Mel Maia on Medley: adolescence without idealization, and a role built in the pool
The actor describes Lola’s pressures and the daily swimming practice that helped her inhabit the character.
Now playing in Brazil, Medley appealed to Mel Maia because it does not present adolescence as an easy passage. Speaking to Omelete, she highlighted the pressure to find a place in the world and to succeed, concerns she recognized in Lola.
The withdrawn character is affected by her father’s mysterious absence and a difficult relationship with her mother. After an argument, she holidays alone in another city, makes friends, falls in love and joins a swimming team. Maia sees Lola’s mistakes, pain and resilience as a less idealized picture of growing up.
Preparation was physical as well. Maia said she had not practiced swimming and began daily training in technique, breathing and posture. That work helped her build the role; it does not establish that she became a competitive swimmer.
Maia connected Medley with her interest in exploring different genres and roles alongside Apenas 3 Meninas and Ataque ao Metrô. Directed by Ana Luiza Azevedo and based on Keka Reis’s work, the film offered a collaborative set where, according to the actor, Lola’s emotions could be developed together.
