Pelé was much more than a footballer. And not just because he was probably the best to ever walk the grasses of Earth. Pelé was an actor, he was a minister, he was an ambassador to the United Nations. He was a songwriter, he had a license and he stopped a war in Nigeria. On the day the world said goodbye to the Brazilian, it’s important to remember all the other jerseys Pele wore besides the number 10.
An actor who made 16 movies and even played a sports journalist named Nascimento.
Pelé’s acting career was extensive — participated in 16 productions, including films and documentaries, the first in 1962 and the last in 2017 -, True, but it quickly became clear that the Brazilian’s talent was restricted to the pitch. In 1969, he starred in the soap opera “Os Estranhos”, about the contact between humans and extraterrestrials, in an idea purposely designed to arouse interest in the Apollo missions.
Pelé’s most watched film was even “Escape to Victory”, from 1981, when he shared the screen with Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine but also with former players Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardilles and Kazimierz Deyna. There, however, it was even easy to shine: The theme of the film directed by John Huston was set against the backdrop of World War II and a soccer match between Allied prisoners and a team of German soldiers in occupied Paris.
The Brazilian would work with Houston again two years later, in 1983 and in “Avictoria do mais fraga”, although there he appeared in his own skin. In Brazil, however, the greatest film success of the former Brazilian player was “Os Trapalhões eo Rei do Futebol”, in 1986. The film was seen by more than three million people in theaters, is broadcast recurrently on television, and played the role of a sports journalist—curiously, the character was called Nascimento, Pelé’s nickname.
This article is exclusive to our subscribers: subscribe now and benefit from unlimited reading and other benefits. If you are already a subscriber, log in here. If you think this message is an error, please contact our customer service.
An actor who made 16 movies and even played a sports journalist named Nascimento.
Pelé’s acting career was extensive — participated in 16 productions, including films and documentaries, the first in 1962 and the last in 2017 -, True, but it quickly became clear that the Brazilian’s talent was restricted to the pitch. In 1969, he starred in the soap opera “Os Estranhos”, about the contact between humans and extraterrestrials, in an idea purposely designed to arouse interest in the Apollo missions.
Pelé’s most watched film was even “Escape to Victory”, from 1981, when he shared the screen with Sylvester Stallone and Michael Caine but also with former players Bobby Moore, Osvaldo Ardilles and Kazimierz Deyna. There, however, it was even easy to shine: The theme of the film directed by John Huston was set against the backdrop of World War II and a soccer match between Allied prisoners and a team of German soldiers in occupied Paris.
The Brazilian would work with Houston again two years later, in 1983 and in “Avictoria do mais fraga”, although there he appeared in his own skin. In Brazil, however, the greatest film success of the former Brazilian player was “Os Trapalhões eo Rei do Futebol”, in 1986. The film was seen by more than three million people in theaters, is broadcast recurrently on television, and played the role of a sports journalist—curiously, the character was called Nascimento, Pelé’s nickname.
Source: Observadora
