It was torture

About to return to TV as the villain in the upcoming Globo novela Three Graces, Grazi Massafera poured her heart out in an interview with Ela magazine, from O Globo newspaper. For the first time, the actress revealed names of colleagues who criticized and even humiliated her at the start of her artistic career, right after leaving BBB 5. The prejudice came from big names in TV and theater, such as Otávio Augusto, José Wilker (1944–2014), and Miguel Falabella.

“The cast gathered one day and teased me, asking me to look for ‘galharufas.’ I didn’t know, but it was a prank. In theater, a galharufa is a symbolic object given as a charm to beginners. I felt bad. I was a fish out of water, and they went too far,” she recalled.
The actress also recalled awkward moments in Tempos Modernos (2010), when Otávio Augusto refused to act with her: “He didn’t want to act with me. He did the scene looking at the wall and left.”

Grazi also revealed comments made by José Wilker and Miguel Falabella. “I won a newcomer award, and José Wilker, who was the guest of honor, said, ‘I won’t walk down the same stairs as this BB contestant,’ in that amazing voice I admired. And there was Miguel Falabella: when I was cast in ‘Negócio da China’ (2008), he cursed me,” she said, noting that he later apologized.
Despite the painful memories, Grazi says her turning point came with her performance in Secrets and Lies (2015). Playing Larissa, the actress earned respect from critics, the audience, and was even nominated for Best Actress at the International Emmy Awards.