Actor Romulo Estrella, currently on air in Três Graças, recalls his career and the diagnosis that took him away from his dream of pursuing a career in aviation. At 41, he is having one of the best phases of his career playing police officer Paulinho, but his path to acting was through sports and trying to follow in his family’s footsteps in aviation.
Before devoting himself to the art, Romulo competed professionally in judo and jiu-jitsu from the ages of 13 to 22. Later, he decided to try to become an airline pilot, but during his medical examinations for his certificate, he discovered atrial fibrillation, one of the most common types of arrhythmia.
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He revealed to Extra: “My father received flight training, and my uncle and cousin also. During the medical examinations to obtain the certificate, I discovered a heart problem and underwent two surgeries, and two catheter surgeries. It was a shock! I was really afraid.”
The interventions took place specifically when he moved to Rio de Janeiro and began his artistic career. “For a 24-year-old, it was very scary,” he said. “But it made me want to continue living my life even more.”
His first television appearance was in 2004 in the TV series Da Cor do Pecado. Since then, the actor has participated in more than 40 theatrical, film and television productions, such as Deus Salve o Rei (2018), Verdades Secretas 2 (2021) and Travessia (2022).