Anything Goes: Heleninha Goes to Alcoholics Anonymous

In the soap opera "Vale Tudo," currently airing on Globo, Heleninha's story takes a significant turn. The character, played by Paolla Oliveira , decides to seek help from Alcoholics Anonymous after a series of episodes marked by the worsening of her alcohol addiction. The turning point comes when she witnesses Tiago, her son, repeating similar behaviors, which leads her to deeply reflect on the consequences of her addiction.

The artist's decision to confront her condition comes during a conversation with Dr. Ana, played by Arieta Corrêa. The doctor suggests that Heleninha attend AA meetings and begin taking on financial responsibility for both herself and Tiago. Medical guidance proves crucial for the character to begin her journey toward recovery with support.

The moving scenes are scheduled to air on Friday (15), at 9:20 pm (Brasília time). In them, Heleninha appears accompanied by Afonso (Humberto Carrão) during an AA meeting. In a moment of sincerity and vulnerability, she shares her history with alcohol, revealing that she started drinking at age 16, after the death of her twin brother, Leonardo. At the end of the meeting, the character declares that this is her "day one" of sobriety.

In fact, this isn't the first time the soap opera has addressed this topic. In the original version of "Vale Tudo," aired in 1988, the character also turned to AA, although this only occurred in the final episodes. However, the current remake, written by Manuela Dias, anticipated this plot, proposing an earlier approach to the struggle with alcoholism in the narrative.

In a recent interview, Paolla Oliveira commented on the impact of the creative choice: "This time, we have the opportunity to talk about it sooner. And, considering that I began the construction of Heleninha by visiting AA, it makes perfect sense to think about her journey so far. The main expectation is to deconstruct the image of the alcoholic as a failed person, without willpower."

The approach to alcoholism in soap operas has been recognized for its social impact. As Edelto Tavares Leite, vice president of the General Services Board of Alcoholics Anonymous of Brazil (JUNAAB), pointed out, "the first version of 'Vale Tudo' marked the history of Alcoholics Anonymous of Brazil, with a significant increase in the number of men and women seeking help from our fellowship. Alcoholism has no cure, but there is recovery."