The Heart & Hustle of Portugal

Revisit this episode from season 3 of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with comedian André de Freitas.

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Actor Afonso Pimentel, one of the most recognizable faces from Netflix’s “Turn of the Tide”, carries with him a story that reveals how a single moment of hesitation can alter the course of a career. Early on, when a casting director from Los Angeles reached out requesting his reel, Pimentel didn’t have one prepared. He asked for two weeks to assemble it: The reply never came.

Only years later did he discover what was at stake: the production was casting for a then‑unknown series titled “Lost”, a show that would go on to become a global phenomenon. The opportunity evaporated before he had the chance to compete for it, a reminder that, in the entertainment industry, timing matters, but acting on timing matters more. Windows of opportunity rarely stay open.

Today, Pimentel’s path has brought him international visibility through Netflix and a growing body of work that solidifies his reputation. Yet the missed “Lost” moment remains part of his narrative, an example of the unpredictable turns that shape creative careers. It’s a story that resonates not only with actors, but with anyone working in an industry where momentum is fragile — and where hesitation can mean watching a defining moment pass by.

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Actor Piper Perabo’s path to the screen began with a landline phone call: producer Jane Rosenthal contacted the young performer at home with the words every new actor hopes to hear: “You got the part”. Just six months after graduating from college, Perabo found herself on set with Robert De Niro, an early break that set the pace for a varied and steadily rising career.

Although widely recognized for her roles in “Coyote Ugly” and the series “Covert Affairs” Perabo’s story begins far from Hollywood. Raised on the Jersey Shore, she is the daughter of a poetry professor and grew up in an environment steeped in the arts.

Perabo was among the featured guests at this year’s Tribeca Festival Lisboa, attending the opening-night screening of “In the Hand of Dante”. Piper’s first time in Lisbon was a moment she will treasure forever, as she remembers a particular afternoon around a “ginjinha” place downtown in the pouring rain.

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Paula Lobo Antunes’s recent role in the film “A Teacher’s Gift” is as memorable as the path that brought her here. Whether playing the villain in Flor do Mal or a leading protagonist in Mar de Paixão, Paula knows she made the right decision the day she quietly applied to drama school while still studying medicine.

She opens up about her career, her life, motherhood, and family. She recalls how her father, the renowned neurosurgeon João Lobo Antunes, operated on an HIV patient at a time when no one else would dare.

Throughout this conversation with Tony Gonçalves, Paula reveals a lifelong sense of not fully belonging, of working hard, and of constantly competing with herself. And the work speaks for itself.

She also brings forward a Portuguese trait that no other guest has named so clearly: the constant apologizing, the “forgive me for existing” mentality. What does that mean for the cultural identity of a small country with enormous talent?

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David Rodrigues is the man behind @howtocookstuff, a very entertaining collection of videos and reels about authentic Portuguese food (and slang). Born in the US, his parents immigrated from Lisboa and, as he recalls in this conversation with Tony Gonçalves, his mother’s food was always simmering in the kitchen, filling it with those typical Portuguese scents.

One day he was craving a real bifana (a typical Portuguese pork sandwich cooked in broth and fat) and he made a simple video. That was the start of his cooking channel and of his global following that has spanned two cookbooks.

David Rodrigues is all about traditions and real Portuguese food (and a little chaos) and if you watch his videos you’ll be uttering sentences like “come e cala-te” in no time. A real ambassador for Portuguese flavours, David is the perfect guest for this holiday season.

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Ticha Penicheiro changed the game. A true pioneer in women’s basketball, she played in the WNBA from 1998 to 2012, became a four-time All-Star, and earned her place as one of the greatest point guards of all time. In this conversation with Tony Gonçalves, she goes back to where it all started: a little girl with big dreams in a small country.

Ticha’s story is built on beating the odds. She was the only girl on a court full of boys in Figueira da Foz, learning to move the ball fast so she would not get blocked. She became a rising star in a country where basketball was not a full time career. And then, as a young woman, she took a chance on a brand new league in a foreign country and rose to the top of it.

She spent the prime of her career with the Sacramento Monarchs through 2009 and today she is a sports agent committed to opening doors for the next generation. In this conversation, Ticha reflects on her childhood, her path to the WNBA, and the pride she carries for Portugal every step of the way.

Ticha is also the subject of a new documentary called “Feel the Magic: Ticha Penicheiro – Against All Odds.” She shares how the film came to life and why she hopes it will inspire young athletes to take their shot. As she says herself, it is better to go for it than to live with regrets.

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Griffin Dunne has an acclaimed career with classics like “An American Werewolf in London” or “After Hours”, but the New York actor had a rough spot in his 60s and went back to class. Listen to a fascinating tale of loss, rejoice and renewal

Griffin Dunne’s personal life is as vertiginous as his prolific film and television career. The tragic death of his sister Dominique at the ripe age of 22 was an emotional shock that shook his life forever. His father, Dominick Dunne, was an acclaimed writer, journalist and producer that, after the tragic loss of his daughter, became a voice for victims of violent crimes, as well as his mother, who founded Justice for Homicide Victims.

His New York Times’ best selling memoir “The Friday Afternoon Club”, from 2024, is at the center of this conversation, as the actor recalls the experience of writing it and feeling the loss of every person that was no longer with him. Faced with a series of bad decisions, as he tells so poignantly, Griffin Dunne went back to school and discovered a Chekhovian method to his acting skills.

Griffin also recalls his experiences in Lisbon, as he attended the first Tribeca Festival in the capital, as well as the amazing meals and conversations that he had.

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Joana Vasconcelos is Portugal’s most celebrated (and bigger artist), her works have been shown at Versailles, Guggenheim, Hong Kong or featured at Dior. Listen to this conversation recorded live at Tribeca Lisboa.

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Tony Gonçalves thought he was going to interview a funny guy. Instead, the mic was turned on him when Andre de Freitas flipped the script and asked him a few questions. As one of the most recognized Portuguese comedians, André de Freitas has not only a powerful social media presence, but also a very international career. He is a man with a mission, and shares his amazing journey of perseverance and endurance to become what he is today: a funny guy who is proud of being Portuguese.

This is a conversation, not an interview, as André and Tony share their experiences.

André de Freitas is proud of his Portuguese heritage and he isn’t shy to share his favorite dishes.

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Chazz Palminteri is a tour de force — an actor, writer, and producer best known for “A Bronx Tale”, the powerful one-man show where he plays every role. For the first time ever, Chazz is bringing this legendary performance to Lisbon, just as it was originally staged in New York.

In this episode, Chazz Palminteri reflects on his journey from the Bronx to stages across America — including a run in Las Vegas, where it earned “Show of the Year.”

A fan of Lisbon, Chazz also shares his love for the city’s culture, history, and, yes, sardines, one of his favorite dishes.

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