Chapter 54 – Gustavo Salles, the Best Actor in the World
March 2, 2026 – Oscar Night, Los Angeles
The Dolby Theatre was completely silent.
The most anticipated moment of the night had arrived.
Best Actor.
Gustavo felt his heart racing.
With each passing second, the air seemed heavier, as if time were dragging.
He had seen "Getúlio" win practically everything that night.
But now…
It was his turn.
The golden envelope was in the hands of the presenter, Meryl Streep.
She looked at the audience, smiled and paused dramatically before reading the name.
And then, finally, she announced:
— And the Oscar for Best Actor goes to…
GUSTAVO SALLES, FOR GETÚLIO!
The theater went down.
Gustavo was completely paralyzed for a moment, unable to believe what he had just heard.
Fernando was the first to pull him out of his chair.
— GO, CHAMPION!
And in Brazil…
THE WHOLE COUNTRY EXPLODED IN CELEBRATION.
On the streets of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, big screens showed the awards ceremony live, and crowds screamed and celebrated as if it were a goal in the World Cup final.
Gustavo Salles was the first Brazilian in history to win an Oscar for Best Actor.
And that was huge.
He took a deep breath, stood up and walked to the stage, still trying to process everything.
When he took the statuette from Meryl Streep's hands, a shiver ran through his body.
It was real.
He had won.
The entire room stood up to give him a standing ovation.
Even legendary names like Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro clapped in admiration.
And then, he approached the microphone.
Gustavo was still speechless.
He looked at the statuette, then at the audience, then at Fernando, who was smiling from the back of the room.
And then…
"This is unbelievable."
The audience laughed and applauded.
Gustavo took a deep breath and continued.
"Exactly one year ago, I was on this same stage, holding my first Oscar, for Best Supporting Actor. At that time, I already thought my life had reached its peak. And now… this happens."
He laughed, shaking his head.
"My God…"
The audience applauded again.
Gustavo looked at Fernando and the cast of Getúlio, feeling the weight of his words.
"This award is not just mine. This award belongs to all of Brazil." It is proof that our cinema has talent, history, and strength. For many years, we had to fight for recognition and space. And today, here we are. On the Oscar stage.
He paused, holding back his emotions.
— I had the privilege of being in charge of this film. But Brazil has many Gustavos, many Fernandas, many incredible talents who just need a chance. And this award is for them too.
He raised the statuette.
— I am very proud to be taking Brazil's name to the highest level of cinema in the world. And I promise this will not be the last time.
The audience gave a standing ovation once again.
There were tears in many eyes.
Fernando wiped his eyes, moved.
Gustavo took another deep breath and looked at the audience with a mischievous smile.
— Now…
The audience calmed down, waiting for what would come next.
— I need to say something…
He looked straight into the camera.
— Jimmy Fallon. Fernanda Torres. I'm dying of embarrassment. But a promise is a promise.
The room exploded in laughter and shouts of excitement.
Everyone knew what was coming next.
Gustavo took off his jacket, throwing it back like a true showman.
The camera captured the expressions of pure shock and amusement of the actors in the audience.
Emma Stone almost fell out of her chair laughing so hard.
Timothée Chalamet clapped his hands, encouraging.
And then, amid applause and laughter…
Gustavo started to samba.
There, in the middle of the Oscar stage.
Live.
For the whole world to see.
The camera focused on the audience, where several celebrities were crying from laughing so hard.
Jimmy Fallon, who was watching from home, posted a video of himself screaming and banging on the table.
And then…
Gustavo did something even more unbelievable.
He stopped dancing samba for a second, grabbed the microphone and smiled.
— This is Brazil!
And simply…
He jumped off the stage, doing a backflip.
The theater erupted in screams.
The camera captured the exact moment he landed perfectly on the floor and walked out waving to everyone.
The Oscar soundtrack changed to an improvised samba.
The audience couldn't contain themselves.
Gustavo became a legend at that moment.
On social media, chaos was complete.
— HE DANCED THE OSCARS, MY GOD!
— I CAN'T BELIEVE HE JUMPED OFF THE STAGE. GUSTAVO IS THE GREATEST OF THEM ALL!
