Selton Figueiredo Mello (Brazilian Portuguese: [ˈsɛwtõ ˈmɛlu]; born 30 December 1972) is a Brazilian actor and filmmaker. Acting since childhood on television shows, Mello gained national popularity in Brazil for his comedic performances in A Dog's Will (2000) and Lisbela and the Prisoner (2003).
In 2008, Mello made his directorial debut with December, followed by The Clown (2011), which was selected as Brazil's submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 85th Academy Awards, though it was not nominated.
In 2024, Mello gained international recognition for his portrayal of Rubens Paiva in Walter Salles' Academy Award-winning film I'm Still Here.
Contents
Life and career
Early life
Selton Mello was born in Passos, Minas Gerais, son of housewife Selva and banker Dalton Melo. He and his family have Portuguese and Italian ancestry. His younger brother Danton Mello is also an actor.
After Mello was born, his parents moved to São Paulo, where he lived until the age of 11. In São Paulo, he was selected to star on a soap opera at TV Globo, and had to move with his entire family to Rio de Janeiro.
2000s
He played André in the Brazilian film To the Left of the Father (2001), directed by Luiz Fernando Carvalho and based on the novel of the same name by Raduan Nassar.
He has also played João da Ega in Os Maias, also directed by Luiz Fernando Carvalho, based on the eponymous novel by Eça de Queiroz.
Beyond that, Selton Mello played roles in the movies, Lisbela and the Prisoner (Lisbela e o Prisioneiro - more than 3.5 million tickets sold); Auto da Compadecida (more than 2.5 million tickets sold), by Guel Arraes; Drained (O cheiro do Ralo), by Heitor Dhalia; and My Name Ain't Johnny (Meu Nome Não É Johnny - more than 2.5 million tickets sold), by Mauro Lima and Four Days in September by Bruno Barreto (nominated for Best Foreign Language Film for the 1997 Oscar Awards).
Selton Mello's acting skills have been awarded several times in national and international festivals such as the Havana Film Festival (Cuba), Brasília International Film Festival (Brazil), Lleida Latin-American Film Festival (Spain) and the Lima Latin American Film Festival (Peru) in which he was awarded for his performance in To the Left of the Father. He also won the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize (Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro) for Lisbela and the Prisoner and the best actor award for My Name Ain't Johnny granted by both the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize and the Miami International Film Festival; and the best actor award for Drained, granted by the Rio International Film Festival (Festival do Rio), Punta Del Este International Film Festival and by the Guadalajara International Film Festival.
Selton is also a screenwriter, editor, and musician. After he developed a solid career as an actor, he began to work on the other side of the camera as a director. He began directing video clips, documentaries, and TV shows. His debut in film directing was in 2006 with the short film entitled When the Time Falls, selected for competitive screenings at the Gramado Film Fest (Festival de Gramado), Rio International Film Festival, São Paulo International Film Festival and the Guadalajara Film Festival.
The award-winning movie December, acclaimed by critics in Brasil and worldwide, marked his debut as a director and has amassed more than 20 awards at various festivals, such as the Paulínia Film Festival (Festival Paulínia de Cinema), Goiania and Curitiba Film Festivals in Brazil.
2010s
In 2011, he acted and co-directed the TV Series The Invisible Woman (based on the eponymous film) which won the International Emmy Award in 2012 for Best TV Comedy of the Year.
In 2012, he directed Sessão de Terapia, the Brazilian version of the much celebrated TV series In Treatment (Bi Tipul), written by Hagai Levi (originally for Israeli TV and then consequently seen in over 25 countries)
His second film feature, The Clown (in which he directed, co-wrote, co-edited and played the lead character), launched in October 2011, was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards, but it did not make the final shortlist. This film hit the milestone of 1.5 million viewers, and was received with great enthusiasm by critics, receiving over 40 national and international awards, including Best Director in Paulínia, APCA (Paulista Association of Art Critics - Associação Paulista de Críticos de Arte) and the 38th SESC Film Fest - where it was also awarded as best film (both by the jury and the public selection). He was further enshrined in the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize (Grande Prêmio do Cinema Brasileiro 2012), having won 12 categories, - a record that assured the film a place in the history of the most successful Brazilian films.
Filmography
Television
Sinhá Moça (1986) - Soap Opera
Pedra sobre Pedra (1992) - Soap Opera
Olho no Olho (1993) - Soap Opera
Tropicaliente (1994) - Soap Opera
A Próxima Vítima (1995) - Soap Opera
A Indomada (1997) - Soap Opera
O Auto da Compadecida (1999) - Miniseries
Força de um Desejo (1999) - Soap Opera
Os Maias (2001) - Miniseries
Caramuru - A Invenção do Brasil (2001) - Miniseries
Os Aspones (2004) - Comedy Series
O Sistema (2007) - Comedy Series
A Cura (2010) - Miniseries
A Mulher Invisível (2011) - Comedy Series
Sessão de Terapia (2012; 2019-21) - Series; Also writer and director
Ligações Perigosas (2016) - Miniseries
Treze Dias Longe do Sol (2018) - Miniseries
O Mecanismo (2018) - Series
Nos Tempos do Imperador (2021) - Soap Opera
Awards
The Clown (MOVIE)
Best Director of Fiction - Menina de Ouro (Paulínia Film Festival 2011)
Best Director - Prêmio APCA (Paulista Association of Art Critics)
Best Actor - Prêmio QUEM
Best Director - Prêmio Melhores do Ano SESC SP
Best Director - Festival de Cinema da Lapa
Best Picture Montage - Prêmio ABC (Associação Brasileira de Cinematografia)
Best Director - Prêmio Contigo de Cinema Nacional
Best Actor - Prêmio Contigo
Best Actor - BRAFFTV - Brazilian Film & TV Festival of Toronto
Best Actor - Cinema Brazil Grand Prize 2012
Best Director - Cinema Brazil Grand Prize 2012
Best Screenplay, Original - Cinema Brazil Grand Prize 2012
Best Editing - Cinema Brazil Grand Prize 2012
Audience Award - Huelva Latin American Film Festival 2012
Jean Charles (MOVIE)
Best actor - Quem Magazine 2009
Feliz Natal (MOVIE)
Best director - Paulinia Film Festival 2008
