The first five episodes of HBO Max‘s newest original TV show from Brazil finally debuted today. Titled Madam Beja, the period Brazilian telenovela will consist of 40 episodes inspired by the life of Ana Jacinta de São José, a historical figure from Minas Gerais.
What do we know about HBO Max’s Madam Beja?
HBO Max’s Madam Beja is a remake of an iconic telenovela that originally aired during the 1980s. The adaptation is led by Grazi Massafera, David Junior, André Luiz Miranda, Bianca Bin, and Nikolas Antunes. The show is written by Daniel Berlinsky and António Barreira, with collaborations from Maria Clara Mattos, Cecília Giannetti, Clara Anastácia, and Ceci Alves. The production is based on the synopsis developed by Renata Jhin, António Barreira, and Daniel Berlinsky, in a reinterpretation of the original work created by Wilson Aguiar Filho.
“The new show follows a woman who challenges the social norms of her time in a context marked by restrictions and inequalities. Throughout the plot, themes such as desire, freedom, power, and revenge intertwine to shape a complex character, whose intelligence and independence place her in constant conflict,” reads the official logline.
The creative team built a 1,710m² set and crafted over 3,000 costume pieces to bring the remake to life. The directing line-up includes Hugo de Sousa, with direction by Bia Coelho, João Boltshauser, Rogerio Sagui, Thiago Teitelroit, and Ana Angel. It is executive-produced by Adriana Silva (Dida), Roberta Guzzon, and Tayane Saad for Floresta, with Mariano César and Anouk Aaron overseeing the production on behalf of Warner Bros. Discovery.