At just 7 years old, child actress Elis Cabral has been making waves on Brazilian television starring as Sofia, heiress to the Boaz family, in the soap opera “Dona de Mim,” written by Rosane Svartman. Discovered after taking theater and television courses, Elis passed auditions for one of the show’s lead roles and shares the stage with names like Tony Ramos and Clara Moneke, stealing the show with charisma, talent, and an artistic maturity rare for her age.
Elis, you started out in theater purely as an educational activity, but were quickly discovered and cast in television. What was the transition from playing on stage to acting in a 7 p.m. soap opera like for you?
At first, I was thrilled because I could see everyone I watched on TV in person. Shooting the scenes in the giant studios felt magical. Then, with the help of my parents, Aunt Cris (my stage manager), and the uncles and aunts of the cast, production, and director, I began to understand how it all worked.
In “Dona de Mim,” you act alongside big names like Tony Ramos and Clara Moneke. How did it feel to share the stage with such experienced artists so early in your career?
Tony is so sweet. I didn’t know him very well, but my parents explained him to me, and then, after seeing him act, I realized how incredible he is. I already knew Aunt Clara; she’s very affectionate, explaining things to me, helping me, and also calming me down on set because I’m very restless, lol. Besides them, I also love seeing Aunts Cacau and Suely Franco and Uncles Juan and Rafa on set. My parents always tell me that in time, I’ll understand what a gift this opportunity is.
Your character, Sofia, has a mischievous and striking energy. What do you like most about her, and what challenges you most about playing her?
I love it when Sofia gets up to mischief. I don’t do that in my life, but she’s naughty and mischievous, and I’m like that too, just not quite like her. She also challenges me in the sad scenes, which I need to focus more on and do more calmly.
What’s your day-to-day like on set? Do you manage to balance your school routine with the intense pace of television work?
Recording is fun for me, it’s like telling myself that every day, after school, I’m going to the park, play in the playground, etc. I know I have to memorize the texts, but I like it, so it ends up being a lot of fun to do.
Many people are already saying you’re a young TV star. How do you handle this recognition so young? Does it give you more responsibility, or do you see it as a fun activity?
Seriously? My parents don’t tell me this; they don’t let me access social media much. I know I have Instagram and TikTok, but I don’t access them, or I access them to respond to anything they ask. That’s so cool! I’m even embarrassed to receive compliments, but it’s really nice to know that people are really enjoying them.
Do you remember how you felt the moment you found out you had passed the audition to be the lead in the soap opera?
I didn’t know it was such a big role, but I was already happy because I wanted to pretend to be someone else, and that person was Sofia. I also always wanted to see myself on Globoplay.
Who inspires you most as an actress, both among your castmates and other artists you admire?
Duda Santos, Aunt Clara, Aunt Maisa, Aunt Gabz, and Larissa Manoela inspire me a lot.
Despite being so young, you’ve already shown a lot of maturity on stage. Do you dream of pursuing an acting career when you grow up, or do you have other aspirations as well?
I hope to continue having opportunities to continue playing until I’m an adult actress, but I also want to be a veterinarian, I love all kinds of animals.
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