Rainer Cadete Is the New International Cover Star of Hooks Magazine STARS

'STARS' EDITION COVER - JULY 2026 ISSUE

There are artists who build their careers on consistency. Others stand out for their versatility. Rainer Cadete embodies both qualities. An actor, singer, writer, and producer, he moves effortlessly across different artistic disciplines, transforming each new project into an opportunity to explore new ways of telling stories. With more than two decades of experience, he has established himself as one of the most respected names in Brazilian drama, building a career defined by authenticity, creative curiosity, and a constant desire to reinvent himself.

Now, Rainer Cadete is the new cover star of the international edition of Hooks Magazine STARS, celebrating a remarkable moment in his career as he successfully balances television, streaming, theater, literature, music, and film, continuously expanding his presence across the cultural industry.

Currently, the actor stars in Quem Ama Cuida, TV Globo's primetime drama written by Walcyr Carrasco and Claudia Souto, where he plays dermatologist Dr. César. The role adds to an impressive gallery of memorable performances built throughout his career, which has always been defined by a balance between major television productions and author-driven projects.

Among his most celebrated roles are attorney Rafael Nero in Amor à Vida and the unforgettable Visky in Verdades Secretas, a performance that earned him the Extra Television Award and the Melhores do Ano Trophy. The success of the role also led to Rainer being named to the Forbes Under 30 list, a recognition that further strengthened his national prominence.

Another defining aspect of his career has been the opportunity to revisit characters who have left a lasting impression on audiences. Visky returned in Verdades Secretas II, while Celso reappeared in Êta Mundo Melhor!, nearly ten years after his role in Êta Mundo Bom!. Rather than simply repeating past performances, Rainer sees these reunions as opportunities to further develop his craft and rediscover the characters from a new perspective.

In an exclusive interview with Hooks Magazine, the actor explains that revisiting a character requires the same level of exploration as creating an entirely new one.

"I don't see much difference between creating a new character and reconnecting with one who is already part of the audience's memory, because it's never the same story. I really like an idea from Heraclitus: the river may be the same, but the waters are different. The same happens with characters. Visky and Celso have a history, an identity, and an emotional connection with the audience, but they return in another moment in time, shaped by new relationships, new conflicts, and everything that has also changed in me as an actor."

This perspective on transformation also reflects the way he approaches his own career. For Rainer, each project emerges naturally, without following a rigid master plan.

"I never sat down to create a career plan saying, 'Now I'm going to write a book,' 'now I'm going to sing,' or 'now I'm going to produce.' Things happen because some ideas simply choose the language in which they want to be born. Some stories ask for a stage. Some ask for a song. Some ask for a camera. And some stories belong only in the silence of a page."

That creative freedom has allowed him to expand his work far beyond television. On stage, he is currently starring in Uma Babá Quase Perfeita, the Brazilian adaptation of the Broadway hit Mrs. Doubtfire, while also appearing in the production of Norma, directed by Guilherme Piva.

His film career includes productions such as Carcereiros, Intervenção, Virando a Mesa, and the Cine Holliúdyfranchise. He also attended the Cannes Film Festival with The Traitor (O Traidor), directed by Marco Bellocchio, and is part of the cast of Dia Útil, a feature film shot in Brasília and directed by the Diniz sisters.

Streaming has also become an important part of his artistic journey. Rainer is a cast member of Arcanjo Renegado, returning for both its fourth season and the fifth, scheduled for release in 2026.

In music, he collaborates with Renato Luciano on the project Leves e Reflexivas, which blends music, poetry, humor, and social reflection while exploring themes such as masculinity, diversity, affection, and human relationships. The project gained recognition with the music video for Esse Negócio de Ser Macho, directed by Duda Maia, as well as through a musical collaboration with Vanessa da Mata. At the same time, he is preparing a new project dedicated to classics of Brazilian music.

His artistic curiosity has also found expression in literature. In 2024, alongside his son Pietro Cadete, he published Olhares que Filtram, a book that explores affection, identity, ancestry, and family relationships through the perspective of a multiracial family. The work has since become part of educational initiatives and discussions surrounding belonging, fatherhood, and racial identity.

These themes appear consistently throughout his work, though not as the result of a deliberate artistic agenda.

"I'm skeptical of art that is created to defend a thesis. I think it loses its strength when it already knows exactly where it wants to go. What interests me are stories that ask questions, not the ones that deliver answers."

The actor explains that themes such as masculinity, affection, ancestry, and family relationships naturally emerge in his creative process because they are deeply connected to his own life experiences.

"These are questions that continue to shape me as a man, as a father, and as an artist. If these projects spark conversations, I'm very happy about that. But that was never the primary intention. My goal has always been to better understand the human being."

As the father of Pietro Cadete, Rainer also brings reflections on emotional responsibility, family relationships, and contemporary masculinity into his artistic work, transforming personal experiences into stories that resonate with diverse audiences.

