São Paulo – On April 12th, Brendha Haddad celebrates her 23rd birthday. But the girl, with her long black hair, her delicate features, has much more to celebrate. At 23 years of age, she could be finishing one of the university courses she began (journalism and law). To the dissatisfaction of any father or mother, one of the courses was abandoned and the other is on hold. The cause, however, is good: Brendha Haddad is one of the actresses in the Indian nucleus of soap opera Caminho das Índias (Route to the Indies), broadcast during prime time on Globo TV.
This is Brendha’s second part on TV. The first was the one that made her change area – she started in mini series Amazônia – From Galvez to Chico Mendes. Born in the state of Acre, northern Brazil, Brendha did a few acting courses, but it was for lack of options, not for lack of desire. She has dreamed of being an actress since the age of 13, when she did a Portuguese course with her friends and in which they made a film. "We wrote the script, developed the characters, chose the locations and I was the main character. It was great fun, I still have it."
Her father, however, resisted when she asked to go to another city to try out her luck. Brendha likes to say that her father always told her "if it is to happen, they will come to fetch you here, in Acre". However improbable it sounded, that was what happened. A team from Globo travelled to Acre to seek new faces for a series. "With untiring support by my mother, I did some tests. Only when I heard that I had been approved did I tell my father. Today he is a great fan and supports me in all respects."
In the case of Caminhos das Índias, Brendha moved to Rio de Janeiro. She even transferred her law course there, which she plans to finish and also intends to do her BAR exam. It is what she calls a Plan B. "But it is a project for the future, I am fully dedicated to the soap opera."
Brendha considers herself a lucky person. After all, her first work was for the largest television channel in the country, with one of the best soap opera writers, and acting alongside actors with many years of experience. "I try to face the work with the same responsibility as I would any other work, but I obviously feel the difference in the street. I sometimes forget and look at myself, wondering if there is anything wrong with my clothes as so many people are looking at me and making comments to each other. I then remember and get a little shy," says the actress. "But it is very good and I love it when people stop me to talk about the soap opera, after all, the public is the thermometer of our work."
Regarding India, Brendha knew very little. "I only knew that women wear bindis (those dots on their foreheads)," said Brendha. "I loved to learn more about India, it is surprising. I learnt to respect and admire their lifestyle. Some people have already stopped me in the street saying that they thought I was an Indian actress. Do you know what that means to an actress playing an Indian? I loved it."
Arabs in Acre
But she has nothing Indian – except for the character, that is. Brendha is a mix of Portuguese and Syrians. Her great-grandfather, Azar Haddad travelled Acre together with his mother, Dibe Haddad, and his wife, Rachid Arbaj Haddad. There, they had ten children. "José Haddad, my grandfather, was the youngest son, he got married and had five children, one of them was Eduardo Haddad, my father," she explained. Grandfather José Haddad was a rubber planter," who had a rubber farm in Xapuri, in Acre. "I am a mixture of origins, my surname, Prata (Brendha Prata Haddad) comes from my grandfather on my mother’s side, who is of Portuguese origin." From her father, she inherited her love for kibbehs and curds with Arab bread.
Living in Rio was a great change. "It took me about three months to adapt," she recalls. She misses her home, although she has full support of her family. "I have three brothers, two of whom lived with me in Acre and with whom I had to share my mother (laughs). She is spending some time with me in Rio."
In the plans of the girl of Syrian-Portuguese origin and who is playing an Indian are theatre and cinema. "A great challenge is living what escapes my concepts and biases: I would love to play a villain."
*Translated by Mark Ament
