Bruna Marquezine Is Buying Her Own Diamonds Now

“I do remember the day that my friends realized I was famous,” says Bruna Marquezine. “One day I got to school, and all of my friends and other kids that I didn’t know were asking for autographs. That was really crazy. I was like, ‘Guys, I was here yesterday. We were just playing together.’” Born in Duque de Caxias, a suburb near Rio de Janeiro, Marquezine got her start on the small screen. She began doing commercials at age five and acting in soap operas at seven. “I know it’s kind of weird to think that a five-year-old would know that she wanted to act,” says the now 28-year-old. “But that’s how I felt at the time. I loved that I had responsibilities and would often be treated as a professional, as an adult.” She has fond memories of being a child star and recalls her mom picking her up after school to take her to the studio. “It was great,” she says. “I was a normal kid, and I had this other life that I really loved.”

Since that moment, Marquezine has racked up over 20 television and film acting credits in her home country, where she still currently lives, making her one of the most famous actresses in Brazil (and one of the most-followed Brazilians on Instagram, with 44.8 million followers to date). It was only a matter of time before she started to take opportunities that would introduce her to the rest of the world. “I’ve always wanted my work to allow me to work outside of my country,” she says over Zoom, dressed down in a long-sleeved black shirt, with a fresh face and slicked-back hair. She’s high-spirited and bubbly, often speaking with her hands and pausing to smile between sentences. “I hope that for my work, and for my art, there are no limits.” Rather than first setting her sights on international acting roles, Marquezine started with fashion. In 2018, she walked in the Dolce & Gabbana spring 2019 show at Milan Fashion Week. Brand deals with Chopard, Puma, and Tiffany & Co. soon followed. The Tiffany partnership, in particular, was huge. “For someone who grew up in a suburb in Brazil, it’s like, ‘What, me?’” She calls to mind traveling to New York, walking into the Fifth Avenue store, and purchasing her first piece of Tiffany jewelry. “I got myself a pair of diamonds,” she says, reiterating that she grew up with limited means. “I’m the first generation that is able to buy that kind of stuff.”

When she first began incorporating fashion into her brand, some Brazilians didn’t get it. “In America, cinema and fashion walk together,” she explains. “In Brazil, it took us a while to figure that out. I remember when people were like, ‘Oh, so she’s not going to act anymore? She’s a fashionista? She’s a blogger?’ And I remember being like, ‘Are you listening to yourself?’ It’s so stupid [to think] that you can only do one thing.” Though she doesn’t want to take credit for being the first to break this barrier, she’s pleased that her country is moving toward a more fashionable future. “I don’t think I started anything, but it’s just crazy and beautiful to see how Brazil is now part of the fashion world. Brands that would never work with Brazilians are now looking to our country and to our artists and celebrities.”

Championing artists from home has become a passion for Marquezine. “Brazil is so rich, and we have so many talented artists,” she says. “It blows my mind that some people have never heard of my idols. I feel like the entire world was always focused on everything Hollywood was making and never the other way around. I’m really determined to be able to share our stories with the rest of the world. Finding ways to do that is hard, but it’s almost like a mission for me now.”

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This August, Marquezine made her Hollywood debut in DC’s Blue Beetle, the first superhero film with a predominantly Latin cast. It undeniably broke new ground for the genre and the response has been overwhelming, to say the least. “It’s been a rollercoaster,” she says. “And it’s been beautiful and crazy to see how supportive the fans are, the ‘Blue Beetle Battalion’ as they call themselves. It’s a big moment for Latin America. To have someone, a Brazilian, playing a big part in this movie is a big deal. Even if it wasn’t me, I would be so happy for us to have a Brazilian in this particular movie about the first Latino superhero. It’s important to have representation. I think it’s way more about that than the numbers or how well the movie does.” The film will hit streaming services soon and she hopes that this will broaden its reach and further connect with the Latin communities that it reflects onscreen. “I can only hope that it keeps impacting people in a positive way and that people like me feel represented and inspired by it.”

Now, she has returned home to work on a new TV series titled Amor Da Minha Vida, which translates to “Love of My Life.” Set to premiere sometime next year on Star+, the show is a “slice of life” rom-com that follows two best friends (Marquezine and fellow Brazilian actor Sérgio Malheiros) as they navigate young adulthood and their many romantic relationships. In addition to being in front of the camera, she’s also taking her talents behind the scenes for the first time, as a co-director and producer. “It’s really hard for actors to get involved in other parts and pieces of the project,” she says. “It’s just such a big machine. So this is something that I’ve always wanted to do, and it was a great way to start. I’m really proud.” The show is a welcome departure from the telenovelas she grew up starring in. “Soap operas are just so intense,” she says. “There’s a lot of crying, yelling, and slapping people. So I was really excited about playing something that was closer to what I’m going through right now and what my friends are going through.”

And while Marquezine has undoubtedly made her mark outside Brazil, she’s adamant about not wanting to abandon her roots. “I’ve always had a hard time separating my career between ‘national’ and ‘international,’ ” she says. “It’s all one path. It’s all my journey….I don’t want to stop working in Brazil. I’ve always wanted to connect both worlds and not leave everything I am behind.” And today, she’s living out those manifestations. “I remember talking to my friends and saying, ‘I’m going to work with this director. I’m going to be there. This is going to happen for me. I’m going to work inside and outside of the country.’ And they would always hype me up and be like, ‘Yes, and we’re going to be here to watch.’”

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Hair by Kevin Ryan for R Session Tools; makeup by Pati Dubroff at Forward Artists; manicure by Ashlie Johnson at The Wall Group; set design by Din Morris; produced by Viewfinders.

A version of this article appears in the November 2023 issue of ELLE.

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