Actor Paulo Vilhena, 47 years old, plays the character Ricardo Mendes in "Por você," TV Globo's new primetime soap opera. The character is described by the actor himself as a "bon-vivant," a lighthearted, good-natured man and excellent professional, in addition to being a convinced bachelor who divides his time between work and running as a hobby to de-stress.
In the storyline, Ricardo Mendes is the director of the cardiology department and preceptor to the residents at Hospital Luz, the soap opera's fictional institution. He is the best friend of Gabriel, a character played by Thiago Lacerda. The actor highlights that the character doesn't chase after women but has a "spontaneous charm" that attracts admirers.
In his first scene in the soap, Ricardo appeared running at Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon, where he got bumped into and hit on by an admirer. In the following sequence, he showed up taking a shower in the hospital's locker room. The actor's scenes quickly went viral and his name ranked among the most talked about on social media, showing the positive reception of the character with the audience.
