Back in Brazil to record the new season of “Encantado’s”, actor João Côrtes is one of those confirmed for “Rio Connection”, a plot by Globo in partnership with Sony. The artist plays Alberto Martim, a Brazilian diplomat who allies himself with the Italian mafia, which had Brazil as a strategic point in the distribution of drugs, and becomes a key player in the trafficking of heroin to the United States. All of this set in Rio de Janeiro in the 1970s.
Launched first in Canada and in some European countries, the story recorded entirely in English also features names like Maria Casadevall, Marina Ruy Barbosa, Italian Valerio Morigi, French Aksel Ustun, among others.
The actor, who had been living in the United States since September 2022, had been dedicating himself to studying and voicing the series “Wolf Pack” and “1923”.
Currently, the actor can be seen on Globoplay in one of his most recent works, the series “Encantado’s”, a new comedy on the platform. Success in the premiere, the plot has a market in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro as a backdrop and, at night, is also a class D samba school.
Fluent in English, the actor has been improving works in the language in recent years. The first work with the actor recorded in the English language arrived in 2021 on streaming HBO Max. Entitled The American Guest, the series tells the story of the expedition of former president Theodore Roosevelt and Marechal Rondon to Rio da Dúvida. João plays the expedition’s cameraman, Thomaz Reis, who is still regarded as one of the world’s first documentary filmmakers. Then, “Passaporte para Liberdade” was made available on Globoplay, in which João plays a Nazi soldier, the story takes place during World War II.
As if that weren’t enough, he awaits the premiere of The Journey, a Brazil-USA co-production, recorded for a streaming platform yet to be defined.
Behind the camera, João, who made his debut as a screenwriter and director with the feature film “Nas Mãos de Quem Me Leva”, awarded at several international festivals, including the Best Director and Best Film categories at the New Cinema Film Festival, in Portugal, and Best Screenplay at the Seoul Film Festival, in South Korea, had the film “Depois do Universo”, in which he signs the script collaboration, released on Netflix in the last week of October.
After some time away from the country, you’re back to record Globoplay’s “Encantado’s”, in addition to promoting the new season of “Rio Connection”, a production in partnership between Globo and Sony. How are the expectations to return to work in Brazil?
I love working here. She was dying to be on a movie set. Missing the cast and crew of Encantado’s too. It is a project that brings me immense pleasure to be part of. I go to work every day with a smile on my face. Fulfill me. And at the same time, it’s been amazing to be able to shoot season 2 while it’s the first premiere on broadcast TV. All of us celebrating the success of the series together.
In this new production by Rede Globo with Sony, his character will be the diplomat Alberto Martim, who turns out to be an ally of the Italian mafia, which had Brazil as a point of disposal for drugs. Is representing such a “heavy” reality of Brazilian society in a cinematographic way a complicated task? How has the character been built?
It was not an easy task at all, it was an intense and meticulous preparation process. All of us (cast and crew) gave our blood to deliver the best possible. It was pulled physically and emotionally. Of course, because we are addressing issues such as drug trafficking, crime, abuse, violence… All of this only increased the responsibility and care with which we relate to dramaturgy. The script is already fantastic, an art team, costumes, production, amazing characterization, and a sharp cast. I gave myself headlong to the character. And even though it is “heavy” material, Alberto Martin has an irreverent, acidic, comic, extravagant energy, which in a way, brought some lightness to the scenes.
In addition to being accompanied by other great actors, the series, which was also recorded in English, ended up being released first in Canada and in some countries in Europe. What do you think of the reception from the international public and what is the main difference you noticed from the Brazilian public to the European/Canadian one?
In fact, I still don’t know much about how it was received by international audiences. I’ll find out! I need to update myself… lol. What I learned recently is that India loved the series. It was a success there, and they are already asking for the second season! The series has not yet premiered in Brazil. It is a series that has everything to be a success.
Since September of last year, you’ve been living and working in the United States, where you voiced the series “Wolf Pack” and “1923”. What are the main differences you found when working with American dramaturgy?
There are a lot! It is very interesting to observe and study the way Americans approach the craft. There’s a lot of technique involved. It’s minimalist. Most performances are built from the inside out, not the other way around. And that makes the expressions smaller, more subtle, more concentrated in the eyes. There is not such an apparent need to underline the emotions, or underline them in any way. That for dubbing is pretty tasty. It gives you space and territory to play and explore the different tones and nuances.
