# A Favorita

A Favorita (English: The Favorite) is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast TV Globo. It premiered 2 June 2008 to 17 January 2009 with a total number of episodes of 197. It is created by João Emanuel Carneiro and directed by Ricardo Waddington. It is also the first telenovela by the writer to air in the 9 pm timeslot.
A Favorita storylines examine two friends, Donatela and Flora, who became rivals. One of them committed a crime and is lying, so there are two versions of the same story.
The telenovela was originally screened as six episodes per week, from Monday to Saturday, with an average running time of one hour. A Favorita has remained significant in terms of Rede Globo's success and audience share, and also in Brazilian television drama history, tackling many controversial and taboo issues previously unseen on mainstream television in Brazil.
It made history for being the first telenovela where the public did not know who was the villain and who was telling the truth.
Cláudia Raia, Patrícia Pillar, Murilo Benício, Mariana Ximenes, Lília Cabral, Taís Araújo, Deborah Secco, Carmo Dalla Vecchia, Glória Menezes, Mauro Mendonça and Tarcísio Meira in the leading roles.
In August 2014, Globo Marcas released an edited version of the telenovela in DVD format.

## Plot

Donatela and Flora, two friends who became rivals. One of them committed a homicide and pretends to be innocent. There are two versions for the same story. Who, after all, is telling the truth? Donatela or Flora?
Donatela and Flora grew up together. Donatela lost her parents in an accident and ended up being adopted by Flora's family. By the time they were children, the two girls were best friends to the point of starting a country band, “Faísca e Espoleta” (Flash and Fusee). The partnership made a reasonable success at the time, but the career was interrupted after they met friends Marcelo and Dodi, to whom they became engaged. Donatela married Marcelo, Gonçalo Fontini's son, heir of a paper and cellulose corporation, while Flora married Dodi, an unscrupulous man who worked for his friend's father.
However, Donatela and Marcelo's happiness didn't last too long. The couple's first son, Matheus, was kidnapped when he was six months old, never to appear again. Since then the couple started to argue very often. In the meantime, Flora and Dodi split up and she had an affair with Marcelo. She gave birth to Lara, daughter to Marcelo, harming even more his relationship with Donatela and mostly the relationship between the two friends.
In the worst period of the crisis between Donatela and Flora, Marcelo was murdered. He was shot three times with a gun that, according to witnesses, was in Flora's possession. She was arrested and sent to jail for eighteen years. Donatela, despite not forgiving Flora for the treason and for killing the love of her life, raised Lara with the love of a true mother.
Eighteen years later, after being released from prison, Flora starts trying to prove her innocence, blaming Donatela for the crime she has already paid for. Donatela fears that Flora may want to take her beloved daughter Lara away. Lara becomes the target of the dispute between the two women, who were once friends. While Flora tries to get her daughter back, Donatela will do everything she can to stop her.

