Manuela Dias keeps villain Odete Roitman alive in Vale Tudo remake to symbolize enduring elite
Manuela Dias, the writer of Globo's 2025 remake of the classic Brazilian telenovela "Vale Tudo," explained that she deliberately kept the iconic villain Odete Roitman alive. She said the decision reflects the idea that "the elite never dies," using the character to comment on how power structures persist by adapting rather than disappearing.
Dias also introduced a new plot twist in which Odete's son Leonardo is revealed to be alive, a move she said helped raise the program's IBOPE ratings. The remake began airing in March 2025, revisiting the original 1989 storyline that famously ended with Odete's murder, but opting for an open‑ended conclusion to provoke audience reaction and avoid a straightforward remake.
Entities: Globo · Leonardo · Manuela Dias · Odete Roitman · Vale Tudo
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Dias said she kept Odete alive because 'the elite never dies', symbolizing enduring power structures.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The Vale Tudo remake aired starting in March 2025 on Globo.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The original 1989 Vale Tudo storyline ended with Odete Roitman's murder, a cultural milestone in Brazil.
- [● 3 SOURCES] In the remake, Odete Roitman is not killed and remains alive at the end.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The remake reveals Odete's son Leonardo is alive, a twist that increased IBOPE ratings.
- [● 3 SOURCES] Manuela Dias is the author of the 2025 Globo remake of Vale Tudo.