'I think I'm beautiful, I think I'm hot': Ana Maria Braga talks about self-esteem at 77

"I think I'm beautiful, I think I'm hot"; says Ana Maria Braga, in the new episode of Pode Ask
In a meeting marked by emotion, reflections and life stories, presenter Ana Maria Braga participated in the "Pode Ask" section, in which autistic people had the opportunity to ask questions directly to the communicator. During the conversation, she recalled financial difficulties, spoke about the creation of the character Louro José, commented on her fight against cancer and left messages about self-esteem, relationships and empathy.
See the full interview in the video above.
Running away from home
During the conversation, Ana Maria recalled the difficulties she faced when leaving her parents' house to study.
She said that her father was against her moving and wanted her to remain in her hometown, working as a teacher and starting a family.
"I ran away from home because I wanted to study and I was broke. I had some troubles there, but that served me well throughout my life." TV.
"It needed to be an animal that could talk. Parrots talk, right? So I made a doodle of what this parrot would be like."
She also recalled the participation of Tom Veiga, the character's original interpreter.
"He started very reluctantly and became Tom Veiga, who stayed with me for almost 25 years."
The presenter was still moved to hear reports from people who grew up watching the games between her and Louro José.
'It was one of the worst mistakes of my life'
When asked about her smoking habit, Ana Maria said that she started at a young age, when cigarettes were seen as something elegant.
"I started smoking and it was one of the worst mistakes of my life. Smoking destroys your body, destroys your health."
She revealed that she gave up the habit after surgery.
"I got off the operating table and made a decision. I can't continue being stupid like I am. I want to see my grandchildren grow up. I want to continue with this marriage that gives me happiness. So, to do that, I needed to stop smoking. I decided to live."
According to the presenter, she has not smoked for almost four years.
The fight against cancer
Ana Maria also spoke about the five cancer diagnoses she faced throughout her life and left a message for people who recently received the news of the disease.
"When we receive a diagnosis like this for the first time, it is very impactful."
She said who started to see treatment as a battle.
"My doctor said: 'You are entering a war. Your soldiers are your cells'. I learned to talk to my body, to talk to my cells."
Ana Maria stated that she never avoided talking about the disease.
"I'm not afraid to say the word cancer, because we face the enemy head on."
The presenter attributed her recovery to the combination of medical treatment, faith and public support.
'I think I am beautiful'
Another moment that caught our attention was when Ana Maria answered a question about self-esteem and aging.
"I've never looked at myself in the mirror and said: 'Wow, I'm not pretty'. I think I'm beautiful, I think I'm hot, I think I'm a nice person."
She also commented on the criticism she receives on social media for continuing to work at 77 years old.
"Sometimes I read: 'What is that old woman doing? Why hasn't she retired yet?'. I'm going to stop working whenever I want. For me, the other person's opinion doesn't change anything at all."
The presenter said that she has learned, over the years, not to allow external judgments to define her happiness.
Advice for those looking for love
When asked about relationships, Ana Maria defended that people should be open to new experiences.
She stated that the first step is to allow yourself to get to know the other person and create true connections.
"If there is one good thing in life, it is dating. There are people who say they want to date, but they don't open up to life. You have to open up to life, for love to enter."
'Empathy is the main word'
In the last question of the interview, about acceptance and respect for differences, Ana Maria summarized her vision in a single word.
"Empathy is the main word. Life sometimes teaches us hard how much we needed to understand others."
"I think I'm beautiful, I think I'm hot"; says Ana Maria Braga, in the new episode of Pode Ask
Reproduction/TV Globo
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