## Cast

| Actor | Character |
| Patrícia Pillar | Flora Pereira da Silva; Main Villain (Ends up in jail under a 40-year sentence for all her crimes) |
| Cláudia Raia | Donatela Pinto Fontini |
| Murilo Benício | Dodi (Eduardo Gentil); Villain (Killed by Flora) |
| Mariana Ximenes | Lara Pereira Fontini |
| Deborah Secco | Maria do Céu Ferreira / Pâmela Queiroz |
| Taís Araújo | Alícia Rosa |
| Carmo Dalla Vecchia | Zé Bob (José Roberto Duarte) |
| Cauã Reymond | Halley Gonzaga da Silva / Mateus Fontini |
| Thiago Rodrigues | Cassiano Copola Mendonça |
| José Mayer | Augusto César |
| Glória Menezes | Irene Fontini |
| Tarcísio Meira | Copola |
| Ângela Vieira | Arlete Salvador |
| Christine Fernandes | Rita Porto |
| Chico Diaz | Átila Mendonça |
| Lília Cabral | Catarina Copola Monteiro |
| Giulia Gam | Diva Palhares (Rosana Costa/Kato/Miranda) |
| Ary Fontoura | Silveirinha (Francisco Silveira) |
| Mauro Mendonça | Gonçalo Fontini; (Killed by Flora) |
| Milton Gonçalves | Romildo Rosa |
| Cláudia Ohana | Cida Copola (Maria Aparecida Marelo Copola) |
| Elizângela | Cilene (Jucilene Maria Gonzaga) |
| Genézio de Barros | Pedro Pereira da Silva |
| Iran Malfitano | Orlandinho (Orlando Queiroz) |
| Leonardo Medeiros | Elias Filho |
| Mário Gomes | Gurgel (Francisco Gurgel) |
| Paula Burlamaqui | Stela |
| Suzana Faini | Iolanda Marelo Copola |
| Rosi Campos | Tuca (Tereza) |
| Alexandre Schumacher | Norton |
| Aramis Trindade | Clemente |
| Malvino Salvador | Damião Salvador Rosa |
| Bel Kutner | Amelinha (Amélia Mendonça Gurgel) |
| Emanuelle Araújo | Manu (Manuela Ferreira) |
| Clarice Falcão | Mariana Copola Monteiro |
| Fabrício Boliveira | Didu (Eduardo Rosa) |
| Helena Ranaldi | Dedina |
| Gisele Fróes | Lorena Copola Mendonça |
| Giovanna Ewbank | Sharon (Maria do Perpétuo Socorro) |
| Graziella Schmidtt | Tina |
| Jackson Antunes | Leonardo Monteiro (Léo); Villain (Ends in jail) |
| Jean Pierre Noher | Pepe Molinos |
| Miguel Rômulo | Shiva Lênin Costa |
| Rui Resende | Pereira |
| Selma Egrei | Dulce Porto |
| Raquel Galvão | Melissa |
| Ana Roberta Gualda | Greice Ferreira da Silva |
| Thiaré Maia | Luma |
| Alexandre Nero | Vanderlei |
| Luiz Bacelli |
| Darcy Queiroz |
| Cleide Queiroz | Antônia |
| Eduardo Mello | Domênico Copola Monteiro |
| Hanna Romanazzi | Camila Porto |
| Renan Mayer | Tiago Mendonça Gurgel |
| Sofia Terra | Carolina Mendonça Gurgel |

### Guest stars

| Juliana Paes | Maíra Carvalho; (Killed by Flora) |
| Walmor Chagas | Dr. Salvatore; (Killed by Flora) |
| Flávio Tolezani | Marcelo Fontini (Killed by Flora) |
| Nelson Xavier | Edivaldo Ferreira da Silva |
| Suely Franco | Geralda Queiroz |
| Faustão | Himself |

## Soundtracks

A Favorita has released three official soundtrack albums: one composed mostly of Brazilian songs (Nacional - "national" soundtrack), one mostly of international songs (Internacional), and a third one, with sertanejo music (a kind of Brazilian country music).
* Nacional soundtrack
* "É o Que Me Interessa" - Lenine (Flora's theme)
* "Amado" - Vanessa da Mata (Lara and Cassiano's / Lara and Halley's theme)
* "Sou Dela" - Nando Reis (Lara's theme)
* "Não Vou Me Adaptar" - - Arnaldo Antunes and Nando Reis (Didu's theme)
* "Quantas Vidas Você Tem?" - Paulinho Moska (Rita and Didu's theme)
* "Fala" - Ritchie (Augusto César's theme)
* "Tudo Passa" - Túlio Dek (Halley's theme)
* "Pa' Bailar" - Bajofondo (opening theme)
* "Mulher Sem Razão" - Adriana Calcanhotto (Donatela and Zé Bob's theme)
* "Morena dos Olhos d'água" - Chico Buarque
* "O Tempo Vai Apagar" - Zé Renato (Rita's theme)
* "Me Abrace (Abrázame)" - Camila & Wanessa Camargo (Stela's theme)
* Internacional soundtrack
* "Viva La Vida" - Coldplay (general theme)
* "Bottle It Up" - Sara Bareilles (Dedina and Damião's theme)
* "I'm Yours" - Jason Mraz (Cassiano's theme)
* "Carry You Home" - James Blunt (Augusto César's theme)
* "Love is Noise" - The Verve
* "That's Not My Name" - The Ting Tings (Alícia's theme)
* "Blame" - Tiago Iorc (Halley's theme)
* "Fidelity" - Regina Spektor (Lara's theme)
* "Sweet About Me" - Gabriella Cilmi
* "No Substitute Love" - Estelle (location theme)
* "Baby When the Light" - David Guetta (Orlandinho's theme / nightclub theme)
* "Pumpkin Soup" - Kate Nash (location theme)
* "Young Folks" - Peter Bjorn and John

