Actress recalls how she started working in the industry and shares plans for the future.
JUNE ISSUE - GLOBAL
Photos: @glauberbassi | Glauber Bassi
Model: @gabilopess | Gabi Lopes
Agency: @Fordmodelsbrasil | Ford Models Brasil
Stylist: @fazziolijohn | John Fazzioli
Beauty: @evangellista_ | Eduardo Evangellista
Assistant: @milenavitoriaff | Milena Vitória
Agent: @jeangutti | Jean Gutti
Hooks Team
Fashion Director and Designer: Matheus Hooks
Marketing Director: Matheus Lopes
In this special edition, Hooks Magazine is pleased to interview Gabi Lopes, a multifaceted artist who is celebrating 20 years of a career filled with achievements and learnings. Gabi began her journey on TV, alongside the iconic Hebe Camargo, and since then has stood out as an actress, model, voice-over artist, presenter, producer, entrepreneur, and influencer. We spoke to the artist about her journey so far, the challenges she has faced, and her plans for the future.
Gabi Lopes, with her vibrant personality and innate talent, says she never imagined reaching such heights in her career. Since childhood, she felt the calling to be an actress, and even without references or contacts in the industry, she pursued her dream with courage and determination. At the age of 8, after hearing a radio announcement, she decided that acting would be her path, and over these two decades, she achieved much more than she could have imagined.
Check out the full interview:
1 - Congratulations on 20 years of your career! How would you describe this journey so far, and what were the most memorable moments for you?
Summing up the last 20 years of my life in one word, I think it would be courage! I had a lot of courage to start this journey. I was the first generation of artists in my family, the first person in my family to truly pursue an artistic career. So, I didn't have references, recommendations, contacts. All I had was a dream, a desire, and a certainty. I had a strong certainty that I would succeed. I can't explain it, but since I was a child, I always felt that my path was to be an actress, I just didn't know that I would have this pleasant surprise over these 20 years of developing other careers, including that of an executive producer. But a word that describes me well is courage. When I was 8 years old, I heard a radio advertisement, called in, and I never imagined that 20 years later I would be here in any way. So, my journey has definitely been one of great achievements, a lot of production. There came a point where I started to understand that I needed to produce myself, even to play other roles and break free from that stereotype where I was always pigeonholed. That's when I became an executive producer. One of the most memorable moments was being part of "Malhação," which has always been a milestone in my country. As a young person, I know it was a dream come true. I won international awards as an actress, both in India and Los Angeles. I could never have imagined that! Those are some of the most memorable moments.
2 - From the beginning of your career on TV to the present day, you have had the opportunity to explore various areas such as acting, modeling, dubbing, hosting, and production. How do you balance these different facets of your career?
Actually, there's something about my facets that I feel lacks understanding. When people see that I do many things, they think, "Wow, how does she manage to do it all?" But I don't do all of it at the same time! Just as I am an actress, my career is an acting career. It's like I switch characters literally. So, when I'm in a more fashion-oriented moment, like a fashion show, for example, I embody a more composed, calm personality. I'm there to showcase a product, above all, not to bring out my own personality. As a voice-over artist, it's a different realm where I exercise my voice more. As a producer, I discovered the business side and also being an entrepreneur, which is another facet I activate at the right moments. I always joke that I don't go to business meetings as an actress; I go as a businesswoman/executive producer. I don't go to an acting set as an executive producer; I go as an actress. I don't go to a voice-over session as a model; I go as a voice-over artist. So, I balance it according to my schedule, according to the demands I have, and it's like I activate these skins, but at the same time, it's all very natural. They're not multiple characters (laughs) with different personalities, quite the opposite, the personality is the same. What really differs is the focus of the day. I've always been like this, always doing many things. I'm a woman, right? We, women, on the same day, are mothers, organize our careers, and focus on personal growth, taking care of the household. So, women are already multifaceted, and I think my biggest reference is women. I ended up building my career around femininity.
3 - You mentioned that one of the difficulties of the actor/actress profession is depending on opportunities. How do you deal with the ups and downs of the industry, and what motivates you to persist and seek new challenges?
