HBO Max confirms production of first original soap opera Beleza Fatal

Mônica Albuquerque, HBO Max’s scripted development leader for Latin America, has greenlit the US-based streamer’s first original soap opera in the region.

Mônica Albuquerque

Production of Beleza Fatal will be led by Brazilian prodco Coração da Selva, with filming taking place in São Paulo and elsewhere in Brazil.

Created by Raphael Montes, the series is being supervised by Silvio de Abreu. It will comprise 40 episodes and star actors including Camila Pitanga and Murilo Rosa.

The production of soap operas is one of HBO Max’s priorities for Latin America. The plan began in 2021 with the hiring of Brazilian screenwriter and producer Silvio de Abreu, who left the company a few weeks ago. However, his work appears to have paid off, with Beleza Fatal and four other scripts already completed, according to Albuquerque.

“We are very happy to confirm the production of Beleza Fatal, which will be 100% made in Brazil. We are finalising the cast, and shortly we will start filming,” said Albuquerque, who succeeded Marcelo Tamburri as HBO Max’s Lat Am scripted development leader in January.

“The soap opera unit [remains] an extremely important priority for the company. We already have five scripts finished in Latin America and we are resuming the production plans for each one of them.”

Argentinian teen series Te quiero y me duele (I Love You & It Hurts), from Cris Morena, is another of the projects already underway.

Coração da Selva, which won an International Emmy for its series Pedro & Bianca, is also behind forthcoming HBO Max series Além do Guarda-Roupa, which is scheduled to premiere later this year.