SIMONE ZUCATO Actress & Producer talks about career and the cure for breast cancer

ABOUT SIMONE ZUCATO

Actress and theater producer, Simone Zucato also graduated in medical school, advised by her father. Raised during her childhood and adolescence in the USA, Simone started with drama classes when she was only seven. After ending medical school, Simone attended recognized acting schools and worked with important names of Brazilian theater and filming, as well as American and European professionals such as Barbara Heliodora, Susan Batson, Robert Castle from the Lee Strasberg Film Institute in NY, Michelle Danner and Jandiz Estrada.

“Art is a continuous learning process. My professional debut on stage was with the play “De Corpo Presente”, with text and direction of Mara Carvallio in 2007, in São Paulo. “I played Lilia, the homosexual daughter of an artist couple. It was something very exciting and important for me, because in addition to finally realizing my dream of making art, I was also giving voice to essential issues that are necessary and important to be talked about until these days. And I believe that as an artist, that's my role.”, says the actress.

Simone Zucato debuted on TV in “Casos e Acasos”, on Rede Globo, in 2008. The actress was discovered by a director who watched her in “De Corpo Presente” and since then other opportunities have appeared and the actress gained prominence for works such as: Isa Corbett in “A Toca do Coelho”, Vera in “Trair e Coçar É Só Começar”, Sylvia in “Sylvia - Uma Comédia Romântica”, and Liliane in “O Sétimo Guardião”. The actress followed the advice of master Bárbara Heliodora, one of the greatest theater critics in Brazil and great specialist in Shakespeare work, and for a few years has been “self-producing” herself in the theater bringing to Brazil great successes from the Broadway circuit. For her, every actor has to go through theater stages and works in television and cinema should be the result of a lot of theater done.

Always attentive with her health, Simone never failed to carry out her periodic exams, which was very important to get breast cancer diagnosed in 2018 on an early stage, a crucial detail for the treatment she had to go through after surgery. The fact that Simone had had the disease served as an important incentive factor for her engagement in the Pink October Campaign, in order to alert women about the importance of carrying out their medical care exams for early detection of the disease.

Medicine has advanced rapidly over the years. Nowadays, breast cancer is a treatable and, in many cases, curable disease. Specially if detected early. However, even today I see that many women are afraid of having a mammogram, the gold standard exam for the diagnosis of breast cancer. They say that it bothers, that it hurts. And I understand that it is an uncomfortable exam, but it is necessary to be aware that the earlier it is diagnosed, the less aggressive the treatment will be and the higher the chances of cure.”, observes Simone.

This awareness month is even more special for Simone, as at the beginning of 2023 she finishes the chemotherapy treatment she has been doing for the last five years. In this way, her report and her experience are even more significant in relation to support women who are experiencing a similar moment.

“Don't postpone your exams, your medical appointments. And don't stop doing them! This is not just for breast cancer, but for many other diseases. Soon I will finish my treatment and the chances of recurrence of the disease will be minimal. I'm already cured, but knowing that I won't have the disease again is a huge relief.”, she affirms.

This whole journey, full of adversities, certainly made Simone an even stronger person and sure of her role, as a woman, actress and medical doctor. “Every month is pink for me, because I don't think we can talk about the importance of doing the right things and getting an early diagnosis only during one month of the year. However, it is important that we try to make our lives lighter. It is been proven that stress increases the chances of getting sick and I think this is the greatest challenge that humanity faces nowadays , because despite depending on us, external issues can affect really people. We need to learn how to deal with our fears, with sadness, with the difficulties of everyday life. They exist and there are many, but when we are face an illness, with the possibility of the worst happening, we realize that difficulties can be overcome. After having cancer, I decided to continue with the profession I chose to have when I was seven years old. Today I work only as an actress and theater producer. It's a much harder life than being a doctor, but without art, I just don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. The “Doctor Simone” will always exist, but for now I have decided to do only what does not bring me the weight that medicine does. Being a doctor in Brazil is very rewarding, but it is very difficult because you realize that it is not just up to you. So, for the next few years I intend to dedicate myself only to work as an actress and help improve the culture and education of our country with my projects - whether in theater or filming. And I want to work harder and harder. Working as an actress is one of the things that makes me really happy!”, adds the artist.

Back on stage, the actress was recently invited to be part of the cast of ‘O Vison Voador’, written by Ray Cooney and John Chapmann, adapted and translated by Marcos Caruso. With its premiere scheduled for February 2023, the play was a great box office success in the 90s in Brazil. “When we do what we like, we get so fulfilled that we don't have time to think about negative things. We are just grateful and this helps us give body and soul to the character, to make the audience think and have fun.”, says Simone.

At the same time, Simone intends to return with Sylvia - Uma Comédia Romântica still in 2023, on the stages of São Paulo, and she is also writing two scripts for streaming and participating in projects that cannot yet be mentioned.

CREDITS

ACTREES AND PRODUCER : Simone Zucato @simonezucato

PHOTOS : Jaime Leme @jaimeleme

HMUA: Mari Pereira Makeup @maripereiramake

CREATIVE DIRETOR & STYLING : Márcia Dornelles @marcia_dornelles

PRESS & PROMOTER: Márcia Dornelles Comunicação @marciadornellescomunicacao

OUTFITS : Carmen Sttefens Rio Sul @cspremium