Taís Araujo played Helena in Viver a Vida (2009), a nine o’clock soap opera broadcast by Globo, but the protagonist’s plot failed to win over the public, and the actress became the target of attacks from the media and viewers. At the time, she believed that her career could come to an end.
The artist was interviewed by Fátima Bernardes on the program Assim Como a Gente, on GNT. Taís was unable to ignore the attacks during the show and feared for her career. Despite the negative reception, she believes that the experience was important for her professional development.
“I ate that pile and was immobilized, very afraid of everything, of my career ending and not having another chance. I was paralyzed,” she said.
Taís made her debut on Globo in 1997 and got her first starring role on the network in 2004, in Da Cor do Pecado. The artist recalled the racial discrimination she suffered at the time. “There were lots of magazines at the time. I did one or two covers, and my colleagues did one a month,” she lamented.
Dira Paes also took part in the program. A native of the state of Paraíba, she highlighted the lack of Amazonian representation on television: “It’s not a common type, in the media. I think we’re pioneers in this area. A place I’m very honored”.
Racism extended to Taís’ love life. She said that, as a teenager, she didn’t attract the interest of boys. “Nobody wanted to be with me, nobody wanted to kiss me. My first kiss was when I was 14, in Porto Seguro, Bahia. Thank you, Bahia”.
“It was with another black boy called Elvis. What I experienced is still very present here,” she added.