Boxing offered Anne ‘Gowtu’ van Lingen a way to find her voice after a childhood spent feeling entirely overlooked. Navigating a chaotic environment without a safety net meant she often felt unseen for years.The new short documentary titled ‘GOWTU’ follows this transition from a girl lost in the noise to a woman who discovered her strength through the rhythmic discipline of the sport. It reveals how a physical outlet provides a primary tool for confronting the past and finding a way to speak up.
“I still remember the moment when boxing turned into something more than just a sport. I wasn’t in a good place mentally and suddenly everything from my past that I had suppressed or never processed came back,” confesses Gowtu in the film. “And I noticed that boxing really became an outlet for me to regulate my emotions.”
Gowtu is a familiar face in Amsterdam’s boxing scene, often spotted at places like Eastbound Gym. Her real-world credibility is well-established, as she recently appeared in the ring at the Johnny Mosterd Memorial at Club Panama.
Maxim Etty and Jesse Plum, two self-taught directors based in Amsterdam, collaborated to bring this narrative to the screen. Etty utilises a background in illustration and commercial film to pull clarity out of visual chaos, giving the project a raw yet polished finish. Plum focuses on the authentic connection between people and their environment. Their combined efforts captured the intimate details of Gowtu’s life and her current dedication to supporting others.
Reports from Dutch NGO Injebol show that one in four young adults struggle with mental health due to rising rates of anxiety and depression. Gowtu now spends her time training youth who carry their own heavy histories, showing them that the gym is a place where they can finally belong. “Sometimes you see kids struggle and not really know how to express it. I often recognise parts of myself with the kids I work with,” she explains.
The project was created in collaboration with Injebol to support young people through mental health challenges, emphasising that movement and community can offer a path towards recovery for those dealing with childhood trauma. Documenting Gowtu’s transition into a mentor allows the filmmakers to show that the weight of a difficult past can be transformed into motivation.
Viewers can find the documentary online, where it acts as a call to action for anyone feeling isolated by their circumstances. Like many others, Gowtu’s story proves that the journey towards healing often starts with a single step into the light, reminding us that resilience is built through discipline and the support of a group that understands the struggle. For those who feel they need someone to talk to, the film points directly to the resources provided by Injebol.
Benji Krol isn’t trying to be who you want him to be. If you’ve watched Krol grow up online, you’ve seen the glow-ups, the experiments, the characters, the chaos — each post a snapshot of someone becoming. But what makes him different isn’t just that he’s creative. It’s that he’s willing to evolve in public, even when millions of people are attached to an older version of him.
In conversation with Schön!, he describes his life like an archive he never meant to build — one that now lets him rewind through every era, every phase, every cringe outfit, every heartbreak, every reinvention. He talks openly about the pressure of expectations, the identity confusion that comes from being loved for a persona, and the quiet decision to keep changing anyway. Because to him, regret isn’t failure but proof of a life lived.
Now, with his film debut ‘A Day for Losers’, Krol is stepping into a new kind of storytelling: one where he isn’t the director, editor, and writer of his own world — he’s simply the character, living inside someone else’s script. And while the movie plays with comedy and classic teen energy, his character Connor brings something deeper: unresolved trauma, sexuality, and identity struggles that hit closer to home than people might expect.
Still, at the center of everything is the same truth he keeps returning to: creativity is freedom. Sometimes it starts with boredom. Sometimes it starts with a breakdown. Sometimes it starts with doing absolutely nothing — lying in the grass, staring at the ceiling, letting the noise fade until you can finally hear yourself again. And when Benji imagines the future, it isn’t a bigger city or a louder spotlight. It’s a mountain. A castle. A few dogs. A life that feels magical, private, and fully his.
jacket + sweater. Samsøe Samsøe
shorts + overknee boots. GmbH
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hoodie. Les Benjamin’s
long sleeved top. Emporio Armani
leather belt bag. MCM
How would you elevator pitch yourself?
My name is Benji Krol. I’m an all-around creative — I never shy away from a creative challenge. I got into social media because it gave me the freedom to create on my own terms, without the restrictions of school at the time. But I love any form of creativity, whether it’s makeup, fashion, creating a story, becoming a character — just finding beauty in any form of creation.
How do you feel about having this online archive that is shared with millions of people?
