The life of Waldemar Ruy dos Santos, known as Asa Branca, will be told in cinema from December 18. The announcer, who revolutionized rodeo arenas in Brazil and rose to national fame in the 1990s, will be played by Felipe Simas in the production Asa Branca — The voice of the arenadirected by Guga Sander.
Watch the Metropoles interview with the actors of the film:
Waldemar Ruy dos Santos was born on April 19, 1962 in the town of Turiúba, São Paulo. At a very young age, he began his career in rodeos as a pedestrian, but suffered a serious accident in which his lung was punctured. He then rediscovered his love for the arena when he became a rodeo announcer and was instrumental in changing the way events were run in Brazil.
It was he who transformed rodeos into spectacles, with voiceovers from inside the arena, near the bulls, with the presence of musical names and also with grand triumphant entrances. His charisma made him nationally famous, leading him to appear on soap operas and talk shows in the 1990s.
The announcer’s life was also marked by controversial moments. He faced substance abuse problems and a life of ostentation. He maintained relationships with the media, enjoyed air travel, and squandered his fortune on extravagant parties and purchases.
At the height of his career, he was diagnosed with HIV, and years later faced serious illnesses such as “pigeon disease” (neurocryptococcosis) and aggressive jaw cancer.
His hospital stay caused him to rethink his life and undergo a spiritual and ethical transformation. He even publicly apologized for the mistreatment of animals at rodeos in the past, acknowledging the suffering caused by the mounts.
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Scene by Felipe Simas in the film Asa Branca — A Voz da Arena
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Scene of Felipe Simas and Lara Tremouroux in the film Asa Branca — A Voz da Arena
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Felipe Simas plays Asa Branca in the biopic of the famous rodeo presenter
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Scene by Felipe Simas in the film Asa Branca — A Voz da Arena
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In 2019, he attempted a music career with the help of famous friends, but the cancer he faced prevented him from pursuing his dream. Asa Branca died a year later, at the age of 57. At the time, he was admitted to the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (Icesp) and did not survive complications from the disease.
The film Asa Branca – Voz da Arena is released in Brazilian cinemas on December 18. The plot traces key moments in Asa Branca’s life, the trauma that caused him to stop being a rodeo rider, the discovery of his love for voiceover and how he revolutionized the event.
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