With over two decades of acting experience, Raphael Monteiro found his true calling in 2017, when he taught a workshop in Cuiabá and discovered his talent for casting. Since then, he has established himself as one of the most promising names in the field, being responsible for training artists who now shine in productions by Globo, Record and Netflix.
Among the recent works that counted on his preparation are the series Até Onde Ele Vai (Record TV), the feature film Cartas para Deus — in which he prepared the protagonist Davi Malizia — and the upcoming 6pm and 7pm soap operas on Globo, which will feature the young actors Elis Cabral, Kael Sturne and Malizia himself as protagonists. Raphael is also responsible for preparing the children’s casting for the Army Agency , with names approved in titles such as Man On Fire (Netflix), Reis (Record) and Família Paraíso (Globo).
His own career as an actor began at the age of 21, with training at CAL and Tablado. Raphael built a vast repertoire on stage and television, including appearances in series such as Tô de Graça (Multishow), Cilada (Globoplay), Família Paraíso (TV Globo), as well as the character Perez in the 8th and 9th seasons of Reis, on Record. In the cinema, he acted in titles such as No Gogó do Paulinho, Altos e Baixos, Top Love and Vizinhos, from Netflix.
In 2021, Raphael was awarded Best Comedy Actor at Rio Webfest by the comedy channel Peixe na Coleira. Today, he combines his experience as an actor with his technical and sensitive eye as a casting director, helping especially young talents to find space and excellence in the audiovisual market.
You started your career as an actor and only later discovered your calling as a casting director. What was that transition process like and what surprised you the most about helping other artists land roles?
I had already had a long career in theater and some important work in audiovisual, but it had never crossed my mind to teach or prepare a cast, until one day a great friend asked me for help to teach a workshop in Cuiabá-MT. I thought the invitation was really crazy because although I had received good training at CAL- Casa das Artes de Laranjeiras and at O Tablado, I didn’t feel confident, because one thing is knowing how to act and another is knowing how to convey it, but to my surprise, when I got there, I realized that the actors instantly understood everything I was saying.
Your first workshop in Cuiabá, in 2017, was a milestone in your career. Do you remember the exact moment you realized you wanted to follow this path? What made you realize that this was your true calling that day?
I realized my calling when I saw the joy of the actors when they were able to put into practice all the methods I taught them, because I was able to show them shortcuts that I had spent a long time discovering and I was able to shorten the path for them.
When I saw the joy of an actor doing an exercise well done, when I saw an actor achieving something great in his career, I could see that the feeling is as good as going to an audition myself.
With your online training methodology, you have helped many actors land important roles. What was the biggest challenge in adapting this work to the digital environment and how do you ensure that connection and learning are effective even remotely?
The online class was not an idea, but rather a solution for the times we were living in. After teaching a few workshops, the pandemic hit and the actors started asking me to take on the crazy challenge of doing an online training session. At first, I was a bit skeptical, but at the same time, I realized that we needed to do art somehow, so I went for it and learned how to do it remotely with them. Today, I can say that it works just as well as in-person training. We haven’t faced much prejudice about the online class yet, but I’ve had great results and I can assure you that it works. In addition, I also do in-person training at the Army Agency .
Today you are leading the preparation of a successful children’s casting. What is different about working with children compared to adults? Is there a special approach you take to make this process easier and more productive for young talents?
Nowadays I prepare both children and adults and I don’t see much difference because I treat the child as an artist and not as a child.
I feel like the difference between adult actors and child actors is that adults direct themselves more on stage while children have the door to their imagination wide open.
The process with the adult is precisely to empty the body and mind of defenses to bring back the child they once were.
You had a solid career in theater before becoming famous in audiovisual. How did your experience on stage influence the way you prepare actors for film and TV? Is there anything from theater that you always bring to your students?
I owe everything I am to theater. It was my foundation and I had the opportunity to get to know all of Brazil through my art. Theater gave me a foundation, gave me confidence and stripped me of any kind of self-judgment.
I believe that he is the one who gave me the confidence that I feel as an actor on stage. He made me a better person right away, because art dignifies a person.
Winning the Best Comedy Actor award at Rio Webfest 2021 was a great moment in your career. Does humor have a special place in your development as an artist? How does this experience impact your work as a casting director?
I often say that I didn’t choose comedy, but that comedy chose me. As soon as I started studying, in the first few months I got an audition for a comedy play and I just went to see what it was like, because I didn’t believe I would pass with so little time to study, but I passed and ended up going on to one comedy show after another, which gave me the foundation and confidence I feel on stage today.
Winning the award for best comedy actor at one of the biggest festivals in the world opened the doors of the audiovisual industry for me. It had a huge impact on my preparation because, in addition to having the experience, I am convinced that self-production can take us to unimaginable places, because what led me to the award was a comedy channel called “Peixe na Coleira” where everything was done on a guerrilla basis and without any money.
I really encourage my actors not to wait for their chance to knock on the door, but to make an effort and make their chances happen.
Several artists who have attended your training have landed prominent roles in productions by Globo, Netflix and Record. Is there any particular piece of approval that has particularly moved you? What makes you most proud when you see your students shine?
It is very difficult to choose an approval that moved me the most, but I believe the biggest ones were from actress Elis Cabral as the protagonist of the new 7:00 pm soap opera on TV Globo “Dona de Mim”, from actor Arthur Monteiro for the international series on Netflix called “Man On Fire” where he filmed in Mexico with the Hollywood team and the approval of actor Davi Malizia as the protagonist of a great feature film “Cartas para Deus” and protagonist of the new 6:00 pm soap opera on TV Globo “ Eta Mundo Melhor”.
With so many projects and talent under your belt, what is your next big goal as a casting director? Are there any professional challenges or dreams you still want to achieve?
My biggest goal is to be remembered as a coach who discovered many talents and to be recognized for that. Gifting art with great new talents is the least I can do to give back to everything that art has done in my life.
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