Paulo Gustavo, Brazil’s most celebrated comedy star, dies of Covid-19 at age 42

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Hospitalized since March 13, the star of the blockbusters of recent years underwent extreme procedures but succumbed to the virus.

Comedian, TV host, actor, and screenwriter Paulo Gustavo died at 9:12 PM on Tuesday, May 4, a victim of Covid-19. The performer was 42 years old. The information was confirmed by his press office.

Due to his success as Dona Hermínia, a female character who appeared in theater production and who would give origin to the film franchise Minha Mãe É uma Peça, he became an omnipresent face in the popular comedy movies that dominated the national movie box office in the past decade.

“At all times during his hospitalization, both the patient and his family and close friends had an unwavering attitude, conveying confidence in the medical team and the other professionals who were involved in his treatment,” the statement said.

Hospitalized since March 13th, Paulo Gustavo required mechanical ventilation on March 21. He showed signs of pulmonary function recovery and positive responses to treatment, but on April 2, after a series of tests showed a worsening in his clinical condition, the artist had to undergo ECMO therapy – Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation – used as an extreme resource in the treatment of patients with severe respiratory impairment as a result of the disease.

The equipment works as a mechanical substitute for lung activity. After undergoing some invasive procedures such as bronchoscopy and the grafting of intrapulmonary devices, the actor improved, leading to a reduction in sedatives and neuromuscular blockers. He even woke up from the coma and interacted with the medical team and with his husband, dermatologist Thales Bretas, but his clinical condition suddenly worsened. “There was a marked worsening of the level of consciousness and vital signs when new tests showed there was a widespread gas embolism, including the central nervous system, as a result of a bronchiovenous fistula,” said the statement sent to the press on Monday, May 3. In all, he had to undergo intubation for 14 days before his death.

Paulo Gustavo Amaral Monteiro de Barros was born in 1978 in Niterói, metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro. Openly bisexual since adolescence, Paulo graduated from Casa das Artes de Laranjeiras (CAL) in early 2005, alongside great names in current comedy, such as Fábio Porchat and his partner and best friend Marcus Majella.

Passionate about the stage, he gained national prominence in late 2004 when he performed in the play Surtos and introduced to Brazil the humorous character Dona Hermínia, a middle-aged housewife always on the verge of a nervous breakdown, a caricature homage to his own mother, Déa Lúcia. “I love theater, I love being on stage, and I love making people laugh. I have been like this since I was a child,” said the actor in a recent interview. The success was such that, in 2006, Paulo played the character again in the monologue Minha Mãe É uma Peça, with his own text that combined his family experiences with domestic observations of the matriarch. Paulo’s performance earned him a Shell Award nomination for best actor.

In 2013, after being on stage for 7 uninterrupted years and achieving unimaginable success with the public, it was Paulo Gustavo’s turn to conquer the screens. Minha Mãe É Uma Peça – O Filme, took more than 4 million people to the movie theaters, raising about R$50 million. Paulo Gustavo’s charisma and spontaneity led him to star in his second show on Multishow, the popular sitcom Vai Que Cola, which would later become the most-watched national series on cable TV.

On the paid channel, before Vai Que Cola, the actor also hosted in 2011 the authorial program 220 Volts. The comedy show gained a new year-end special on Globo in 2020. He has also hosted major award shows and, in 2017, joined the cast of the comedy A Vila, with Katiuscia Canoro. “Paulo was instrumental in Multishow’s migration from an elite channel to a mass vehicle. We learned with him how to make television for the Brazilian family. He has the text, the format, and the power that speak directly to people’s hearts,” said Guilherme Zattar, Multishow’s director.

In the movies, Paulo joined his friend Mônica Martelli to form the national box office golden duo. In 2014, with the movie Os Homens São de Marte… E é para Lá Que Eu Vou, the two raised more than R$21 million. And in 2018, the sequel Minha Vida em Marte raised R$81 million.

In between the two feature films, the artist continued the film that earned him his stardom. In 2016, he released Minha Mãe É Uma Peça 2, with an audience of 9 million people, and in 2019 he closed the trilogy with Minha Mãe é Uma Peça 3, which drew over 11 million people to theaters and earned R$143.8 million, becoming the most-watched feature film in the history of Brazilian cinema.

The three Dona Hermínia movies were watched by more than 30 million Brazilians and earned over R$200 million.

“I don’t think I am at my peak. First of all, when they say peak, it seems like there’s an abyss coming and you’re going to collapse. And for God’s sake, there’s still a lot left to conquer. I am happy with everything that is happening, but I want to do many works, meet many people and reach other heights,” said Paulo in one of his last interviews.

In December 2015, Paulo married dermatologist Thales Bretas in a ceremony attended by celebrities. Both are parents of 1-year-old twins Romeo and Gael, who were conceived through surrogacy. Paulo leaves parents, sister, husband, children, and millions of Brazilians orphans of his comedy.