‘She was wise’, says Fernando Torquatto about Aracy Balabanian

The fine rain that fell over the city of Rio de Janeiro set the tone of sadness in the fans’ farewell to Aracy Balabanian. The actress, who died at the age of 83 this Monday morning (7) after a long fight against lung cancer, has been in mourning since 10am in the Assyrio Hall of the Teatro Municipal, in Rio.

One of the first to arrive at the wake was makeup artist Fernando Torquatto. The two met when he was hired by Globo to work on the telenovela “Da Cor do Pecado” (Globo, 2004).

“I was insecure, I had never worked with a star of that magnitude”, remembers Torquatto, who then sent a letter to Aracy telling of his nervousness. “She was super affectionate and took me by the arms. Since then, we’ve grown closer and closer. She was the best person to give advice, a very wise person.”

The wake is open to the public until 13h this Tuesday (8). Afterwards, the actress will be cremated in a ceremony closed only to friends and relatives, at the Crematorium and Cemetery of Penance.

During his career, Balabanian collected unforgettable roles, establishing himself as one of the most famous faces on Brazilian television. Known for her versatility, she has gone from snarky humor to deep drama in a career spanning more than five decades.

Among her best-known works on television is the character Cassandra, from the program “Sai de Baixo”, aired on TV Globo between 1996 and 2002. In addition, she gave life to the famous Dona Armênia, in the soap opera “Rainha da Sucata”, one of his works most remembered by the public.

Dozens of celebrities lamented the farewell in publications on social networks, including President Lula, who issued a note of regret earlier this Monday afternoon.