When I first started, I never thought it would be something where I’d have the opportunity to look back at myself and reflect as much as I can now. At the time, I was like, this is who I am, and this is who I’m gonna be forever. Now I can look back and be like, damn, that was me for a moment in time. I’ve changed so much, and it allows me to reflect in a way I think others can’t.
It also gives other people the opportunity to relate to me and grow up with me—experience change with me too. I’m not only sharing the best happy times, but also a lot of the sad times. People have appreciated that, because it’s not every day you can scroll back to your past and see who you used to be. I think a lot of people see themselves in me, and I’m happy about that.
coat. Filipa K
shirt + shirt on waist. GANT
leather trousers. Diesel
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leather coat. GANT
polo sweater + trousers. Diesel
So you don’t have any regrets about anything you’ve ever posted?
Who doesn’t have regrets about things they’ve done in the past? Everyone is going to regret things, always. I’m obviously going to regret some things I’ve done—but not in a way that I don’t appreciate who I was at the time. I was having fun, making mistakes, growing up, as any person would.
You’re not going to live life perfectly. Honestly, if you don’t regret anything you did in life, then you lived life wrong. You’re supposed to wear something cringey every once in a while, try something new you probably wouldn’t try. If you’re not doing that, then what’s the point?
How do you manage your personal freedom of creativity and growth as a human compared to expectations online?
Something that really messed up my perception of myself for the longest time was people’s expectations of who I’m supposed to be. It’s so hard not to change. Once so many people liked a specific version of me, how could I not want to stay that version? I wanted to evolve, but I felt like I wasn’t allowed to. That left me with a lot of identity problems because I didn’t know who I was anymore. At one point, I was just the character people expected me to be.
But after some time, I realized, hey, I can change and grow. Some people will see me as one version they saw even when I’m 40 years old. I can keep changing, and people’s perception of me might change, but I can be okay with that as long as I’m happy with being myself. At the end of the day, I shouldn’t be afraid to change past the person I think people like me being, because I’ll still be that person forever on the inside.
coat. Filipa K
leather trousers + boots. Diesel
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coat. Filipa K
leather trousers + boots. Diesel
Would you say your online and your offline persona match?
My online and in-person experiences are true to each other. For a while, they weren’t. I was like this soft boy, cutesy Benji online, when I wasn’t that anymore in real life. And I stayed that way because I knew that’s what people liked me as. Now I’m a little bit truer to myself, but I’m still kind of confused about who I am online versus who I am in real life. That’s something I’m working through right now.
Let’s talk about acting. Was this always part of the plan, or did you stumble into it?
How was that part of my grand master plan? This is phase two of my master plan — I have six phases until the point that I die. No, I’m kidding. Acting was always bound to follow. I was interested in it in school and in the theatre. I loved storytelling and creating a story through film, even small recordings. That’s the reason I got into it online. I love creating a story and getting into a character. I kind of created a whole character for myself online as well.
If I wasn’t doing social media, I’d be working in film — whether as an actor or a director. Long-term, I’d love to go into more directing, but acting is phase one of the play.
jacket + sweater. Samsøe Samsøe
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knitted cardigan. MM6 Maison Margiela
shorts. GANT
wool scarf. Samsøe Samsøe
Can you tell us a little bit about the movie? What’s the movie about? Tell us about Connor — what drew you to his character?
When I first saw the storyline for ‘A Day for Losers, ‘ I thought, okay, this is some high school movie about some kid who wants to throw a party. When I read the script, I laughed so many times. I related to the characters in so many ways. I saw my friends in the characters too. And I realized it wasn’t like every other high school movie you get nowadays.
Can you take us into the world of Connor? Who is he and what challenges is he facing?
I really fell in love with Connor because while the movie is really fun and comedic, Connor kind of takes a break from that. He has deeper, unresolved issues — his identity, who he really is, his sexuality, childhood trauma — stuff he hadn’t properly processed. I was making the joke all the time, this movie’s so fun and then there’s Connor. But I appreciated that break from the comedic storyline because it added a lot more depth to the film.
You come from social media, where you script and edit your own things. How was it stepping into someone else’s script and working with a director?
Being in a film where I was just the character was so much fun. It took off all the responsibility of creating the story, and instead, I could just live in the story. That made me feel closer to Connor as a character.
