Diogo talks about “Virados do Avesso”

Diogo recently spoke to a couple of news outlets about "Virados do Avesso" ("Turned Inside Out") -- the comedy feature film he shot last month in Portugal.  Once again, the incredible Dina graciously translated the interviews for us, found right below the respective videos.   

Diogo discusses "Virados do Avesso" on SIC Noticias

Host: It's the return of Diogo Morgado to the Portuguese cinema. The actor will be "turned inside out."

DM: João Salgado [his character in the movie] is an absolutely normal guy, with his life, with his work, and he suddenly wakes up almost having the life of another person. In other words, he wakes up with his best friend in bed. And he is like, "Wait. What are you doing here Carlos?"  We find out later that what happened is that our João had a small stroke that gave him amnesia. So he forgets that he is gay. That's it. A small detail.

Host: What happens to the character who as a writer, also faces a creativity crisis along with the memory loss, is the starting point for the comedy, directed by Edgar Pêra.

Edgar Pera (director): First there is a desire to make people laugh, which I think is achieved. On the other hand I think it also helps us to reflect on our attitude towards the roles that each character represents, what each is waiting for from the other, the prejudices that we have... I think you can laugh about it all.

(They show Diogo filming a scene from the movie.)

Host: The "Virados do Avesso" cast includes such names as Jorge Corrula, Marina Albuquerque, Nuno Melo and Nicolau Breyner. Diogo Morgado, who is filming a series in the United States, came to Portugal for three weeks to shoot the film. 

DM: The Portuguese are very good at doing a lot with very little. And we should be proud of that. So this may be the biggest reason why I accepted this project. I cannot walk around saying for years that we can do it differently, and then when I am called to the forefront, not be present.

Host: The shooting of the film is in its final phase. "Virados do Avesso" comes to Portuguese theaters on November 20th. 

Diogo discusses "Virados do Avesso" on RTP

Host: After gaining fame and worldwide recognition for playing the role of Jesus in "Son of God," and being christened "Hot Jesus" by American host Oprah Winfrey, Diogo Morgado plays now, in this film, a homosexual going through an identity crisis. 

DM: João Salgado [the character he plays] is an absolutely normal guy who suddenly wakes up almost as another person. In other words, he wakes up, literally, with his best friend lying next to him in his bed. And he thinks "What is this? Uau Carlos, what are you doing here? I'm your friend for 10 years. What is this?" And he says, " You are my friend for 10 years but my boyfriend for 5"... 

Host: A romantic comedy with a gay scenario, but with everything toying with preconceived notions.

DM: [We] play with the stereotypes that we know, that macho thing where he talks like [he uses a deep voice], walking around with the gold necklace around his neck, with his chest open, and for being gay, that which is "very gay." Playing with these stereotypes. 

Host: Diogo Morgado, or rather João, then goes to the doctor to see what happens. 

[Scene from movie] Doctor (Nicolau Breyner): You just forgot that you're gay. In the background is this. But the rest is all perfectly normal, so .... 

Nicolau Breyner (actor): I have a very small role, which is a doctor who gives an opinion on a disease of one of the characters. 

Host: The director wanted to make this story of prejudices, with laughs and a reflection on the present. 

Edgar Pêra (director): The important thing here is to laugh, and to reflect a bit on what are the roles of society. What it is to be a man, what it's like being a woman. 

Host: The entire film will be shot in 3 weeks. Diogo Morgado came here to do this from the United States, where he is filming an American series, because he believes in Portuguese cinema. 

DM: It gave me special pleasure to come back, because I feel that we are moving towards a step we should have taken awhile ago in Portuguese cinema. And I believe this is the way. 

Host: "Virados do Avesso" premieres on November 20th. 

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Thanks to Dina again for the videos and translations.  

And! Thanks to the “Virados do Avesso” Facebook page, we have a short but sweet look at a scene from the upcoming film, which trust me, needs no translation.  :)

(courtesy of "Virados do Avesso" Facebook Page)

Once again for you lucky fans in Portugal, "Virados do Avesso" opens in theaters there on November 20th. 

--Sara

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Diogo on "SIC Noticias" discussing "Son of God"

Diogo was on "SIC Noticias"(news) today to discuss "Son of God," the new theatrical cut of "The Bible" focusing on the story of Jesus, which opens in US theaters on February 28, 2014.  Our amazing friend Dina was kind enough to translate this awesome interview for us, which can be found right below the video.

(interview/video courtesy of SIC Noticias)

Host (H): Hello Diogo Morgado.

DM: Good afternoon.

(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest of this post...)

Diogo discusses "Break" on "Jornal da Noite"

Diogo spoke to SIC Noticias' "Jornal da Noite" (Nightly News) about the short film he wrote, produced, and directed, "Break."  Translation can be found right beneath the video.

(video courtesy of SIC Noticias)

Clara de Sousa (CS): "Break" is the name of the new project by Diogo Morgado.  A short film that includes the participation of Rui Unas and Lúcia Moniz.

Voiceover: "Break" tells the story of André, someone who longs for a break, for time away from everyday life.  But what do you do when that time leads to a new reality? A reality unknown to others?

DM: Sometimes a particular scene I'm doing gives me ideas for a story completely different from the one I am in. I do not have a specific time. I was creating the idea of joining two actors, one space, to create a story that was a bit claustrophobic .  And then I joined two great, lifelong friends, two actors whom I admire a lot, to help me tell the story.

