When the teenager Gabriel Leone (31) he practiced sports, his thing was judo, but, above all, water polo, winning medals in several championships in his native Rio. What he didn’t imagine then was that he would leave his tertiary studies in Design to dedicate himself to acting permanently. Even less so, that he would have to learn to drive a karting in order to embody a Formula 1 racer. And not just any driver: his country’s greatest hero, Ayrton Senna da Silva. That is, something like the “Pelé of the slopes”. The comparison is valid, furthermore, because a woman in common unites them: both were Xuxa’s partner.
Viva He contacted Leone when the series Senna, in which he stars, can now be seen on Netflix. The production consists of 6 chapters and tells the story of the then king of f1 and protagonist of one of the most famous rivalries in sport (with the Frenchman Alain Prost). An idol who was killed when he crashed into the retaining wall of the Imola circuit, at 218 km/h, during the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix. He was only 34 years old.
Leone is a well-known actor in Brazil for his participation in soap operas (in the gallant style), but also because he played Roberto Carlos in a 2019 feature film and Marlon Brando, in another from 2021. His specialty is putting himself in the shoes of celebrities, apparently. But, as he emotionally confesses, nothing meant as much as playing Ayrton Senna for a while.
“Receiving the call announcing that I was up for the role was one of the best news they gave me in my life,” he says.
Precisely, if something is rescued from his interpretation, it is the emotional complexity with which he embodies the runner in all his human dimensions. It is his acting consecration, the role that projects him.
Once I passed the casting I was able to meet the Senna family and receive their blessing.
Full throttle
The series Senna It comes at the right time, in a context where Formula 1 is going through another golden era: a new maximum of 24 circuits in the season and records of spectators and public show that the phenomenon is global, not just European.
Not to mention what the appearance of a talent like Franco Colapinto meant for Argentines. Given this boom, the number of documentaries on the topic of nuts is growing: two are offered on Netflix alone: Formula 1: The excitement of a Grand Prix y Formula 1: Drive to Survive.
For us, Senna has a plus because It was largely filmed in Argentina: Some scenes took place at the autodromes of Buenos Aires, Mar del Plata, Balcarce and San Cayetano, and many cars were even manufactured here.
“When I received the call in which they told me that I was going to star Senna “I was in Italy, coincidentally recording a film that is also about Formula 1 (Ferrari, 2023),” Leone now reviews.
“I came to the project thanks to Vicente Amorim, director of the series, with whom I had already worked and with whom I have a great professional relationship. He suggested my name to Netflix and they liked it. I felt like I was exploding with happiness. I really wanted that role. “It is without a doubt the biggest challenge of my career so far.”
-While Senna was a global icon, in Brazil the legend is obviously even bigger. What was it like playing one of the great sports idols of your country?
Gabriel Leone as Senna. He practiced with karting. Photo: Netflix-It was very special. My parents were super excited! Senna was truly an icon. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see him run live. When he had the fatal crash in Italy, in 1994, I was barely two years old. However, in my family, as was the case in all Brazilian families, everyone was a fan of him. Being chosen for the role felt special not only for me, but also for everyone who loves me.
-The project has the support of Senna’s entire family. Did you receive their approval without any conditions?
-There were several steps before I got the role. The first thing was conversations with the people at Netflix and the producers. Although it is a Brazilian production, it is a product of truly global scale: more than half of the series is spoken in English and was filmed in several countries. I first had to audition and prove myself as an actor. Once I passed that test, I was able to meet Ayrton’s family and receive their blessing.
-Unlike a historical figure, Senna is not contemporary: many viewers already have their own idea of what he was like. As an actor, do you feel that this makes it more difficult?
-I don’t think it was a limitation, but it did give him greater responsibility. We had to tell the full story and honor his legacy. In Ferrari, I played the driver Alfonso de Portago as a supporting character in a story beyond his own. Here, however, I didn’t play Senna in someone else’s story: Ayrton is the story itself. That’s why I played him throughout his life, in the real situations of his career. 30 years after his death, I feel that I have the ideal opportunity to bring him closer to a new generation that did not know him.
I’m excited about what Colapinto is doing; everyone points out that he looks like Senna. And it looks like it!
With Argentine trainer
Senna dramatizes Ayrton’s life from his beginnings in karting racing to the tragic accident in Italyduring the San Marino Grand Prix. The blockbuster has an international cast. In addition to being recorded in Brazil, it also had scenes filmed in the United Kingdom, Argentina and Uruguay. This is a more than attractive addition to Leone’s resume, today emerging as one of the actors with the greatest potential in his country: he has already made his international breakthrough with the previously mentioned participation in Ferrari .
-When talking about motorsports, Senna said he was born for it. Do you feel the same way about acting?
-I would like to think that I share with Senna his determination to turn his dreams into reality. I try to approach my life and career the same way. That is partly why this production was very inspiring to make: it made me feel very identified with Senna. Recording the series was an intense process. In total, we had 100 days of recording, which is equivalent to eight months away from home and my family. You could tell the seriousness behind the project. We have sports professionals to advise us, an international team and a lot of preparation. Despite the challenges, it was a joy to do and I knew I couldn’t give up.
Gabriel Leone began acting as a soap opera star. Photo: Netflix-What was the biggest challenge?
-Although we could not drive Formula 1 cars so as not to endanger ourselves or the rest of the team, at the beginning of the series we see Senna’s beginnings in karting. We had six weeks where I learned to drive karts, three days of class a week. Our teacher, Gustavo, is Argentine and shared races with Senna in real life. Karting is the closest thing you can find to Formula 1 without reaching it. The conditions of a real race come into play: driving a vehicle at ground level, driving at speed, nerves when risking passing the other… I practiced with Matt Mella, an actor who plays in the Alain Prost series, the great rival of Senna. We both loved it and it allowed us to work on that more competitive side of the drivers.
-In Argentina, today there is a furor for Formula 1 thanks to Colapinto. Are you following the topic?
-I started following the sport more closely since I made the Ferrari film. I’m not the only one: movies and series are bringing a new audience to motorsport. Now I regularly follow the championship; The last races have been very interesting. I am very excited about what Colapinto is doing; everyone points out that he looks like Senna. And the truth is that they really look alike! Wish you all the best. In Brazil, we are also very excited about a 20-year-old, Gabriel Bortoleto, who will drive for Sauber next year.
-What do you think new audiences can learn from Senna?
-That you must work hard to achieve your goals. He was one of the best drivers of all time and while some of it could have been “natural talent,” he never stopped training, especially in the rain, his great specialty. The key was how the technique mixed with his passion for what he did. For this reason, today so many modern drivers have it as a reference. Senna’s lesson is not just his victories, but also the way they happened and what he did to get to them. That’s what I find magical and something to always learn.