Was there anything surprising about acting that you didn’t expect?
The most surprising thing was that I had a few crying and panicky scenes. In acting classes and theatre, you cry, and then you go on a break — you’re done. But here, if you’re doing 20 takes of you crying, you have to stay sad the whole time. So when the camera cut and I was crying, I’d sit in the corner of the room and cry by myself. People would come over and try to talk to me, and I’d be like, leave me alone. I need to stay sad. I need to keep crying. I need to stay in the role.
Do you have a dream role or a dream director you’d like to work with?
I love horror and I’d love to be in a classic horror movie. Recently, ‘Nosferatu’ came out — it’s the classic vampire story, but done so beautifully. It doesn’t have to be scary. I just want it to be eerie and beautiful.
coat. Filipa K
shirt. GANT
leather trousers. Diesel
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hoodie. Les Benjamin’s
long sleeved top, trousers + loafers. Emporio Armani
leather belt bag. MCM
A lot of people describe boredom as a creativity starter. It can be dangerous or divine. What do you think?
I think boredom is really beautiful because it’s the start of every creative idea—any idea in general. I hate being bored. I never allow myself to be bored because I’m constantly doing things. I was sick for two weeks, and I couldn’t just sit in bed and do nothing. Because of that, I kept staying sick because I love getting up and doing things, trying things, creating things. I think the start of all my best moments in life started with me being a little bit bored.
When was the last time you were really bored?
In our age right now, with algorithms constantly grabbing for your attention, it’s hard to be bored. Everywhere you look, something is pulling you in. I’ve realized I have to give myself moments of boredom. If I don’t, then I’ll never be bored—and that’s not a good thing. I like to lay on the couch, in the grass under a tree, or on my bed and literally do nothing for 30 or 40 minutes. Just stare.
What do you think about then?
It sounds self-centred, but I like to think about myself a lot. At the end of the day, I’m the person I’m going to be with for the rest of my life. I’m the only one who really understands me. No one’s ever going to understand you as well as yourself. When I’m alone, I think about who I am, who I want to be, and if I would like hanging out with myself. You don’t really get those chances anymore when you’re constantly being distracted. I think it’s important to just be with yourself for a bit.
I used to fantasize too much about my life with specific people, and I’ve kind of stopped myself from doing that. I’m not fantasizing about dating certain people anymore, that’s for sure. But yeah, I used to fantasize about living in a little castle with someone.
Tell me about the castle.
I’m not built for city life. I guess I’m a full-on country boy. But I’m going to be a city boy for at least the next 10 years. After that, I’ll find my Mr. or Mrs. — whoever it may be — and go live in the sickest, most beautiful castle on a mountain. We’ll have like four dogs, maybe one cat, and a bunch of kids. We’ll live this whimsical, magical little life in the mountains until my kids get bored and say they hate the mountains like I did when I was a kid and decided I wanted to move to a city instead.
Artemas doesn’t romanticize the process — he trusts it. What started as an attention-seeking urge and a teenage obsession with Nirvana has evolved into an instinct-led, genre-blurring career built on feeling rather than calculation. From scrapping entire eras to accidentally landing the most streamed song in the world, Artemas has followed his gut at every turn. His third mixtape, LOVERCORE, captures that freedom in full: dramatic, synth-soaked love songs that feel physical, messy, and alive. Written largely in motion — between tours, sleepless nights, and subconscious flow states — the project marks a shift toward more live, band-driven energy, and a new chapter he’s eager to bring to the stage in 2026.
graphic t- shirt + trousers. The Society Archive
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full look. Feng Chen Wang
boots. untitlab
What first made you want to create music, and when did you realize it was something you wanted to seriously pursue?
I was always an attention seeker. I grew up wanting to be an actor, but I fell in love with Nirvana when I was 16 and have taken it seriously ever since. I tried being in bands at school, but no one was taking it seriously.
Who or what were your biggest influences when you were first starting out as an artist?
I loved all the classic grunge stuff in the ’90s and then kind of went on this long journey. The early The Weeknd trilogy was super important for me to make the leap from bands to more contemporary stuff. I liked the mystique and the antihero he was presenting himself as. Nostalgia, Ultra too. I love the freedom they both have in those mixtapes, and that’s how I want to feel in the studio.
