“The visual universe involves the audience,” says the protagonist

In Türkiye, Carminha became Nur and Nina, Leyla. But only the names have changed, because the rivalry remains the same as in the days of “Avenue Brasil”, a TV Globo soap opera broadcast in 2012. The story created by João Emanuel Carneiro won a Turkish adaptation in 2024, “Leyla: shadows of the past”, which is now arriving on Globoplay, after other successes in the country like “Dolunay” and “Hercai: love and revenge”. Every Monday new episodes are broadcast and, on the 15th, the premiere is broadcast on television on the Globoplay Novelas channel (formerly Viva), at 8:55 p.m., Monday to Saturday.

‘Dolunay’, ‘Mr. False’, ‘El Turkish’: Turkish soap opera options to watch on Globoplay
‘Cat’: How the LGBTQIA+ community transformed a misogynistic insult into a collective statement that even appears on the 9 p.m. soap opera

Although the story remains focused on a young chef’s revenge plan against the ex-stepmother who destroyed his family, “Leyla” had details inserted into local and temporal context. He increased the melodramatic load, typical of dizis (as Turkish productions are called), and added and reduced other plots, since the most recent one has 52 chapters less than the original. There, the idea appealed. Here too, this seems to be the case, judging by the presence of “Leyla” in the top 5 of Globoplay since its debut. Yesterday, it was the third most watched production, even if the platform does not publish detailed figures.

— The sincerity of the performances, the strength of the story and the visual aesthetics made it easier for the Turkish audience to identify with the story — tells GLOBO by email Cemre Baysel, played in the role of Leyla, played here by Débora Falabella. —And Brazilian viewers are also warm, emotional and deeply embrace the characters. I think Leyla’s authenticity, her emotional vulnerabilities and her healing journey also resonate very naturally with Brazilian audiences.

Cemre Baysel in “Leyla: Shadows of the Past” — Photo: Disclosure

Cemre Baysel is 26 years old and has been working in television since he was 15. With six million followers on social media, his name is frequently mentioned on television shows. In Brazil, we also see her in “Games of Destiny” (Globoplay), as a young woman who only believes in happiness if she manages to marry her first love.

— I think Turkey and Brazil come from a tradition of telling heartfelt stories — says the actress, explaining why her country’s storylines gain so many fans here. — The visual universe really engages the audience. The texture of Istanbul, its colors and its rhythm of life are fascinating.

Neither Cemre nor Gonca Vuslateri, the interpreter of Carminha (Adriana Esteves), watched the original version before working, but the villain has already received feedback from national soap operas.

“When an actor takes on a role, it’s usually not dependent on how others have interpreted it,” Gonca explains via email. —But I was happy because viewers said there were many similarities between Nur and Carminha. Despite all the layers of drama, her ability to see situations with a humorous eye made her even more charming.

The person who had contact with the character in 2012 was Halil Ibrahim Ceyhan, known as Tufan (Tufão), played here by Murilo Benício. The actor, who started his career as a model in 2007 and is now one of the local idols, went global with “Emanet”, a 2020 drama that was a hit around the world. Today, he celebrates the effects of the internationalization of production on his compatriots.

—Turkish viewers now have much more confidence in the quality of content created and how they are reflected in it. I know that his impact and the high quality of his productions will continue to resonate even more around the world — also says Halil by email.