Samara Felippo

Samara had originally trained to become a gymnast but decided to study drama in order to overcome her inhibitions.^[1] At age 17, she decided against taking competitive exams to major in Computer Science upon being offered a place in the school for actors of the television network Rede Globo.^[1][2]

She was invited to join Caça Talentos, a children's morning telenovela (televised soap opera) with Angélica.^[1] In early 1997, she participated in the "Star for a Day" segment of the weekly Sunday TV program Domingão do Faustão. Her test was to re-enact a scene in the role of the Nívea Stelmann character in the soap opera A Indomada opposite Matheus Rocha.^[1] Her performance was so impressive that it enabled her to participate in other productions of the soap opera broadcast industry.^[1]

In her first soap opera, Anjo Mau, Samara plays the young Simone Garcia.^[2] Later, she appeared on Meu Bem Querer and Suave Veneno, among others.^[2] The highlight of her career came in Malhação, where she portrayed the rebellious Érica Schmidt, a character who discovers she has contracted HIV.^[2] In 2003, Felippo played the romantic Mariana, in the miniseries A Casa das Sete Mulheres; later that year she portrayed Celina Costa Andrade Fernandes on Chocolate com Pimenta.^[2] In 2004 she was cast on the soap opera Da Cor do Pecado, where she showed her comic skills opposite Karina Bacchi and Rosi Campos.^[2] In 2005, she played the coquettish Detinha on América. Exploring her comic side, the character of pedestrians trying to conquer the city and find a boyfriend at all costs.^[2][3]

Samara studied cinema at a college in Rio de Janeiro.^[2] As to feature films, she performed in the film O Dono do Mar, produced in Maranhão in 2001 and released in 2006.^[4][5][6] In another film, Concerto Campestre, which was filmed entirely in Pelotas (RS), she had the lead role.^[7]

Also very involved with the theater, Samara has performed in several plays during hiatuses from television work. She played in Êxtase (2007);^[2] A frente fria que a chuva traz (2006);^[8] Comunhão de Bens (2000);^[8] O Guarani (1998).^[8]

In 2006, she took part in the miniseries JK, playing the role of Maria Estela Kubitschek^[2] and she also played the villainesse Wandinha in O Profeta.^[2] In 2007, the actress dubbed the role of Colette in the animated film Ratatouille^[9] and participated in the TV Globo soap opera Sete Pecados."^[2] In 2008, she participated in the reality show Domingão do Faustão, Dança dos Famosos 5.^[10] And in the same year she performed in a few episodes of Casos e Acasos, again on TV Globo.^[8] She also performed in the theater play Intenções Perigosas.^[8]

In 2009, the actress withdrew for a while from soap operas. In 2010, she returned to television to perform in one of the episodes of S.O.S Emergência.^[11]

In 2011, she performed in the play Hamlet^[12] and in the play Mulheres Alteradas, replacing Adriane Galisteu.^[13] In October of that year, she was cast in the miniseries on the life of Dercy Gonçalves which debuted in January 2012 on TV Globo.^[14] In the miniseries she had the role of Maria Decimar, daughter of the comedian.^[15]

In July 2012, the actress signed with Rede Record.^[16][17] In 2013, the actress was cast as Dinah in the Biblical miniseries José do Egito.^[18] In the same year, she returned to the theater in Orgulhosa Demais, Frágil Demais, where she portrayed Marilyn Monroe.^[19]

In January 2014, she signed a contract with Globo, and will be in the series O Caçador playing the role of stripper Paulinha Tsunami.^[20] In 2015, Samara gave life to Jochebed in the first phase of the novel Os Dez Mandamentos.^[21] In 2017, Samara will return the screens in the novel Apocalipse, in which she will play a police officer.^[22]

She married a basketball player Leandro Barbosa in 2008, and they had a child together, a daughter on June 25, 2009.^[2][23] In December 2010, the couple separated,^[24] but reconciled again six months later.^[25] But, in September 2013, the actress announced their separation again.^[26] The actress has a column about the backstage life of NBA basketball in the portal Basketeria.^[27]

On May 25, 2013, Samara gave birth to her second daughter.^[28]