Early on, what was the biggest challenge you faced trying to find your sound?
Once I stopped forcing it and let the music process just be free and not calculated, I started doing things that I recognize as Artemas traits. I’ve spent the vast majority of my 20s pushing buttons and moaning into a microphone, so I think that helped.
Looking back now, is there a moment in your early career that feels like a turning point for you?
I had been making these dark R&B demos on the side of the old iteration of my project. It felt so strange at first, but I just fell in love with the world I was creating. I scrapped everything I had put out to that point, and what followed was six months that ended with having the most streamed song in the world for something like two weeks. At the start, I literally had about 100 fans.
full look. Feng Chen Wang
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full look. Isabel Marant
When you sit down to make music, what usually comes first for you — a melody, a lyric, or a feeling?
I lay down some kind of vibe — chords, a beat, whatever. Then I get on the mic, and whatever the first melodies I spew out are tend to become the song. It’s all instinctual.
For LOVERCORE, did you go into the project with a clear vision, or did it reveal itself as you worked?
For the first time ever, yes. Although about half the songs were already written when I came up with the concept. I think I was trying to define what I was making or what I was trying to do. It’s definitely the most selfish thing I’ve made.
How do you know when a song is “finished,” especially when emotions are still evolving?
When you start spending hours on a song and then listen to the previous version and it’s not better. It’s either the easiest thing in the world or a fucking slog.
Your third mixtape, LOVERCORE, dropped earlier this fall. How would you describe this project compared to your previous releases?
It feels like a band. Definitely more live than my previous stuff. I was listening to a lot of ’80s new wave and electropop. The songs are more songy for sure.
What does the title LOVERCORE mean to you, and how does it reflect the themes of the mixtape?
It’s a collection of overly dramatic, reverb-soaked, synthy love songs, and it felt good and looked good written down. I saw two comments back to back the other day that said, “This is a great title,” and “Corny title.”
full look. Kate Bigwood
jewellery. Skythè
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full look. Valentino
Was there a specific emotion, experience, or period in your life that inspired this project?
It must be my subconscious. I don’t know where the songs and themes come from. I don’t know why my lyrics are so intense and physical. I’ve spent the last few years traveling the world on tour, so my sleep is fucked and I live in this weird bubble. I guess that’s made it easier to tap into a flow state.
Is there a track on the mixtape that feels especially personal or important to you?
“As I Wave Goodbye” is heavily slept on. It makes me really sad in a good way when I listen to it.
Your music often connects deeply with listeners — what do you hope people feel or take away after hearing LOVERCORE?
They can feel what they want to feel. I hope there are moments that give them goosebumps. When a song really moves me, I feel it physically.
You’re heading out on tour in 2026 — how are you feeling about bringing this era of your music to the stage?
I can’t wait. Playing the same songs for as long as I did was getting tiresome.
What can fans expect from the 2026 tour that might be different from your past live shows?
No spoilers.
How does performing live influence the way you create or think about music in the studio?
I’m trying to write longer songs.
As you move into 2026, what are you most looking forward to — both creatively and personally — and what are you manifesting for the next year?
I’ve got to wrap up this damn new music I’ve been cooking before I go on tour in a month.
full look. Frankie Yiakoumi Staples
jewellery. Skythè
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full look. Oriol Clavell
full look. Dolce & Gabbana
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shirt. Paul Smith
turtleneck. Dolce & Gabbana
trousers. Helmut Lang
shoes. ASOS
Selton Mello has been on Brazilian screens since he was a child. He first appeared on television at the age of eight and over the years has established himself as an actor, director, and creative force in Brazilian culture. His career is marked by incredible versatility, from comedy to drama, from mainstream hits to arthouse projects, and by an emotional depth that brings every character to life.
Now, after more than four decades in the spotlight, Mello is entering a new chapter. With international projects like ‘Anaconda’, he is reaching audiences beyond Brazil, driven by the same curiosity, creativity, and playful imagination that have guided him since childhood.
Speaking to Schön!, Mello reflects on the joys and challenges of acting and directing, the dreams he has realised along the way, and Mini Selton, the little boy who still accompanies him on every creative journey.
shirt. Lacoste
trousers. Saint Laurent
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full look. Dolce & Gabbana
You started acting at a very young age and grew up in front of the camera. How did beginning so early shape your relationship with acting?
