Between faith, emotion and social media: Julia Mendes lives a new phase after her role in “Paul, the Apostle”

Luca Moreira
8 Min Read
Julia Mendes
Julia Mendes

After gaining attention as the charismatic Anita in Mar do Sertão, actress Julia Mendes won over audiences with her intense role as Adália in Record’s biblical series Paulo, o Apóstolo. Playing a Christian mother persecuted for her faith, Julia is moving on screen, while off screen, she stands out on social media for her lighthearted and spontaneous content that has already gone viral, covering topics such as grief, friendship, and even the Portuguese language. With new followers, theater plans, and a dream of film, she celebrates this phase of visibility: “Touching someone with what I do is my greatest purpose.”

Adália is a character who faces profound dilemmas in Paul, the Apostle. What was it like for you personally to play someone who must choose between her faith and protecting her children?

It was a very exciting challenge for me as an actress. It’s wonderful to be able to bring to life a character that’s actually different from everything the audience sees me doing on social media. Showing this other layer of Júlia, the actress, who also dives in, who feels, who lives the drama, is very important. And Adália is a woman with a very powerful dilemma: protecting her children, loving deeply, and, at the same time, dealing with faith and the risks that this entails. Having the chance to work with this intensity was truly a gift.

You mentioned that the series’ impact brought a new audience to your social media. What surprised you most about this new dialogue with your followers?

The affection. People who might never have seen my work or videos before, who came through the Adália scenes and stayed. And more than that: they also started following me in my lighter reflections, in the funny moments, in the videos where I’m just peeling a mango, you know? This showed me that there’s room for diversity, and that people miss that too.

Julia Mendes
Julia Mendes

The contrast between Adália’s dramatic intensity and the lightheartedness of her influencer videos is striking. How do you balance these two very different sides in your daily life?

I think one saves the other. One feeds the other. I’m a paradox, haha, because I love living in this contrast of being super dramatic and apocalyptic and at the same time having this lightness in my daily life, this irreverence, this humor that permeates my days. When I’m too immersed in the drama, I feel the need to laugh. To joke. To post something light. And when I feel like I’m alone in the lightness, I miss diving deep into a character who sweeps me off my feet. I can’t be just one thing, and honestly, I don’t even want to. What balances me is being able to transition and be whole in all my emotions.

One of your most moving videos was about mourning the loss of your mother. What’s it like for you to transform such intimate pain into something that welcomes and connects others?

It’s a delicate process. I never planned to talk about it, but one day, out of the blue, it came. And when it did, I understood that sharing can also be a way to heal. The pain remains mine, of course, but when it finds an echo in someone, it becomes a bridge. And there’s nothing more beautiful than feeling that your vulnerability can be a shelter for another.

Julia Mendes
Julia Mendes

Spontaneity seems to be one of your superpowers as a content creator. Where does this desire to share such diverse topics come from, from low-maintenance friendships to humor in Portuguese?

I think it really comes from life. I observe everything. I’m a tireless observer. Everything touches me and interests me. And sometimes, what starts as an insight in the shower becomes an Instagram video the same day. I like to talk about everyday things, about what’s human. And I love finding humor where no one’s looking. In the end, I talk about whatever I feel like talking about… and I trust it will reach those who also need to hear it.

Behind the scenes, you’ve become known as the “lunchbox queen.” How does your relationship with self-care and nutrition help you maintain a healthy rhythm between filming, social media, and personal projects?

(Laughs) I’m really a lunchbox person, folks. But there’s a reason: for me, food is energy. And energy is our fuel, what moves us, what sustains us, what fuels us. Since my routine is very dynamic, sometimes I’m recording, sometimes I’m creating content on the go, at an event, in transit, etc. Being able to follow at least a balanced eating routine helps me a lot to stay focused. It’s my way of practicing self-care amidst my busy life.

Julia Mendes
Julia Mendes

You’ve mentioned your desire to write and act in a play of your own, combining humor and drama. What kind of story would you like to tell in this new format?

I want to tell a story that blends everything I am. That speaks of love, but also of fear. Of pain, but with a joke in between. A play that begins with laughter and ends with tears, or vice versa. I like that in-between space where the audience laughs and, suddenly, finds themselves swallowing hard. Because, deep down, that’s what life is: a damned mix of intensity and irony.

Your talk about influencing for good is very powerful. In your view, how can visibility be used responsibly, especially to convey messages of strength and sensitivity at the same time?

I think it all starts with listening. When we listen more and talk less, we’re already influencing in a different way. For me, being an influencer isn’t just about showing what I wear or how I train; it’s also about sharing my contradictions, my vulnerabilities, my discoveries. It’s remembering that real life can also be content. And that affection, when genuine, transcends any algorithm.

Follow Julia Mendes on Instagram

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