## Impact
### Ratings

| Timeslot | # Ep. | Premiere | Premiere | Finale | Finale | Rank | Season | Rating average |
| Timeslot | # Ep. | Date | Premiere Rating | Date | Finale Rating | Rank | Season | Rating average |
| Mondays—Saturdays 8:45pm | 197 | 2 June 2008 | 35 | 16 January 2009 | 52 | #1 | 2008-09 | 40 |
In his first chapter, A Favorita recorded 35 points and 49% share, with the worst debut of a 8PM telenovela to date. These ratings are low due to the good performance of the final chapter of Caminhos do Coração, displayed simultaneously.
The ratings varied greatly over the weeks, until in Chapter 56, the telenovela recorded his record: 46 points and 65% share. Lowest audience was recorded on New Year's Eve: 25 points with a peak of 32.
In the final chapters, showed better performance: 52 points/76% share in the penultimate chapter; and 52 points/69.4% share in the last chapter, being the most watched broadcasts of recent years in Brazilian television.

## Awards

| Year | Award | Category | Recipient |
| 2008 | Prêmio Qualidade Brasil | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2008 | Prêmio Qualidade Brasil | Best Writer | João Emanuel Carneiro |
| 2008 | Prêmio Qualidade Brasil | Best director | Ricardo Waddington |
| 2008 | Prêmio Qualidade Brasil | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio Qualidade Brasil | Best Supporting Actress | Lília Cabral |
| 2008 | Troféu Raça Negra | Best Actor | Milton Gonçalves |
| 2008 | Troféu Raça Negra | Best Supporting Actor | Fabrício Boliveira |
| 2008 | Prêmio Extra de Televisão de 2008 | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2008 | Prêmio Extra de Televisão de 2008 | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio Extra de Televisão de 2008 | Best Supporting Actor | Cauã Reymond |
| 2008 | Prêmio Extra de Televisão de 2008 | Best Child Actor/Actress | Eduardo Mello |
| 2008 | Prêmio Extra de Televisão de 2008 | Best Theme Song | "Amado" (Vanessa da Mata) |
| 2008 | 18º Prêmio FestNatal — Os Favoritos do Público | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio APCA | Best Author | João Emanuel Carneiro |
| 2008 | Prêmio APCA | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio QUEM Acontece 2008 | Best Author | João Emanuel Carneiro |
| 2008 | Prêmio QUEM Acontece 2008 | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | ISTOÉ Gente — Personalidade do Ano | Personality of Year | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio UOL e PopTevê de Televisão | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2008 | Prêmio UOL e PopTevê de Televisão | Best Actor | Murilo Benício |
| 2008 | Prêmio UOL e PopTevê de Televisão | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Prêmio UOL e PopTevê de Televisão | Best Newcomer | Miguel Rômulo |
| 2008 | Prêmio TV Press | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Melhores do Ano 2008 — Domingão do Faustão | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2008 | Melhores do Ano 2008 — Domingão do Faustão | Best Actor | Murilo Benício |
| 2008 | Melhores do Ano 2008 — Domingão do Faustão | Best Supporting Actor | Cauã Reymond |
| 2008 | Melhores do Ano 2008 — Domingão do Faustão | Best Newcomer | Miguel Rômulo |
| 2009 | Prêmio IG Gente | Novela imperdível | A Favorita |
| 2009 | Prêmio IG Gente | Brilliant Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Best Actor | Murilo Benício |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Best Supporting Actor | Ary Fontoura |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Best Villain | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2009 | Prêmio Minha Novela | Cena de novela do ano | Murder of Gonçalo Fontini |
| 2009 | Prêmio Faz Diferença — Jornal O Globo | Revista da TV | João Emanuel Carneiro |
| 2009 | Troféu Imprensa | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2009 | Troféu Imprensa | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2009 | Troféu Imprensa | Best Actor | Cauã Reymond and Murilo Benício |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Newcomer | Alexandre Nero |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Actress | Patrícia Pillar |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Actor | Cauã Reymond |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Director | Ricardo Waddington |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Author | João Emanuel Carneiro |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Telenovela | A Favorita |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Supporting Actor | Ary Fontoura |
| 2009 | Prêmio Contigo | Best Child Actor | Eduardo Mello |