I have been an actor since I was a child, and in Brazil, people literally watched me grow up. They saw me on television from the time I was about eight years old. Starting so young was a gift because I learned very early what this craft really is. The most beautiful thing about acting is that it opens a world of imagination. I learned that as a child, and I never allowed that little boy to leave me. I always walk with mini Selton, who reminds me why I do this. It is about having fun, about playing, about using creativity.
Can you tell us about your early years and how you first got into television and acting?
My parents were not related to the arts at all. My father worked in a bank, and my mother was a housewife. So it was my idea to go into television. I literally asked my mother to take me there and said, “Mum, I want to go on television. I want to sing on television.” I started singing on small programs, then commercials, soap operas, and later films. Even as a boy, I felt I knew my path. I was very introverted and more into imagination than adventure. I loved playing guitar, watching films, and reading books. That little boy did what he always dreamed of.
So, it was the fantasy world that drew you in?
Yeah, exactly. I wanted to leave reality for a while and experience something different. It was beautiful.
Your new movie ‘Anaconda’ tells the story of friends coming together to realise a dream that once felt out of reach. What does fulfilling this dream mean to you today, both personally and for Brazilian actors who share similar ambitions?
I always dreamed of making films, but a Hollywood film, a movie with Jack Black, felt very distant, almost impossible. This film is amazing because it is crazy, funny, and full of adventure and action, but at the same time it has a lot of heart. It is about friends trying to make a film in order to realise a dream, and somehow, through this project, I am realising a dream too. Not only for myself, but for my generation and for Brazilian actors who share the same dream. They can look at it and think, my God, Selton did it, so it is possible to dream big. That is a beautiful feeling. Mini Selton is very happy right now.
What were the first films you saw at the cinema that made a strong impression on you as a child?
I think some of the first films I ever watched in a movie theatre were E.T. and Superman with Christopher Reeve, who was such an amazing actor. I remember going to the cinema and feeling that experience so strongly. At that time, I never thought I would become a film actor myself.
full look. Dolce & Gabbana
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turtleneck. Dolce & Gabbana
What makes ‘Anaconda’ different from your previous work, and what does this international exposure mean for you?
Before, all my films were mostly in Brazil. Now, this one is huge and will be seen everywhere on the planet. That’s very exciting. It means that a lot of people will know me from this film, and if they like me, they’ll go on to discover my other work, like I’m Still Here. I’ve always tried to keep a balance in my career, moving between big blockbusters and independent arthouse films, and I like jumping between different worlds. That’s what I’ve always done in Brazil, and now I hope to bring the same sense of balance to an international audience.
But how do you decide whether a role is right for you?
I think it’s always a mix. Sometimes it is the director I admire, sometimes the actors I want to work with, and of course, it has to be a great character. I had this combo with ‘Anaconda’. Tom Gormican is a very talented guy, and I will be eternally grateful to him, the casting directors, and the producers who gave me this opportunity. I’ve done almost forty films in Brazil, including as director, writer, and producer, but I’ve never experienced anything like this, being known worldwide. It’s crazy.
How did you get involved in the project, and what drew you to the script and your character?
This film came to me right after the huge success of I’m Still Here. In the middle of that moment, this project appeared. They said it was a Brazilian character and that they had seen I’m Still Here. We did a Zoom conversation, read a few scenes, and then they said, “It’s you.” It was October last year, and they were going to start shooting in early December. Everything happened so fast, but I was so excited to work with these legends, Jack Black, Paul Rudd, Thandiwe Newton, and Steve Zahn, and with such an amazing character. It felt like a gift from the universe, a chance to show my possibilities, especially knowing how much support I have from people in Brazil.
Your character Santiago, is key to the story. What makes him stand out to you?
This is exactly the kind of character I love, full of layers. He’s a bit eccentric, a little crazy, and sometimes awkward in a funny way. At the same time, he is very serious about his friendship with his snake, Heitor, who has been his friend since he was a baby. He cares deeply about this bond, which is both crazy and heartwarming. The character feels so real and so unreal at the same time, and he is incredibly charismatic.
