When
No Rules
was aired in 1988, one of the most memorable plots was that of Heleninha Roitman, played by
Renata Sorrah
She was the heir to one of the most powerful families in the soap opera, and she faced a deep alcoholism, fueled by traumas, low self-esteem, and the constant pressure from her mother, Odete.
In 2025, with
Paolla Oliveira
on paper and a new look from the author
Manuela Dias
, the character returns to television, but the reception, mixed between criticism and memes, shows how the approach to this disease still divides the public.
In the original version, the character’s journey through phases of self-destruction, public shame, and rehabilitation was met with empathy from the audience at the time, even though some passages were later occasionally interpreted as comic.
The most famous example is the scene in which she, completely drunk, says: “Play a hot mambo.” Isolated from its context, the line became a viral meme in the 2000s, much more associated with fun than with the emotional breakdown depicted in the original scene.
On stage, the character William, played by
Dennis Carvalho
, is accompanying Heleninha. The character also struggled with alcoholism and acted as a support in Heleninha’s recovery, taking her to Alcoholics Anonymous and being one of the few figures who still believed in her in the final stages of the novel.
@globoplay Essa é minha cena favorita da Heleninha Roitman 💃 #ValeTudo #novelas #nostalgia
With the remake, Manuela Dias made it clear: Heleninha would not be a joke. Paolla Oliveira also stated that her expectation was to portray a real and complex issue with sensitivity. “Everyone knows that alcoholism is a disease, but they don’t know how alcoholics behave. […] Instead of approaching Heleninha, these people are distancing themselves, judging,” she said in an interview with the newspaper.
Extra
.
Still, the approach of the new version generated controversy. The expression “mambo caliente,” which in the 1988 novel is used only once—and precisely during Heleninha’s last relapse before seeking treatment—became a catchphrase in the remake.
No, the scene you saw is not the same one that went viral in 1988. It happens later in the soap opera. In the new plot, it has already been said at least twice: once when discussing with the mother and another during a party, which even confused those who remember the classic scene and believe they have already seen it.
The repetition of the phrase, loaded with tragic context in the original, caused noise in an approach that should have been more careful.
@gshow “DJ, toca um mambo!!” 😬 A famosa frase da Heleninha veio aí!💥 #ValeTudo #Novelas
The interpretation of the new Heleninha has also been questioned. Paolla Oliveira alternates moments of strong dramatic intensity with others that the audience has perceived as excessively theatrical or even childish. Some scenes have caused rejection, with social media comments accusing the character of being “spoiled” or “lazy” for not wanting to continue with her life.
The remake, however, also had moments that managed to regain the dramatic strength of the plot. In one of the most recently praised scenes, Heleninha wakes up fallen and drunk after being ignored by Ivan (
Renato Góes
), your partner.
Rescued by Vasco (
Thiago Martins
) and taken to Consuelo’s house (
Belize Pombal
), she faces the aftermath, shame, and embarrassment. Paolla was highly praised for her performance in the sequence, which managed to revisit the character’s vulnerability and pain.
@assuntos.diversos90 Vasco encontra Heleninha bêbada na calçada @Débora 😘
In the end, Heleninha Roitman’s case shows how representations of mental health and addictions on television still provoke complex and often contradictory reactions.
The mix between an emblematic character, the weight of the classic, and the virality of out-of-context scenes created a delicate ground for the new version of Vale Tudo.
The challenge now is to regain the public’s empathy and remind people that Heleninha carries a story of pain, fall, and attempt at a new beginning – far beyond an out-of-context meme, right?
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