I always mention this in various interviews, and it certainly won't be different here. I feel that the actor/actress profession, like many artistic professions, could be much more valued. As a result, various problems arise, and opportunities are scarce. Even though I work a lot, it's still almost impossible to do more than one job per month. There have been a few months where I managed to do it, but that's quite rare. I am a very energetic person, so that was something that happened. I started to realize that there were many ups and downs in the industry, and I couldn't just sit around doing nothing. I have a lot of energy, and I enjoy creating. That's when I became an executive producer, and I'm on my way to becoming a showrunner, developing my own projects. I also deal with patience, choosing good roles, being involved in good projects. So, I think what motivates me the most is having had this desire since I was born. I've always had this desire to be an actress, to explore my potential. Therefore, what motivates me the most is the pursuit of exploring my potential as a whole and not limiting myself to a place where people are already accustomed to the narrative of "an actress only acts." I'm increasingly stepping out of that place and building a multifaceted career to deal with the ups and downs of the art industry. Because if you talk to any actor, you'll see that, no matter how much you want to, there isn't work all the time. So, we create our own opportunities, or we develop ourselves in other fields. That doesn't make us any less of an actor or actress!
4 - During the early years of your career, you portrayed characters younger than your actual age. How was the transition to more adult roles, and how did it influence your growth as an actress?
Actually, I had an image of being very childlike and young. I always played the daughter, the granddaughter, the young girl, the friend. So, it was quite funny, but that's because I started at the age of 8. It continued like that until I was around 24 or 25, and then I started maturing. It was a natural transition, and the industry started to understand that I was getting older, so they began inviting me to play different roles. I portrayed a kidnapper, a teacher, more mature romantic comedies. The market was truly opening up to these opportunities, and as a producer, I am also increasingly creating more mature roles for myself to act in and be seen differently. My evolution as an actress happened very naturally, slowly, you know? I truly evolved day by day, role by role. I started with very young characters, and then I met many incredible mothers, like Danielle Winits, Luana Piovani, Luciana Vendramini, and several other actresses who really opened up the space of motherhood and connection for me. Then I moved on to more mature roles, where I no longer had that support, but it was a different place, a solo search. In the end, my evolution occurred gradually as the roles themselves evolved.
5 - You mentioned the character Audra from "Maior que o Mundo" as one of the most impactful roles in your career. How was it to portray a character so different from what you were used to, and what were the challenges involved?
Yes! Audra was the most remarkable character in my life in "Maior que o Mundo." It was really cool because it was a different role, something truly different from me. I have never experimented with cocaine in my life, but I portrayed a character who was not only addicted to cocaine but was at her peak, going through a severe overdose. So, for me, it was an extremely challenging role. I had to do a lot of preparation; I visited several rehabilitation clinics with former addicts, spoke to many doctors who explained to me what happens in the users' brains when they use this type of drug. It was truly a study, a place where I learned a lot. Even without having experienced it myself, I believe I was able to portray it faithfully because I conducted an in-depth case study.
6 - Over the years, what have been the most significant lessons you've learned in the entertainment industry, and how have they shaped your perspective as an artist?
Over the years, I have grown in the entertainment industry, and I think that has been instrumental in my development as an executive producer and in my current pursuit of becoming a showrunner, developing stories. I began to understand all aspects, and that's what I find most interesting because when you start comprehending various aspects of your own profession, you gain more respect for all areas, and it helps you perform better in your role as an actress by understanding the others involved. So, I believe my perspective as an artist today is quite broad, both in terms of the artistic side, the unfolding of character creation, and the creation of characters through the theme of energy. I started to realize that energy has a vibration, and when a character is feeling something, they are also emitting a vibration. So, I began to create my characters based on scales of energetic and vibrational frequency available in scientific studies. This made me more expansive as an artist because I understood that those characters had a superficial aspect, which is what we learn in acting courses, but they also had a profound aspect, which various courses explain, which is this more energetic and imaginative place. And I think it helped me have a broader view of the profession because I had other areas integrated into it, you know?
7 - In the past two years, you have released seven films and also appeared in the series "Sintonia" in English. How does it feel to see your work being recognized both nationally and internationally?
