by Gary M. Kramer, Staff Writer

Brazilian heartthrob Gabriel Leone will be familiar to American viewers from his role as the title character in the series, Dom, on Amazon, but the actor is likely to get more exposure in the States playing Alfonso De Portago in Michael Mann’s upcoming film, Ferrari. In the meantime, Leone makes a strong impression in the romantic drama, River of Desire, debuting at the Tallinn Film Festival this week.

This Brazilian film, based on a Milton Hatoum story, has Dalberto (Daniel de Oliveira) meeting Anaira (Sophie Charlotte), and falling in love with her. When Dalberto brings her home, his older brother, Dalmo (Rômulo Braga), secretly falls in love with Anaira—as does his younger brother, Armando (Leone), who acts on his attraction when he sees Anaira at a performance of a band he manages. Their dancing together soon leads to more physical contact. 

Leone gives an impassioned performance in River of Desire as a young man consumed with desire. The actor spoke with MovieJawn about his new film and career.

Armando is magnetic, he has a confidence, and insouciance that is charming, seductive, and dangerous. How did you understand the character and develop him with your costars?
I don’t think Armando wanted to fall in love with Anaira and cheat on his brother. Maybe our movie has something to do with fate? He lived with his brothers, and he tried to avoid her at first, but he has deep feelings for Anaira—and he knew those feelings meant the end of his family. He is a complex character. 

Can you talk about Armando’s intensity? He is incredibly seductive and irresistible when he flirts with Anaira. And he is incredibly impassioned when he fights with Dalberto. How do you calibrate those levels? Your performance is one where we sit in suspense waiting to see how Armando will behave in a situation, like when he touches Anaira under the table at a family meal.

He was trying to control himself, but he couldn’t. That’s why he touches her in front of his brother. He does a stupid thing—he starts a fight in his house. At his band’s show, Anaira appears. They drink a lot and he just [treats] her like anyone else, but the situation and circumstances—fate—everything is leading him to sleep with her. Alberto wasn’t home. It was Anaira’s birthday. The circumstances lead the characters to their fate. Armando struggles to avoid it but then we see him touching Anaira under the table…

Why do you think he falls so hard for Anaira? And what does she see in him?
Anaira wants to leave the city and dreams of travelling. But then she falls in love with Dalberto, gets married, and she see her life is going to be as a mother and grandmother. She wants to break that circle. Armando represents this free spirit to her. He’s the youngest brother and is producing a band and gets to travel. They connect in this place of freedom and this desire of enjoying life. 

Can you talk about creating the relationships Armando has with his brothers?

I like to think they had a great relationship before Anaira came into the house and their life. Armando is the youngest, and he has different views about life, career, family, and their mother and father. The first scene, when they have lunch, and Dalberto introduces Anaira, the brothers disagree about the mother and father, but Armando has a strong personality and strong points of view about his family and life, and this is why they have disagreements. Metaphorically speaking, it was about a different generation; Armando is a new generation and he has a different outlook on life than his older brothers.

Armando manages a band in the film. You have performed as a singer and get several scenes where you dance. Can you talk about the musical side of your career?

I started acting at a theater when I was 15. I also learned how to play the guitar. I had a band at school and years later, I had some classes and performed in musical theater in Brazil. I love music, and it’s one of the most important parts of my life. I have played some characters where I got to sing, and I love it when it happens. Music is not only a passion but a part of my profession. We had some dancing classes for the movie because it’s a special Brazilian dance, Carimbó, a dance from the Amazon region. We went to some clubs to practice with real dancers. It’s a sexy and intense dance. 

The film is based on a Milton Hatoum story. It is full of myths and symbols. What messages do you take out of the story? 

It’s a movie about fate, and, whether you believe in it or not, it is what you do with that—not how to control it, but how to face your life and your fate. It’s about choices and how your choices have consequences. You can always let yourself go through your desire—but you have to face the consequences. 

With River of Desire and your forthcoming film, Ferrari, what observations do you have about your career? 

Part of it was my choices of the characters I did and projects I’ve been involved with. But for me, it has to do with my beginnings in theater, which is when I fell in love with acting. It was an opportunity to change myself and live different lives and be different characters from the most extreme and opposite realities. I’ve made a lot of realistic films and series, so it is different from theatre, when you can really create things. It’s a different language from theater to movies and [TV] series. But I like to change my hair and my look and live that life and character I’m playing. But I am also lucky to have all those different opportunities and characters. I know I change a lot with different hair and makeup, but I need to play a character that needs different hair and makeup. I like to go deep.

Can you talk about playing Alfonso De Portago and the importance of appearing in an American film? Do you have Hollywood dreams?

I have auditioned for the American market, but my career in Brazil is going well, and I have a lot of projects to start shooting soon. I have been a Michael Mann fan since I was a kid. I love his films, so for me it was an honor to start in the American market with him. I’m not just a fan but we’re friends now. I had a great time working with him and I think he was happy too. 

Talking about the character, it’s an interesting story. Alfonso was noble, a Marquis from Spain who died at 28. I’m 29, so he was younger than me. But he lived his life like no one else—he had money, and status, but he really enjoyed his life and adventures and adrenaline and dangerous situations—which is why his life ended the way it did. I learned to race cars for the movie and had months of driving lessons with the best professionals in the market, so now I know how to drive a racecar.