— That was the most iconic moment in Oscar history!
And then, the Academy's official profile posted on Twitter:
"Historic. Congratulations, Gustavo Salles!"
With a photo of him dancing samba and another of him in the air, in the middle of a somersault.
After the event, Gustavo was still in disbelief.
He was holding his Oscar as if it were a World Cup trophy, walking out of the theater.
Bruna Marquezine found him and shouted:
— YOU'RE CRAZY!
Gustavo laughed out loud.
— Brazil would charge me if I didn't do this!
Fernando hugged Gustavo tightly.
— Dude… You've made history.
And then, Getúlio's cast got into the limousines that would take them to the after party.
Gustavo looked out the window and saw his reflection holding the Oscar.
He closed his eyes for a moment and smiled.
He had won.
Brazil had won.
And now, it was time to celebrate.
The samba wasn't going to stop any time soon.
Chapter 55 – From the Oscars to Rio Carnival
The 2026 Oscars had just made history.
Getúlio dominated the awards ceremony, Gustavo Salles won the Best Actor award, and all of Brazil was ecstatic.
But while the streets of the country celebrated as if it were the World Cup, Gustavo had another idea in mind.
He wasn't going to end this night in Los Angeles.
He was going to Rio Carnival.
And he was going to take some famous friends with him.
The after party was in full swing, with some of the most influential people in Hollywood gathered at a private party organized by a major studio.
Gustavo was in the middle of it all, with his Oscar statuette in his hand and a smile of someone who had just committed the perfect crime (or, in this case, performed a backflip on the Oscar stage).
That's when he looked at Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner, who were sitting there laughing about something.
And then, the idea hit him.
He approached the table and lightly tapped the Oscar, catching their attention.
"Guys... I have an idea."
Timothée raised an eyebrow.
"That scares me a little."
Kylie laughed.
"Okay, go ahead."
Gustavo put his hands in his pockets and made the invitation as casually as possible:
"Let's go to Rio Carnival. Now."
The three of them were silent for a few seconds.
Until Kendall started laughing, thinking it was a joke.
"Now? Like... right now?"
Gustavo shrugged.
"Yeah. I know a really good pilot. He can take us."
Kylie raised her eyebrows.
"Who?"
Gustavo smiled and pointed to himself.
— Me.
Timothée took a sip of his drink and looked at the others.
— This is crazy. I'm in.
Kendall looked at Kylie, then at Gustavo.
— I've never been to Brazil…
Kylie also seemed excited.
— Me neither. Okay, let's do this.
Gustavo picked up his phone and started typing.
— Great, but first… I need to make a quick invitation.
Gustavo picked up his phone and made a video call.
The screen showed Hailey Bieber answering the call wearing a robe and looking like she was ready for bed.
— Gustavo? — she asked, blinking her eyes.
— Hailey! What are you doing now?
— Trying to sleep? — she laughed.
— Great, then listen: let's go to Rio Carnival. Now.
It took Hailey a few seconds to process the information.
And then, his face lit up.
— ARE YOU CALLING ME TO CARNIVAL?
— Yes. And I want to know if you and Justin want to go. We're chartering a jet right now.
Hailey shouted to the side.
— JUSTIN! PACK YOUR BAGS, WE'RE GOING TO BRAZIL!
Justin's voice came in the background, confused:
— Wait... what?!
Gustavo laughed.
— Meet us at the airport. Bring light clothes. And energy.
Hailey nodded excitedly.
— Okay, this is going to be EPIC.
And then, the call ended.
With everything decided, Gustavo called his aviation contact and organized a private jet.
When the hangar staff confirmed that the plane would be ready in an hour, he took out his phone and opened Instagram.
He posted a story with the caption:
"RIO, HERE I COME. AND I'M TAKING SOME FAMOUS FRIENDS WITH ME."
In the photo, he was holding his Oscar for Best Actor with a mischievous smile.
In a few minutes, social media started to go crazy.
— HE JUST WON AN OSCAR AND NOW HE'S GOING TO CARNIVAL?!
— Gustavo is the MOST BRAZILIAN human being EVER.
