Brazilian actress, singer, and comedian Samantha Schmütz is in talks to produce a mixed martial arts (MMA) movie based on her comedy character Juninho Play, featuring numerous high-profile people from the MMA and jiu-jitsu world.
Samantha Schmütz, Brazil’s renowned actress, singer, and comedian, has an exciting project in her kitty. She has been simultaneously working on a theatre project and popular comedy show called “Zorra Total” on Globo TV. She is developing a movie centered around the character Juninho Play, one she has been portraying for half a decade. Prior to the movie, Schmütz also launched an animated web series featuring Juninho Play in 2015. Currently, Samantha is in negotiation talks regarding the movie which she wrote with Leandro Soares, the creator of the comedy TV show Vai Que Cola, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha possesses an undying love for the MMA world, having made several friends from the field like ‘Claudinha’ Gadelha, Junior dos Santos Cigano, and Anderson Silva. She believes that the MMA universe is rich with stories that can be weaved into her film, especially because there is a dearth of fight films in Brazil. She wants her film not only to be humor-filled but also beautiful. She has a vision of showcasing Jiu-jitsu, a martial art form that represents Brazil well, as she believes it connects Brazil to the world. She wants the film to be a mix of serious technical aspects of Jiu-jitsu and humor inspired by in-fight positions and tactics.
Samantha’s love for martial arts ignited due to her husband’s fascination with boxing and MMA. She took up training when she learnt that Pride FC veteran Ricardo Arona resided near her house in Niteroi. Her attachment to the sport grew when she purchased a jiu-jitsu shirt featuring Arona’s symbol for Juninho’s character on his recommendation. She now dwells in Los Angeles training jiu-jitsu under Fabio Trindade at Gracie Barra Northridge. This past April, Schmütz trained with Claudia Gadelha at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas and attended UFC Vegas 71 live at the UFC APEX.
She has invited Gadelha, Arona, and various other prominent MMA and jiu-jitsu personalities like Gabi Garcia to be a part of the movie. Samantha is also keen on shooting some scenes in Las Vegas. She grew up watching Jon Voight’s The Champ and the Rocky series, which are her sources of inspiration. She has immense respect for Sylvester Stallone and wants to emulate him in her project by writing, producing, and starring in her own MMA movie. The plot of the film revolves around her character, Juninho Play, discovering MMA as a means to earn money and support his grandmother.