João Victor Gonçalves, the actor who plays the character Mau Mau in the soap opera "Quem ama cuida," was the victim of an attack in the early morning hours of this Saturday (6). He was surrounded by people who ridiculed the clothes he was wearing as he was leaving the Rock in Rio festival. The images of the attack were shared on a live video platform.
Gonçalves spoke about the matter in an emotional way, crying during his statement. He said that when he opened Twitter he saw many messages of support and that he was moved by what he was reading.
The actor commented that the character Mau Mau is described as strong, brave, and courageous, someone who faces structural homophobia fearlessly. According to him, the character "swallows it and moves on," and that may have been his reaction in the moment of the attack.
Gonçalves ended his speech with a firm statement: "Homophobia is a crime," highlighting the gravity of what he suffered and the context of violence that LGBTQIA+ people face.
