Podcast Podcast, Season 4, Episode 10: Gabriel Leone

Welcome to Season 4 of The Edge, a podcast by TAG Heuer. Our guest today is actor and musician Gabriel Leone. In March 2023, he was cast as Formula One legend Ayrton Senna in the upcoming Netflix series Senna. In this episode, Gabriel talks about how he approached the role, the challenges, the thrills and the nuances of playing such a universally loved sporting icon. He also tells us about what Senna means to him and the moments that shaped his own career. Presented by your host Naomi Schiff, this is The Edge, a podcast by TAG Heuer.

Here are a few snippets to put you on the starting line and get the adrenaline pumping. But don’t forget to subscribe to our Podcast so you can listen to the full, unfiltered episode later. The Edge is a series of conversations with extraordinary people operating at the edge of possibility. It’s about the thin line between taking part and tipping into victory; it’s about what gives us our edge and what we can do to go beyond it.

I started acting almost by accident. It was during my first year of high school. One of our teachers, a retired actor and history teacher, asked us to produce a play about Brazilian history. It was meant to be a one-day presentation for parents and teachers.

My class chose to create a play about Cazuza, a famous Brazilian singer from the 1980s. He wasn’t just known for his incredible talent but also for being one of the first Brazilian artists to die of AIDS. I was a huge fan, so I suggested playing him, and the class agreed. The performance was amateur, just a single night, but the experience was unforgettable. It felt like nothing I had ever experienced before. Being on stage for the first time gave me this indescribable sense of fulfillment.

After that, a theater director from my school—who ran a theater company—heard about my performance. He invited me to observe their rehearsals, and a month later, he asked me to join the company. My debut with them was in Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew.

That was the start. From then on, it was one project after another: lots of theater, followed by auditions for TV and movies. Now, 16 years later, I’m still doing what I love.

My parents were always supportive, but they understood how challenging and competitive this career can be. They encouraged me to have a backup plan, so I enrolled in a graphic design program while working with my theater company. I didn’t finish, though—I quit college a year before graduation when I landed my first TV role. I’ve never looked back, and it’s clear I made the right choice. This path was meant for me, and it’s something I’ve grown to excel at. I grew up in a family of Senna fans, so can you imagine when I call my parents saying I’m going to play Senna? It was massive !

Preparing to play Senna was unlike anything I had ever done. From the beginning, I knew it would be the biggest challenge of my career. Senna is a global icon, idolized for his charisma, physicality, voice, and energy. There’s so much footage of him available, so I felt a huge responsibility to embody him as faithfully as possible. My goal was for the audience to see me and instantly recognize Senna so they could fully immerse themselves in the story.

Of course, I did extensive research—reading, watching videos, talking to his family and those close to him—doing everything I could to capture his essence. I paid particular attention to Senna’s inner world, focusing deeply on his eyes.

I realized that his eyes, and the way he looked at things, revealed so much about who he was—his essence, his emotions, the human being behind the driver. It was a powerful and captivating gaze. As you mentioned, the challenge of identifying with a character and bringing that to life is always immense, especially with someone as iconic as Senna.

We worked tirelessly, experimenting with the smallest details—his mannerisms, his hair, everything. A few days before shooting began, we did a camera test with the full team: costumes, hair, and makeup. It was a surreal moment when I finally saw myself transformed into him. That’s when it truly sank in.

Playing Senna wasn’t just a responsibility; it was an honor. The production itself was groundbreaking—the largest ever made in Brazil. Netflix believed in the story and invested in creating a project with international-level quality, entirely produced by Brazilians.

As a Brazilian, I felt immense pride in being part of this production and helping to bring Senna’s story to life again. His legacy is monumental, not just in racing but for Brazil and the world. It’s a legacy that will live on forever. For me, the honor was indescribable, even though the pressure was immense.