
to see his sons grow up.

I am now becoming an artisan.
I'm making my own hats.

- I'm like...
- You're...

I'm just like those old ladies
who crochet.

Crochet is for old ladies.

Adding glitter is for gays. It's for gays.

I'm putting glitter on everything now.

All my things will shine.
When I die, I want a shiny coffin.

- Save some money, because if you die...
- Didn't you want to be cremated?

No. Cremate me, but before, at the...

- At the funeral.
- The coffin cart.

I want to have glitter like these.

- Save some money.
- All Swarovski.

Do you know what you can do
so you don't spend money on that?

- Start saving money now?
- No, you...

You ask the people
at the funeral to bring some.

Each one brings a shiny rock.

They can glue it on my coffin.

- He's so ridiculous!
- Isn't it cool?

Guys, record that. If I die,

everyone brings a shiny rock
to my funeral and glue it on my coffin.

- Fuck.
- I'll put a rock on his mouth,

so he stops talking.

He talks so much bullshit. How come?

Paulo was not anxious.
Paulo was in a hurry.

Because somewhere, somehow he knew

that his time wasn't enough
for all he wanted to do.

A career cut out short in its beginning.

I think he was just starting.

So...

It's a tragedy with a capital T.

Paulo became the most notorious martyr

of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This void isn't going to be filled.
Nor should it.

PAULO GUSTAVO, THE BIGGEST PHENOMENON
IN BRAZILIAN CINEMA'S HISTORY, DIES

ACTOR DIES OF COVID-19 COMPLICATIONS
AFTER ALMOST TWO MONTHS IN THE HOSPITAL

THE LOSS OF A FAMILY MEMBER

BEYONCÉ PAYS TRIBUTE TO PAULO GUSTAVO

When my brother passed away,

it was amazing to see
the amount of tributes

that were being paid to him.

His requiem mass
caused a general commotion.

For the first time ever,
Christ the Redeemer's lights were off.

NITERÓI HAS A "PAULO GUSTAVO" STREET NOW

ACTOR PAULO GUSTAVO STREET

RIO DE JANEIRO CREATES "COMEDY DAY"
AS A TRIBUTE TO PAULO GUSTAVO

SENATE APPROVES THE PAULO GUSTAVO LAW

A CULTURE INCENTIVE LAW

PAULO GUSTAVO PARADE
WILL HAVE A SECTION FOR 100 FRIENDS

BEYONCÉ PAYS TRIBUTE TO PAULO GUSTAVO

BRAZIL APPLAUDS PAULO GUSTAVO
AND ALL BRAZILIAN VICTIMS OF COVID

We got chills on our balcony

when, at 8:00 p.m., people began to clap.

It happened all around Brazil.

DÉA'S BUILDING

APPLAUSE FOR PAULO GUSTAVO

NITERÓI PAYS TRIBUTE

PAULO GUSTAVO DESERVES OUR APPLAUSE

If he did so much
from a son's perspective...

He did My Mom Is a Character, created
Mrs. Hermínia inspired by his mother.

Imagine how much he could create
from his family relationship,

as a father, witnessing two children,
seeing two human beings.

He observed people so much.

He would have the opportunity
to see two little people

- going through all the stages.
- Why not backwards?

Don't go up backwards.
You'll learn how to soon enough.

- Come on.
- I don't like backwards.

Romeu and Gael are the loves of my life.

They're my motivation.
They save me every day.

They remind me that I have to be strong,

so I can stay with them.

I told him at the hospital
that I'd take care of the children.

That he should rest easy.
We'd take care of them.

Me, Penha, Déa, Juliana,

and Thales, we would take care
of the kids.

Losing a son isn't easy.

Paulo Gustavo premiered
My Mom Is a Character

on May 4th, 2006.

And he passed away on May 4th...

in 2021, 15 years later,

at 9:12 p.m.,
the hour in which the play started.

It seems like he premiered that play,
and now on May 4th, 2021,

he had a premiere somewhere else.

Enough of longing.

Enough of longing, I'm here today.
I'm here.

Whatever I do, I think,
"What would Paulo Gustavo think?"

I always think,
"What would Paulo say?"

Besides being a comedy genius,
my brother was

a genius as a human being.

You see not only the artist,
but also the person.

It feels good, you see his heart,

his love for art, for life, for the world.

I'll always talk about this person I met

that I had the privilege
to call a friend and coworker.

I'll be nourished by his love and joy
for the rest of my life.

He will always live through all of us.

Always laughing, joking,
playing around, laughing with everyone.

Even if I live to be 110,

I want to live like Paulo Gustavo.
I learned that from him.

Paulo Gustavo was very brave.

Fearless.

An explosion. He was a comet.

This joy of his is what...

I remember the most about him.
And the nostalgia.

I wish he was here with me.

I would tell him,
"My son, thank you for all you did."

THANK YOU, PAULO GUSTAVO

OCTOBER 30TH, 1978 - MAY 4TH, 2021

Watch them from afar,
so you don't get crazy like them.

You're on camera, Mom.