Actor Velson D’Souza, known for his career on SBT and for his partnership with the Abravanel family, is back at the station in a new production. After playing Silvio Santos in the musical “Silvio Santos Vem Aí”, he faces the challenge of giving life to the character Fred in the first co-production between SBT and Prime Video. The cast features names like André Lucas and Karin Hils, and the plot, inspired by Shakespeare’s work, recently premiered on open TV and streaming.
After 13 years away from SBT, Velson expresses his happiness at returning to the station. It highlights the warm atmosphere and feeling of being at home when working with the Abravanel family. The actor emphasizes the importance of the themes addressed in the soap opera, such as inclusion and diversity, especially since they are aimed at children and young people. With a career that has conquered fans of all ages, Velson is excited about each fun and dynamic chapter of the script.
In addition to his work on the soap opera, Velson also participated in the culinary reality show “Bake Off Brasil Mão na Massa”, where he tested his skills in the kitchen and won the Master Confectioner apron. At the same time, he revisits the amusing text of the musical “Silvio Santos Vem Aí”, which brought him back to the country and its cultural universe. The artist also acts as an entrepreneur and art educator at his Espaço Co.Lab, where he teaches acting classes and shares special techniques acquired in his master’s degree in New York.
With a solid career on SBT and a new phase full of exciting projects, Velson D’Souza shows his versatility as an actor and his commitment to conveying relevant messages through his work on television, in theater and beyond.
How was it to return to SBT after 13 years? What changed in that period?
It was wonderful! I feel very comfortable at SBT, I love that place, and I feel like I’m part of this big family. It was a delight to meet friends from 13 years ago and to work with them again. A lot has changed in my personal and professional life. I spent a lot of time working as an actor in the United States, and the Master’s also changed me. I grew as a human being, as an artist. I am a more mature and experienced person. I feel more confident in my creative work and in my choices. SBT itself remains the same pleasant place to work, welcoming.
Tell us a little about your character in the new SBT soap opera in co-production with Prime Video. How would you describe Fred?
Fred is a very insecure man who seeks approval from other people. He seeks to be validated by his father-in-law, his wife, and even his children. Despite sometimes having great ideas, he is a little off, absent-minded, and clueless, kind of like the pave’s uncle. He’s a good guy, with a good heart, but he ends up getting into his wife’s wave to please her. He is not a good father, as he lacks the role of educator. He sees the children more as friends than children as he is basically a big kid.
What is your view on the importance of addressing relevant issues, such as inclusion and diversity, in the telenovela’s plot, especially considering children and young audiences?
I think it’s a very big responsibility. For it is the public that is forming. It’s very important to make art aimed at children, I’ve done a lot of children’s theater, with Cintia Abravanel, Vladimir Capella, Paulo Ribeiro, Kleber Montanheiro at Companhia da Revista alongside Marilia Toledo. But making a telenovela has a much wider scope, and also alongside children, young actors, it is a huge responsibility. Our behavior behind the scenes must serve as an example. I think this soap opera is a watershed in this regard: making art that addresses inclusion and diversity is fundamental. We need more representation. And I think this telenovela has beautiful messages to convey precisely to the most precious audience, which are children.
What was it like playing Silvio Santos in the musical “Silvio Santos Comes There”? How did you prepare for this iconic role?
It was, without a doubt, the greatest challenge of my career. The responsibility increases even more because I have a story so close to Silvio and the Abravanel family, having Cintia as my godmother in the theater, having worked in the first soap operas by Íris, and participating in the dots game with Silvio himself. It’s all very special to me. What I look for in my work is to truly live what the character lives, so I really studied a lot, not only the physical and voice composition, but the circumstances and Silvio’s life to really understand how to put myself in the different situations that we see in the movie. Show. I spent the entire year of 2019 preparing there in Los Angeles, as I had not yet returned to Brazil. I read a lot, watched archival footage, Youtube, and worked on gestures and voice to arrive at something closer to what is realistic.
In addition to acting on TV, you also participated in the culinary reality show “Bake Off Brasil Mão na Massa”. How was the experience of testing your kitchen skills in a competitive environment?
It was sensational. I never imagined that I would be able to do that. And I got a taste. I already made cake at home after I left the program. Despite being a competitive environment, our cast was very harmonious, and everyone helped each other. I believe we were testing ourselves against each other and not each other. I think it was a program that involved a lot of overcoming difficulties, and the message we conveyed was that of working together, of helping others. And that’s a lot what I believe in life. I’m not competing with other actors for TV and film roles. I’m fighting to be better every day, better than I was yesterday, not better than anyone else. We need less confrontation and more love in this world, and I will not grow in the other’s defeat, but in the victory with myself.
Talk a little about Espaço Co.Lab, your project as an entrepreneur and art educator. How did the idea come about and what is the purpose of this space?