By balancing television, streaming, theater, film, music, and literature, Rainer Cadete demonstrates that his career is defined not by a single artistic language, but by a constant curiosity to explore new forms of expression. His journey reveals an artist who prefers asking questions over offering ready-made answers, finding in art a space for reflection, sensitivity, and meaningful dialogue.

Read the Exclusive Interview

1. Your career moves naturally between television, theater, film, literature, and music. How does each of these artistic languages nourish the others, and how has this diversity shaped you as an artist?

"I never sat down to create a career plan saying, 'Now I'm going to write a book,' 'now I'm going to sing,' or 'now I'm going to produce.' Things happen because some ideas simply choose the language in which they want to be born. Some stories ask for a stage. Some ask for a song. Some ask for a camera. And some stories belong only in the silence of a page."

2. In Quem Ama Cuida, you play Dr. César while also revisiting memorable characters such as Visky and Celso at different moments in your career. What is the greatest challenge of creating a new character while reconnecting with figures who already hold a special place in the audience's memory?

"I don't see much difference between creating a new character and reconnecting with one who is already part of the audience's memory, because it's never the same story. I really like an idea from Heraclitus: the river may be the same, but the waters are different. The same happens with characters. Visky and Celso have a history, an identity, and an emotional connection with the audience, but they return at another moment in time, shaped by new relationships, new conflicts, and everything that has also changed in me as an actor.That's why I don't see these reunions as repetitions. It's more like meeting an old friend after many years. You immediately recognize something familiar, but you also realize that person is no longer exactly the same.The challenge is to preserve what makes the character who they are without turning them into an imitation of themselves. Whether it's Dr. César, Visky, or Celso, the work is always about discovering the truth of that story in the present moment.Perhaps the greatest challenge isn't balancing all these different paths, but listening to what each idea is asking for. When a creative impulse appears, I try to give it the most honest form possible.I'm also not afraid of starting before I've completely mastered a new territory. I study, prepare myself, make mistakes, ask for help, and keep moving forward. I believe creativity is also an exercise in courage.In the end, all these artistic languages are simply different ways of feeding the same curiosity."

3. Projects such as Leves e Reflexivas and the book Olhares que Filtram reveal an interest in discussing masculinity, affection, ancestry, and family relationships. Do you believe art has the responsibility to provoke these conversations, or does this happen more organically within your creative process?

"I'm skeptical of art that is created to defend a thesis. I think it loses its strength when it already knows exactly where it wants to go. What interests me are stories that ask questions, not the ones that deliver answers.Perhaps that's why themes such as masculinity, affection, ancestry, and family relationships appear so often in my work. It was never a career decision. These are questions that continue to shape me as a man, as a father, and as an artist.If these projects spark conversations, I'm very happy about that. But that was never the primary intention. My goal has always been to better understand the human being. And, interestingly, when we begin with an honest question, other people often end up finding their own answers."

4. Fatherhood plays an important role in both your personal life and your artistic work. In what ways has your son Pietro transformed not only your perspective on life but also the stories you choose to tell and the projects you decide to pursue?

I think Pietro taught me that love is also about revision. After he was born, I began to rethink my priorities, the way I managed my time, the way I listened, the things that sparked my curiosity, and even my relationship with life itself. Fatherhood made me more willing to explore questions than to offer answers.

Because Pietro grew up surrounded by dressing rooms, theaters, books, and music, art has always been part of our conversations. And, quite naturally, many of those conversations eventually became creative projects.

Olhares que Filtram was born precisely from that place. It came from our desire to better understand the questions that shaped our multiracial family and to transform a deeply personal dialogue between father and son into a conversation that could reach classrooms, families, and anyone interested in reflecting on identity, affection, and ethnic-racial relationships.

I will never know exactly what Pietro feels, because I am not him. But I like to say that he is my heart beating outside my body. Perhaps that's why writing together became such a transformative experience. Literature ultimately became another way for us to keep talking to one another.

Today, I realize that Pietro has done more than broaden my perspective on life. He has also expanded the way I create art.

Writing together made me understand that perhaps this is what art exists for: to transform intimate questions into collective conversations. It is a lonely feeling to believe we are alone in the world. When a story reaches other people, it builds bridges. Suddenly, what once seemed to belong only to us begins to resonate with many others as well.

5. After more than two decades of recognition across television, theater, film, and now music and literature, what continues to spark your creative curiosity, and what stories do you still feel compelled to tell in the years ahead?

I think that, over time, our dreams begin to change addresses. I used to think a great deal about the next job. Today, I think more about the stories I still want to live and tell.

I want to continue finding characters who challenge my certainties, writing books that spark meaningful conversations, producing projects that bring people closer together, and making films that travel the world without losing their Brazilian accent.

But perhaps the greatest challenge is to keep transforming myself. I do not want to repeat formulas or assume that I already know how to do it all. I hope I never lose the sense of wonder of a student, the desire to observe people, change my mind, and allow myself to be surprised.

Deep down, I do not dream of a finish line. I dream of continuing to find stories that transform me before they reach the audience. As long as that continues to happen, I will feel that I am exactly where I am meant to be.