Ennis Carvalho opened the game by justifying his retirement from Globo: “He deserves more respect” (Photo: Reproduction/Multishow)
Dennis Carvalho (19) spoke this Friday about his retirement from TV Globo after 47 years on the road. In an interview with Veja, the director explained how he heard the news and admitted that he regretted it to the channel. In addition, he spoke about his health. At the age of 75, Carvalho was hospitalized in December last year with widespread pneumonia and later blood poisoning.
According to Dennis, he was still in the process of leaving the company when he was in the midst of the delicate phase of his private life. The artist, who was sacked by Globo in September, said the way Ricardo Waddington then director of Estúdios Globo approached him to inform him of his departure was abrupt.
“We see news all the time about talent being laid off and I knew it could hit me,” he said. However, Dennis assured him that what had happened did not surprise him: “Waddington, who was my assistant and learned a lot from me, called me into the room and said, ‘We are not going to renew your contract, dear.’ We’d rather call you when it comes to real work, okay?!’. What was left for me to answer? “Okay,” I said and left.”
For the artist, the contractperwork policy is “premature and unfair.” “They should find a compromise instead of losing so many good people,” he said. Still, he doesn’t think it’s fair to keep artists who don’t work for the station. From Dennis’ point of view, however, his situation was different.
“But I’ve always produced — I’ve directed more than forty programs, including 28 soap operas, including ‘Dancin’ Days’, ‘Vale Tudo’ and ‘O Dono do Mundo’.” I miss the people, the socializing in the studios. It is inevitable to have some sadness. I think he deserves a little more respect.”
Dennis Carvalho has been in the hospital in Rio de Janeiro since December 26. (Photo: João Cotta / TV Globo)
Regarding his health condition, Carvalho said he was hospitalized after a long period of tiredness, exhaustion and accumulated stress. “A month later I woke up in this hospital room surrounded by my three kids and my exwife and best friend Deborah Evelyn,” he explained. “I had a hard time believing what I was hearing: I was in a very serious condition and spent days at a time in the delicate balance between life and death,” he recalled.
The director was intubated and in an induced coma. He was also diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism. He was released for the first time in January but has since had to undergo two more hospital visits to get pneumonia under control and a pacemaker fitted. Dennis currently only leaves the house in a motorized wheelchair.
“I quit smoking completely, which I should have done at least 15 years ago when I discovered lung cancer and lost some of it. But I carried on with the madness. During periods of high tension, like opening soap operas, I smoked two and a half packs a day,” he confessed.
Even considering the situations he has been facing lately, Carvalho assured that he still does not think about retiring his career: “I want to die at work.” He is negotiating with a streaming channel to produce the Series “Classe Medieval”, in which names such as Marcos Caruso and Vera Holtz are mentioned in the cast. The director also did not rule out a return to Globo if he receives an invitation for a good project.