André Villas-Boas’s brother, actor João Villas-Boas, recalls the difficult period when he was unable to live the truth about his sexuality and came to believe that liking men was a “sin.”
In an interview with “Magg”, João commented that he did not tell his family that he was gay until 20 years ago, when he was 22. “There was a long time in my life when I, as a gay man, said, “I don’t want to be this, because it won’t give a good outcome to anyone.”
The family welcomed João and his friends into the house, however, the actor admitted: “It is never a linear process, because the fears that I had and carry are fears that my parents or my siblings, at a certain point, might also carry and they certainly did, and they probably had.” “Dreams for me and I ended up adapting to it, but my family knows a lot of my friends, who were spending Christmas at home and going to parties these days. Yes, I can say there is absolute acceptance, but they also never said they were going to kick me out of the house because of it.” .
“There is nothing I can do, or be, or exist that will prevent me from living in this sin. This is the case with my family: we have been going to Mass since we were little, and ever since then, this idea has been inculcated that we are sinful, that we sin with thoughts.” Words, deeds and deeds, and therefore there is no way to escape from this matter. The first time I was with a man, I washed myself with bleach and it was with the need to try to cleanse myself of this idea of sin, to try to cleanse myself of the feeling of filth that was inside me.”
Now 42 years old, Joao is breathing a sigh of relief after being freed from the “shame” he felt. “In recent years, there has been a huge leap forward in this regard, which is not only related to the treatment I undergo, but also to the people I surround myself with, my chosen family of friends, who allow me to exist in my most authentic self and accept me in this most authentic place.” .
