Brazilian soap opera star Amaury Lorenzo has come out as part of the LGBTQ community during an interview with his gay co-star Diego Martins. Photo: Amaury Lorenzo Instagram
Brazilian soap opera star Amaury Lorenzo has come out as part of the LGBTQ community during an interview with his gay co-star Diego Martins.
Lorenzo, 38, stars in the popular telenovela “Terra e Paixão” (“Land of Desire”), playing the closeted gay cowboy Ramiro, who struggles with internalized homophobia after becoming attracted to Kelvin (Martins), who is out and proud to be gay.
“Terra e Paixão” debuted in May.
The plot revolves around a woman taking over her husband’s business after he’s killed by a rival and her efforts to grow the company. Of course, as with any telenovela, the story is filled with revenge, deceit, villains, sex, murder, and some homosexuality sprinkled in for good measure.
As their forbidden onscreen romance escalates, the actors have fast become Brazilian telenovela royalty and have an avid LGBTQ fan base.
Fans have nicknamed the couple “Kelmiro.”
While discussing the fan-favorite love story and importance of explicit gay storylines in an Extra interview, Lorenzo was asked if he identifies as part of the LGBTQ community.
“Of course I do,” he said.
“I consider myself an LGBTQ+ man,” Lorenzo said. “It may be that soon I will marry another man, cis or trans, a woman, cis or trans. I know that the public is curious to know about my sexuality. I have no problem with that. The only issue is when the subject comes above my work as an actor.”
Lorenzo explained why speaking up for the LGBTQ community was important.
“While I was a theater teacher, I had three students murdered for being LGBTQIA+,” he said. “One was killed by his father.
“I welcomed a friend into my home who was beaten for being with another man on the street. I’ve had former students expelled by evangelical parents for being gay. How can I not be in this fight?”
In August, Brazil’s high court ruled that homophobic hate speech is a crime equivalent to racism in a major win for the LGBTQ community.
Lorenzo said he will participate in an upcoming local Pride parade.
“They invited me to be the king, but I can swap with Diego and be the queen,” Lorenzo said, chuckling.
His co-star Martins, who came out as gay earlier in life, told the publication his sexuality “was never an issue at home” because he had many lesbian and gay relatives.
Outside “Terra e Paixão,” Martins has gained notoriety as a drag queen and won season one of “Queen Stars Brazil,” where 20 queens battle it out to win a spot in the country’s newest drag trio.
Later in the interview, Lorenzo opened up about the prejudice he faced growing up for dancing classical ballet. During one hateful incident he was called a “fag” before being shot with a pellet gun.
Homophobia is also something Martins has faced during his life, especially within the entertainment industry.
“I have always feared suffering prejudice and losing work because of who I am,” he said.
“Anyone who puts their face forward and says ‘I’m gay’ runs the risk of not being accepted, no matter how talented they are. But I had no other choice, and I didn’t want to. I prioritize who I am and my freedom.”
Lorenzo was asked if his direct messages on social media are flooded with thirst traps from men.
He’s received “a lot of nudes,” he said.
Recently while running at the beach, Lorenzo said he “had to stop all the time to take pictures with fans. One of those fans asked if they could touch my ass. I allowed it, whatever,” Lorenzo said, chuckling.
