‘Slave Izaura’ Actress Lucélia Santos Revisits Role as Brazilian Classic Returns to Shanghai

The lead actress of the classic Brazilian TV series Slave Izaura was a special guest as it made a return to the screen at the Magnolia Showcase of the 31st Shanghai TV Festival on June 25. 

Lucélia Santos was on hand at the festival to share her thoughts on the series and the importance of her titular role in an interactive session with the audience.

Set in Brazil during an imperial period of the 19th century, Slave Izaura tells the story of female slave Izaura as she fights against slaveholders in her pursuit of freedom.

As one of the earliest foreign TV series allowed to be broadcast in China where it became a cultural sensation, it was also broadcast in over 80 countries worldwide. Lucélia Santos won the Best Foreign Actress accolade at the 3rd Golden Eagle Awards in Hangzhou for her portrayal of Izaura.

"No matter the country or the era, audiences can recognize the relationship between oppressor and oppressed,” Santos said, in speaking about why the series garnered such a wide global audience. “Clearly, Izaura is the one being persecuted and that is precisely what resonates most with viewers," she added.

"When I won this role, I was very young, working on stage as a theater actress, so I wasn't working in front of a television camera.”

Santos said the character embodies “the most typical perfect image in a romantic work,” with an incredibly strong will and resilient character. 

“No matter what difficulties she faces, she endures and keeps fighting. I feel very fortunate to have had the opportunity to play such a role," she added.