Espaço Co.Lab is a collaborative space focused on training and developing artists. I always had the desire to replicate my master’s system in NY. There, acting students, theater directing students, and dramaturgy students gathered in a weekly class to collaborate with the aim of developing new theatrical projects. From there, shows were produced for Broadway, Off-Broadway and theater companies. Co.Lab’s goal is no different. Daniela Stirbulov and I opened the Space and taught each one their own study group. I teach American Techniques of Interpretation for TV and Cinema and Daniela teaches Theater Directing. For one year, the acting students attended Daniela’s classes in the directing group once a month, to be directed by the theater directing students. In this year, we added the Dramaturgy Study Group taught by Vitor Rocha. There, students develop new texts, which will then be worked on by directing students and interpreted by my students. At the end of July we will have our Show of Contemporary Scenes written by Vitor’s students, performed by my acting students, and directed by Dani’s Directing students. In this way, we want to train and develop artists from all areas, giving the opportunity for new voices and new visions to be known and launched in the job market. Our focus is on the artist’s development process, so we also have other workshops and free courses taking place in collaboration with other professionals in the field. which will later be worked on by directing students and interpreted by my students. At the end of July we will have our Show of Contemporary Scenes written by Vitor’s students, performed by my acting students, and directed by Dani’s Directing students. In this way, we want to train and develop artists from all areas, giving the opportunity for new voices and new visions to be known and launched in the job market. Our focus is on the artist’s development process, so we also have other workshops and free courses taking place in collaboration with other professionals in the field. which will later be worked on by directing students and interpreted by my students. At the end of July we will have our Show of Contemporary Scenes written by Vitor’s students, performed by my acting students, and directed by Dani’s Directing students. In this way, we want to train and develop artists from all areas, giving the opportunity for new voices and new visions to be known and launched in the job market. Our focus is on the artist’s development process, so we also have other workshops and free courses taking place in collaboration with other professionals in the field. we want to train and develop artists from all areas, giving the opportunity for new voices and new visions to be known and launched in the job market. Our focus is on the artist’s development process, so we also have other workshops and free courses taking place in collaboration with other professionals in the field. we want to train and develop artists from all areas, giving the opportunity for new voices and new visions to be known and launched in the job market. Our focus is on the artist’s development process, so we also have other workshops and free courses taking place in collaboration with other professionals in the field.
What are the interpretation techniques that you teach at Espaço Co.Lab? How do they contribute to the development of actors?
At CoLab I teach the techniques that changed my life as an actor. I’m not the type of teacher who “swears on my feet” for any specific technique, on the contrary, I try to give actors tools to discover which ones help them and which ones transform them. I teach the famous Method, by Lee Strasberg, demystifying a little what people in Brazil think of as “The Method”. I also teach Stella Adler, Uta Hagen, Meisner, Chekov and Kimball. I like to mix techniques, as I often find it more effective to combine them. What I teach is that actors have to acquire the knowledge and mastery of techniques so that they themselves can have the sensitivity to choose which exercise, or which technique, will serve them best for each scene and character they are working on. In this way, the actor and actress becomes independent, and you can make your choices without having to rely on a coach or actor trainer. I see that many actors in Brazil depend on this, and many times they arrive on the set or at the rehearsal waiting for the director to give them the tools to build the character.
What was it like to receive nominations for Outstanding Actor at the Destaque Imprensa Digital Award and Best Actor at the Bibi Ferreira Award? What do these indications mean to you?
I was extremely honored and flattered. Returning to Brazil facing this great challenge and being recognized by these very important Awards is the icing on the cake, even more so for being nominated alongside artists that I have admired so much for so long. I don’t think any work I’ve done in my 21-year career has had so much recognition from the artistic class, the public, and the press. And having all these areas recognize our work is really something I never imagined. I am forever grateful for everything that has happened to me these days.
What are your future plans in the artistic world? Is there any specific project that you would like to carry out on stage or in audiovisual?
I have the dream of being a presenter, of having a program. So I work to make that happen one day, I already have some ideas and personal projects related to that. I love working at SBT and I really hope that my relationship lasts for a long time. I have plans to continue working with audiovisual as well. I have two series projects that I’m finalizing so I can present them to potential buyers. One of the ones I believe in the most is the teen horror series project I created alongside Emílio Boechat. The other is a project that includes football, but I can’t give too many details hehe As for the theater, there is a play written by Bruno Cavalcanti called “Paixão”, which I fell in love with at the first “read”. I hope that in 2024 this project comes to fruition.
Finally, how do you balance your schedule between the soap opera recordings, musical rehearsals and classes at Espaço Co.Lab? How to reconcile all these activities?
It’s crazy, but it’s worked out really well. And I love that rush. When I’m not recording, I’m teaching. The recording schedule is always announced the week before, so I announce the classes that are scheduled week by week. I don’t have a fixed class, but a flexible one, which ended up being a great alternative for everyone, since an artist’s life in general doesn’t follow a defined routine. The musical is basically rehearsed, and I remember everything. Just two or three rehearsals and we’re sharp again hehe.
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