In Brazilian entertainment, ageism is a brutal reality. Actresses over 40 often find themselves relegated to playing grandmothers or matriarchs. By appearing at 54, Claudia Raia explicitly rejected the invisibility cloak society tries to throw over aging women. She was not "sexy for her age"—she was simply sexy, full stop.
Early in her career, Raia consciously leveraged her "exuberant" physical beauty and sex appeal—famously appearing on the cover of claudia raia transando e nua e pelada
In the United States, Helen Mirren and Jane Fonda are celebrated for their nude scenes in their 60s and 70s. In France, Isabelle Adjani is revered. But Brazil has Claudia Raia. The difference is that in Brazil, the pressão estética (aesthetic pressure) is exponentially more intense. Brazilian beauty standards are drilled into women from childhood—the bunda (butt), the tan, the hairless body. In Brazilian entertainment, ageism is a brutal reality