— AND HE'S TAKING TIMOTHÉE, KYLIE, KENDALL AND THE BIEBERS?! IS THIS A DREAM?
And then, the group went straight to the airport.
In the private hangar at Los Angeles airport, the jet was already ready.
Gustavo put on a bomber jacket over his formal attire, still holding the Oscar under his arm.
He climbed into the cockpit and adjusted the controls.
Behind him, Timothée, Kylie, Kendall, Hailey and Justin were recording stories in complete shock.
Justin held up his cell phone and told his followers:
— Ok, change of plans. I'm going to Brazil. And… Gustavo is flying the plane?!
The camera focused on Gustavo, who looked back and blinked.
— Relax, I have a license. But if something goes wrong, well… at least I'm an award-winning actor.
Kylie laughed and covered her face.
— MY GOD, WHAT ARE WE DOING?!
Kendall looked at Hailey.
— First time in Brazil and we're flying with a crazy actor.
Hailey laughed and hugged Justin.
— I just want caipirinhas.
Timothée shouted from the back of the cockpit.
— If we die, at least it was an epic way to go.
Gustavo laughed, adjusted the controls and announced on the radio:
— This is Captain Gustavo Salles. Destination: Rio de Janeiro. Arrival time: as soon as I speed this shit up.
And then…
The jet took off, leaving Los Angeles behind.
During the flight, the group was in pure excitement.
They drank, joked and tried to learn Portuguese words.
Hailey asked:
— How do you say "I'm very excited" in Portuguese?
Gustavo smiled.
"Tô empolgada pra caramba."
She repeated, laughing.
— TOH EMPOLGADA PRA… PRA O QUÊ?
— Pra caramba.
— Pra caramba!
Kylie recorded the whole thing and posted it on Instagram with the caption:
"Hailey's first Portuguese lesson. We're going to Brazil!"
Hours later, the jet landed at Galeão International Airport in Rio de Janeiro.
When Gustavo got out of the cabin and looked out the window, he saw the city lights shining.
Carnival was already underway.
He took out his phone and recorded a video.
— Brazil… I'M HERE.
Behind him, Timothée raised his arms.
— MY FIRST TIME HERE!
Hailey hugged Kendall and Kylie.
— Okay, now I understand the hype. This place is amazing.
And then, the group got off the plane.
The paparazzi's flashes were already waiting for them.
And Brazil…
was ready to welcome them.
Carnival would never be the same again.
Chapter 56 – Hollywood Invades Rio Carnival
The humid heat of Rio de Janeiro embraced Gustavo Salles as soon as he and his group stepped off the jet.
The clock was already past midnight, but the city was alive, pulsing to the rhythm of the samba schools' drums.
The moment they stepped onto Brazilian soil, Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Hailey and Justin Bieber felt they were about to live a unique experience.
"Wow… this is insane," Timothée said, looking at the city lights.
Hailey spun on her heels, excited.
"Gustavo, I can literally feel the energy of this place! I want a caipirinha NOW."
Justin, next to her, smiled and hugged his wife.
"This is like Coachella, only ten times bigger and more chaotic."
Gustavo laughed and clapped his hands.
— Welcome to Brazil, my friends. Now, let's go! Carnival awaits!
Even though the group had arrived on a private jet, the airport was already full of curious onlookers and photographers who had heard the rumors that Gustavo was bringing some of the world's biggest celebrities to Rio Carnival.
The movement was fast.
Gustavo had already prepared everything before taking off from Los Angeles.
There were three armored SUVs waiting for them, accompanied by a highly trained private security team.
The head of the security team, Eduardo, a former Federal Police agent, greeted Gustavo with a firm handshake.
— Everything's ready, boss. We can go straight to the Sambadrome.
Gustavo nodded and turned to his friends.
— Okay, guys. Let's split the cars and go. But don't worry, you're with the best security guards in Brazil.
Kylie looked at one of the security guards, a burly guy who was almost two meters tall.
"My God… this guy looks like he could crush a car with his bare hands."
The security guard kept a serious expression, but Gustavo laughed.
"He really could. But he's a good guy."
They all got into the cars and, in a matter of seconds, the vehicles began moving through the streets of Rio, cutting through the traffic towards the Sambadrome.