I love the question, it's incredible! In addition to the mentioned accomplishments, I also received an award for Best Actress at a festival in India, something I never imagined I could receive, an international award, IN INDIA! But I had also received one in Los Angeles when I was younger, for Best Actress. Regarding my career, I wanted to be an actress, period. It wasn't about being an award-winning or internationally recognized actress... It was about being an actress. So, today, seeing my work being recognized in other countries as well, and this year, in particular, I will be in my first international film, acting in Japan and in Japanese. I can't even explain what this means to me because I never aimed for it. As a child, we would play and say, "Oh, one day in Hollywood," but to actually see international awards recognizing my national work and being invited to international projects is truly something different. I honestly never imagined it. It is extremely gratifying for me and only shows me that I am on the right path. I think acting work has this notion of glamour that comes way ahead, but for those of us who have been working for years, like me, with 20 years of career, we have already understood that it is a craft. It is seen less as glamour and dreams and more as a craft. So, I am very happy and moved to continue pursuing my craft and my dreams.
8 - You mentioned having plans for the future, including international productions and acting in other languages. Could you share a little more about these projects and how you prepare to explore new territories in your career?
Yes! This year, I will be acting in both Japanese and Italian, languages that I am already studying and have started taking courses in. I prepare myself first by studying the language. Even though I can memorize the lines, I like to actually study and learn the language so that I am prepared in case I need to communicate on set with the crew. I also study the culture of the country! For example, my Japanese lessons are tailored to the culture, so I am learning how people in Japan behave. There is a huge difference between our culture and theirs. For instance, they don't hug, which is something a bit different for them. You start to understand that you can't just act there, say your lines, you actually need to arrive there with a minimum understanding of that culture. Additionally, the team helps a lot in the preparation. The acting coaches assist in creating the character's atmosphere.
9 - How do you see the role of social media and the digital universe in the fashion and entertainment industry today? How do you utilize these tools to connect with your fans and promote your work?
I give many talks on this topic! In fact, I have my own course called "From Likes to Profit." I look at social media as an extension of real life. We used to have a social life, and now we have a social network. The network is built on connections, while in life, we are much further apart from connecting with people. On the network, you are just one step away from everything. Just open a LinkedIn profile, and you can send a message. So, since social media entered our entire entertainment industry, I see connections being made much more easily. And for me as a producer, this is amazing, right? I connect with producers, directors, showrunners... I partner with them, work on projects, and bring things to life. So, the tools of social media serve to make me focus on being connected within that network of contacts in all areas, both for producing and acting. In fact, I have a story! In the Suzane Von Richthofen film, I played the character Carol, and when I announced it, a follower commented saying that they knew Carol. She was their former sister-in-law. It's very curious how the internet and social media provide us with this connection without distance, right? You can connect with your character, with a new market, with a distributor to present an idea... And, of course, you can connect with your audience to promote your work. Today, I see social media as an extremely useful tool that goes hand in hand with my work, both in entertainment and art.
10 - What advice would you give to young aspiring artists who want to pursue a career in the entertainment industry?
The main advice I have for those who want to enter this field where I've been for 20 years is "Study!!!" Seriously, study, because I have been in this industry for 20 years, and I must have taken at least 30-40 courses, workshops, and trainings. I would never have just taken one course and left it at that. The first course I took was when I was 10 years old (laughs), and I couldn't just stop there, you know? It's even funny how the more we grow and evolve, the more our perspectives change, the more our minds expand, and ultimately, the more we understand the work of others as a whole. What I used to think about acting in the past was very different from what I think about acting today. Before, I didn't have this aspect of energy well-established, so I didn't even think about the character's energy, only about their personality. Today, a character has many layers to be brought forth, art is much deeper and more discovered than when I started 20 years ago. Currently, I implore: study! If you want to enter the artistic and entertainment field, study! "But I'm already an actor, I've studied, now I want to produce." Then, study production. "But I'm already a producer, and I really want to become a showrunner." Then, study screenwriting, study creation. Study languages, study about the human psyche, study psychology. It's not just about studying the arts. Study yourself, get to know yourself, recognize yourself, know your strengths, weaknesses, and where you need to improve... Study goes hand in hand with evolution. You don't evolve if you don't expand your awareness, and you don't expand your awareness without studying. It all starts with studying.
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