Nando Cunha goes out to treat depression and vents: ‘The time has come to seek help’

Actor Nando Cunha, 58, announced his departure from the play “The day they kidnapped the Pope” to take care of mental health. Known for striking roles in soap operas such as “Salve Jorge” and “Crossing”, he revealed that he faces a depression and decided to prioritize treatment after months of emotional suffering.

“I decided to get away from the show to take care of my mental health. Art has the power to save the viewer, but not always in the craft of representing,” Nando wrote in a statement published on Wednesday (4) on his social networks. “The artist takes the stage with a part of himself, while the other struggles to hide the pain.”

The decision came a few months after a video in which the actor appeared crying to viralize on the net. In the recording, published in February, he talked about the end of a relationship that lasted just over a year. Thrilled, he said he was surprised by the separation and since then plunged into a deep sadness.

“It was a relationship in which I bet everything. The person tired. I was without work, without money, living a very bad moment of depression, and yet I helped her realize her professional dream. When I needed, I saw myself alone,” he vented at the time.

In the new statement, Nando stresses that depression is not a sign of weakness or a choice, and thanked the play team for understanding: “Depression is serious. It’s not fresh. Not weakness. So I made the decision to seek help and prioritize my well-being. I deeply thank my castmates for generosity. I wish you all very successful.”

The actor also spoke of the weight of reconciling personal suffering with public life. “I’m a 58 -year -old black man. I’m not a beauty standard, I’m not a young man. I never know if they are with me for who I am or for being Nando Cunha, known actor. It hurts.”

The removal of the stage, he said, is a necessary step to rebuild his emotional health. “I was very affectionate, affectionate in this relationship. But now, I decided to take care of me,” he concluded.