During the journey, Gustavo opened the window and let the warm city air hit his face.
It was good to be back.
In the seat next to him, Timothée looked out the window with fascination.
"I've never seen a city so vibrant. It seems like everything here has a life of its own."
Gustavo smiled.
"Because it does. Rio never sleeps during Carnival. It's a unique experience."
In the other car, Hailey was recording stories, showing the cars and the city lit up.
"First time in Brazil!" And I'm already completely in love.
Justin laughed in the background.
"This place has a different atmosphere. I've barely arrived and I already feel like this night is going to be legendary."
Meanwhile, in Kylie and Kendall's car, the two watched the revelers on the streets and were surprised.
Kylie pointed to a group of people in costumes who were dancing in the middle of the street.
"Man, people here are so free. That's incredible."
Kendall nodded, still surprised.
"And you realize that no one cares about fame. They just want to enjoy the moment."
Gustavo heard that on the car radio and smiled.
"This is Brazil, girls. Here, everyone is equal during Carnival."
When the cars approached the Sambadrome of Marquês de Sapucaí, the scene changed completely.
The energy was indescribable.
The sound of the samba school drums echoed through the air, vibrating in the chests of those nearby.
The lights illuminated the giant floats, the stands were packed with thousands of people singing and dancing, and the smell of partying, sweat and joy dominated the atmosphere.
"MY GOD!" Kylie shouted, putting her hands on her head.
"This is surreal!" Kendall exclaimed.
Hailey held Justin's hand, completely amazed.
"I've never seen anything like this. Never."
Timothée just shook his head, trying to take it all in.
"Okay. I get why Gustavo said Coachella can't even be compared to this."
The floats entered through a VIP access, taking them directly to an exclusive box, away from the crowds, but with a privileged view of the parade.
As soon as they got out of the floats, Gustavo looked at his friends and smiled.
— Are you ready for the best night of your lives?
Timothée raised his arms.
— LET'S GO!
And then, they entered the heart of Carnival.
The VIP area where they would be staying was a luxury box, reserved only for special guests.
With air conditioning, comfortable sofas, unlimited drinks and a Brazilian food buffet full of barbecue, feijoada and traditional snacks, it was the perfect place to enjoy the parade in the best possible comfort.
As soon as they entered, they were greeted by event organizers and some Brazilian celebrities.
The first to greet them was Luciano Huck, who was there presenting part of the broadcast live on TV.
— Gustavo! You really came! And you brought a great group of people!
Gustavo laughed and hugged Luciano.
— Dude, I promised I would do this. And here we are.
Luciano greeted everyone and, when he saw Justin Bieber, joked:
— Ok, now I can say I've seen it all. Justin Bieber at Rio Carnival. That's historic.
Justin laughed.
— Dude, I never imagined I would be here. But Gustavo convinced me.
The event organizer explained everything to the guests.
— You're in the best box at the Sambadrome. From here, you have the best possible view of the parades, in addition to all the exclusive service. If you want to try something, feel free!
Kylie was already looking at the colorful drinks and grabbed one immediately.
— Ok, this is already the best event I've ever been to.
Kendall laughed and grabbed a caipirinha.
Hailey, with a feijoada on her plate, looked at Gustavo.
"Is this like the Brazilian Super Bowl?"
Gustavo smiled.
"Much bigger."
When the first samba school entered the avenue, the deafening sound of the drums made the entire Sambadrome vibrate.
The dancers, with their shiny clothes, moved with an energy that seemed surreal.
The floats, giant and majestic, paraded down the avenue telling stories through art, music and choreography.
Timothée watched everything fascinated.
"This looks like a movie, but real."
Justin recorded stories the whole time.
"This is the craziest event in the world. I'm SHOCKED."
Hailey was already dancing samba without even realizing it.
"I want to learn this! Teach me, Gustavo!"
Gustavo laughed and held her hands.
— Come on, I'll teach you right now.
And so, amidst the music, the shouts of joy and the vibrant colors of Carnival...
Hollywood and Brazil mixed in a way no one had ever imagined.
The night was just beginning.
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