Lúcia Moniz/"Júlia": What are you doing here?

Voiceover: It was after he filmed the novela "Vigança" that Diogo Morgado went to the United States to take a directing classs. Some time later came the chance to put into practice what he had learned to reverse the roles and move behind the cameras.

DM : It was an interesting feeling. I will not say it was a big surprise, it was not. Mainly because since I was 15 years old I remember being surrounded by technical people.  For me, behind the scenes is the genesis of what we present in front of the cameras.

Directing, for me, is like another role.  The only difference is that it is not in front of the camera.

Voiceover: In the United States Diogo Morgado became known to the American public as "Hot Jesus," because of his work in the international series, "The Bible."

DM: It was indeed fascinating work that I don't really know how to describe, because it touched me so deeply, both personally and professionally.  So much has happened to me it's hard to describe. It was a chapter that now increasingly will lead to other things, God willing.

Voiceover: "Break" premiered on Youtube on September 7th and already has several thousand views.

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If you have not seen Diogo's amazingly brilliant film "Break" yet, do yourself a favor and go watch it right now on StoryLab YouTube Channel.  Make sure the CC/captions are turned on to view the English subtitles.

(And on a completely personal, unrelated, and perhaps catty side-note, I really need "Hot Jesus" to join "twerking" on the list of words that need to never, ever be uttered again.)

--Sara

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Presentation & Launch Party for "Sol de Inverno"

(photo courtesy of SIC)

Yesterday SIC had its official presentation and launch party for its upcoming series, "Sol de Inverno."  Diogo and his "Sol de Inverno" cast members were on hand to introduce their characters to the press/media, and afterwards, there was a party to celebrate the launch of the series, which debuts on Monday, September 16th.

(photos courtesy of SIC)

(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest....)

Some Behind the Scenes footage of "Sol de Inverno"

Each night this week, SIC's "Jornal da Noite" (Nightly News) is doing a feature on the behind the scenes production of "Sol de Inverno" in a series they are calling "Tá a Gravar" ("Is Recording.")  Tonight's segment, "Não faz sentido" ("It makes no sense") was about the use of sound in the recording of the show, and it featured some very brief, but fun behind the scenes video of Diogo shooting the upcoming series.  

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(video courtesy of SIC Noticias & Diogofanfriends/YouTube)

(Click the "Read More" link below to read the rest....)

More of Diogo discussing "Aviões"

Here are a couple more interviews with Diogo discussing giving voice to the character of "Bulldog" in Disney's "Aviões" ("Planes.")  

First up is SIC Noticias' "Jornal da Noite."  One of Diogo's awesome Portuguese fans graciously sent us a link to the video, and also gave us a translation of Diogo's parts of the interview, found right below the video.

(video courtesy of SIC Noticias/Sapo.pt)

Diogo: Gave me much enjoyment to (do Bulldog), because it is a character who represents two things that I think are nice... the side that is wiser, older... a character who is against all kinds of technologies that make easier somehow what he thinks is the true spirit of the flyer. And then you have the other side, the "British" side. Has his accent [he makes pronunciation "British"] and to him, the British don't cry.

(...)

Diogo: The film inherits the great concept of the movie "Cars."  Both are two films whose results are not only excellent in the visual universe that is very specific, but they also have the message of the analogy between the race, team work and winning. Winning at all costs is not the way to live, that is not the message... [winning] it is not the most important [thing.]

________

Next, Diogo and some of "Aviões" co-stars were featured on SIC TV's "Fama Show" discussing lending their voices to the characters in the upcoming film. 

The same awesome Diogo fan was kind enough to send us a translation of Diogo's part of this quick segment too, found right below the video.  (Diogo's segment starts at the 0:55 mark of the video, FYI.)

(video courtesy of SIC/Sapo.pt)

Cláudia Borges/Interviewer: Diogo Morgado in this movie plays "Bulldog."

Diogo: True, "Bulldog," he's truly "British." Apart from being a well-known flyer, he is someone who loves his flag.

(...)

Cláudia: No GPS in his life.

Diogo : No. There isn't. What moves "Bulldog" is the pure sense of the race... he finds that all sorts of technologies are cheating, and are things that do not make sense to a real flyer.

(...)

Diogo: Do not miss the movie "Aviões" on August 15, okay?

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Obrigada to the awesome Portuguese fan for these links and translations.  I have said it before but it bears repeating... truly one of the best things that has come about for me personally in doing this blog is meeting so many generous, supportive, genuine, great people from Portugal.  I cannot wait to visit.  :)  Seriously, I would like to also say that this blog would not be possible without the incredible efforts and hard work of our dear and AMAZING Portuguese friends Liliana and Lou da Gama who continuously share their time and talents with us so selflessly so that we can know Diogo and Portugal better.  Obrigada to them again and again for all that they do for us here.  And I again sincerely thank Diogo for bringing his beautiful country and people to all of us, and for bringing us all together through his amazing talent.  Obrigada.  

Disney's "Aviões" opens in theaters in Portugal on Thursday, August 15th, and you can see the trailer for it here.  Disney's "Planes" lands in US theaters on Friday, August 9th, and you can see its trailer here.

--Sara

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