Santiago has a close bond with a snake, yet you never actually worked with a real snake on set. What was it like acting under those circumstances, and how did it feel seeing the finished film? Yes, it’s a film about snakes, and I didn’t see a single snake on set. It was all CGI, which was incredible and completely new to me. I grew up watching these huge films, and we don’t really have this kind of production in Brazil, with that scale and budget. As a director, it was fascinating to see how they managed such a big project.
And when I watched the finished film, it was super cool. I watched it like a regular audience, and I thought, Oh my God, look, we actually have a snake here. It was amazing. The work they did is incredible, super well done. And it’s not just that. It’s also how well they handled the mix of genres. That’s so hard to succeed at, but Tom did a fantastic job putting all the pieces together.
jacket. Burberry
shirt. Paul Smith
trousers. Ralph Lauren
shoes. ASOS
socks. Uniqlo
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full look. Dolce & Gabbana
How does your experience as a director influence the way you act? Are there differences in how you approach a role?
When I’m acting, I bring my experience as a director with me, and that changes the way I work. I know the challenges a director faces and how they have to think about hundreds of things at the same time. So I try to avoid silly questions and focus on the right ones. I aim to be the best partner I can be because I understand what it takes to manage a set.
For example, on ‘Anaconda’, Tom wanted a very serious approach for the character, and I just delivered what he asked for. In the middle of all the craziness with the snakes and the chaos, we filmed scenes like the snake funeral, which is surreal and almost unreal. I also drew on real emotions, like the loss of a friend or a part of my family, which made the scenes both funny and touching. It was a great decision by Tom to give me that direction, and I trusted him completely. I just focused on delivering it.
And how did you become a director?
I’ve been an actor since I was a kid, but in my thirties, I started asking myself what else? I wanted new challenges and to expand my horizons. I began directing with a short film, and it opened a whole new world for me. Suddenly, I was thinking about thirty characters at once: the tone, the editing, the music, and the pace. That’s when I felt truly happy, using my imagination like the boy I used to be.
Since then, I’ve directed feature films, including The Clown, which was a huge success in Brazil and internationally, and the Brazilian version of In Treatment. Recently, I finished La Perra, my first Spanish-language film, and now with ‘Anaconda’, a Hollywood English-language film. Working in different languages and cultures, facing the challenge of expressing myself in new ways, and seeing the world from new perspectives is what drives me. It’s all about exploring, expanding, and finding out what else I can do.
You are celebrating forty years of your career this year. What does this moment mean to you personally?
I released a book, a kind of biography, to mark these forty years in the arts and to honour my mother. I lost my mother two years ago to Alzheimer’s. Anyone reading this who has a family member with Alzheimer’s will understand what I mean. This disease is about memory loss. So, as I celebrate forty years of my career, I am also celebrating her and the memories we shared and feeling grateful that I can still remember and tell our story.
Your next film, ‘Bury Your Dead’, seems very different from Anaconda. Can you tell us more about it and your role in the film?
‘Bury Your Dead’ is a very unique film and hard to define. It’s apocalyptic, it’s horror, but it’s also an arthouse movie, a great mix of genres. I play the lead, Edgar Wilson, a man who collects dead animals from the road and carries a devil inside him. He is a crazy, deep character, and it was an intense experience to bring him to life. The film will be released in the US in January. I’m very excited that after ‘Anaconda’, people will get to see this completely different and unusual film. It’s new, and new is always great.
Do you feel that with every movie you do, you discover something new about yourself?
Yes, absolutely. It’s always a beautiful experience. I feel like it’s a two-way street. When you give something to a character, you learn from them, but at the same time, they leave something with you. I’m not a father. I don’t have kids, but I have a lot of characters, and they are like my children. I take care of them, and they stay with me forever. They walk with me.
Acting is a wonderful craft because it allows you to live many lives. In Brazil, we have a saying that a cat has seven lives, and as an actor, I feel we can live even more. It’s fascinating to explore all these different lives and perspectives.
Imagine you could tell a story about yourself. How would you shape the character?
He would be a dreamer, because even as a little boy, he dreamed big. Mini Selton is focused and persistent, and he always reminds me to dream. He keeps me connected to imagination and creativity and has guided me through every choice in my career.
shirt. Paul Smith
turtleneck. Dolce & Gabbana
trousers. Helmut Lang
shoes. ASOS