Another project that showed a lot of projection and that is in the Globoplay catalog is the series “Encantado’s”, which is now going to enter a new season. What do you think of participating in this project?
It’s been absolutely wonderful. It is one of the great gifts of my career. It’s been such a nice process, so pleasurable. From the first day of rehearsal. The synchrony and love that vibrates between each of the cast and crew is surreal. And I believe that it works 100% on screen, the chemistry is very real. Everyone there became friends for life. It’s projects like this that make me keep investing in this career, that make me want to keep dedicating myself to this craft.
The first job you recorded in English was “The American Guest” on HBO Max, which tells the story of former president Theodore Roosevelt and Marechal Rondon in Rio da Dúvida. What was the meaning of this project in your career?
This was one of the most fantastic professional experiences I’ve ever had. Deeper. I keep this project in my heart with great affection. There were 45 days filming in the Amazon, and another 15 in Chapada dos Guimarães. I made friends that I bring to this day, I have incredible memories and stories. This is the great asset of this profession, being able to collect such different, so intense experiences. It was really my first international job, with actors and crew from all over the world. So it wasn’t just a great adventure, but also a rich cultural exchange. I’m very proud to have been a part of it. I swear if I could, I would live it all over again.
One of the heaviest projects I could see in his career was “Passaporte para Liberdade”, also from Globoplay, where he played a Nazi soldier during World War II. Occurring during this period, the holocaust is considered the saddest period in our history as human beings. What were the thoughts that this project brought and what can be learned by watching the representation of a moment like this?
I see this profession as a sport, you know? I try to look at and analyze myself as an emotional athlete. A deep diving athlete. The more experience you acquire and gain during your career, the greater your ability to take deep dives and come back to the surface healthy, both mentally and physically. I say this because “Passport to Freedom” for me was quite a dive. I spent months practicing the German accent, studying the text, watching documentaries about the Second World War, interviews, testimonies, reading books. I was consciously filling myself with that energy, that Universe, more and more. I got to the set to shoot and I was totally imbued with this atmosphere, and really, really heavy. The predominant feeling was shock. It is difficult to conceive of acts of such inhumanity. Of such cruelty and perversity. Almost as if the mind is not capable of computation, you know. I tried not to judge the character because that would interfere with my work, but the lesson learned – at a hard cost – is how easy it is for human beings to be manipulated into doing something that goes against their natural instincts. What human beings are capable of. It’s important to recognize the shadow we have in our history, so that we can recognize and celebrate the light.
A production that unfortunately we still don’t have much information about, not even where it will be released, you wait for the release of “The Journey”, a multinational production between Brazil and the United States. Can you tell us a little more about the production?
Look, I would also love to have more information about release, platforms, dates, anyway. We in the cast are still without news. This is very common to happen, big projects go through thousands of stages of production, launch, approvals, anyway… But I can say that I was very happy doing “The Journey”. I was able to shoot in the south of the country, which was something new for me. Getting to know Porto Alegre, working with an entire wonderful team from Rio Grande do Sul. I met such talented, generous and giant-hearted friends. People I have partnerships and artistic alliances with until today. Besides, I love speaking English, right? So being in a bilingual project, with other bilingual actors, was a delight.
Talking now about an even bigger step, you made your debut as a screenwriter and director with the feature film “In the hands of those who take me”, which, in addition to your first time, received several international awards. How was this experience of working behind the camera and especially receiving this great return that the production had?
I truly fell in love with directing. From the bottom of the soul. I also found myself in the director’s chair a lot. I had a pleasure and a sense of fulfillment. And I’ve always loved writing, I’ve always written texts, chronicles, poems, anyway. But I had this desire to write a bigger script, a feature film. It took about 8 months, but it was done. And every step of the process was delicious. From script readings, where I was able to gather actor, director and producer friends to read together, to post-production, coloring, soundtrack, editing. We made a 100% independent feature, without the help of sponsorship or incentive law. It was in the race and in the love of art. I am very grateful to have gone through this project alongside so many talented, dedicated, generous, committed and professional people. I’m even finishing writing my second feature, and I want to direct it,
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