The Heart & Hustle of Portugal

Expresso
  • 5.0 (10)
  • CAREERS
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Each week, join Tony Gonçalves—a U.S.-based Portuguese immigrant and successful media executive—as he explores the stories of those driving Portugal’s influence on the global stage. From visionary entrepreneurs to cultural pioneers, The Heart and Hustle of Portugal uncovers the unique ways the Portuguese identity thrives worldwide. As Expresso’s first English-language product, this series bridges cultures and connects the global audience to Portugal’s spirit of innovation, passion, and resilience.

  1. Carolina Deslandes: “I don’t write songs for my haters”

    4D AGO

    Carolina Deslandes: “I don’t write songs for my haters”

    Singer-songwriter Carolina Deslandes’ conversation with Tony Gonçalves that kicks off season 4 of “The Heart and Hustle of Portugal” podcast reveals an artist who moves between vulnerability and courage, always remaining true to herself. Deslandes speaks openly about motherhood, public exposure, and online hate with the frankness that characterizes her. Carolina Deslandes explains how writing became her personal space of freedom and a way to address issues such as violence against women the rise of the far-right. She argues that freedom requires responsibility and access to information, something she sees as essential in a country where, she says, we are once again debating the “basics.” Revisiting her artistic journey, Deslandes describes songwriting as a physical urgency, inseparable from the different stages of her life. She reflects on her early days on the TV show Ídolos, the challenge of balancing creativity and family life, and the moments of exhaustion that forced her to rethink her priorities. But it is in the civic sphere that Deslandes asserts herself most strongly, invoking the legacy of the Carnation Revolution and criticising the narratives that aim to restrict rights, particularly those of women. Even so, she remains hopeful about the generosity of the Portuguese people and the cultural vitality that renews itself every day. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 2m
  2. Rerelease: Mariana Van Zeller goes in depth on bacalhau

    JAN 23

    Rerelease: Mariana Van Zeller goes in depth on bacalhau

    Journalist Mariana Van Zeller returns to The Heart and Hustle of Portugal and expands her love for Portugal’s mascot: Bacalhau. Listen again to this season 3 episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    44 min
  3. Rerelease: Chazz Palminteri’s love for Portuguese sardines is unmatched

    JAN 16

    Rerelease: Chazz Palminteri’s love for Portuguese sardines is unmatched

    Listen again to this episode of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with the actor Chazz Palminteri. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    35 min
  4. Rerelease: MARO’s music is global, but her taste is still Portuguese

    JAN 9

    Rerelease: MARO’s music is global, but her taste is still Portuguese

    Revisit the first episode of season 3 of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with the singer-songwriter MARO. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 1m
  5. Rerelease: André de Freitas’ unfiltered guide to eating (and avoiding) in Portugal

    JAN 2

    Rerelease: André de Freitas’ unfiltered guide to eating (and avoiding) in Portugal

    Revisit this episode from season 3 of The Heart and Hustle of Portugal with comedian André de Freitas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    53 min
  6. Afonso Pimentel: how a Portuguese actor closed a 30-year circle in the Atlantic

    12/26/2025

    Afonso Pimentel: how a Portuguese actor closed a 30-year circle in the Atlantic

    Actor Afonso Pimentel, one of the most recognizable faces from Netflix’s “Turn of the Tide”, carries with him a story that reveals how a single moment of hesitation can alter the course of a career. Early on, when a casting director from Los Angeles reached out requesting his reel, Pimentel didn’t have one prepared. He asked for two weeks to assemble it: The reply never came. Only years later did he discover what was at stake: the production was casting for a then‑unknown series titled “Lost”, a show that would go on to become a global phenomenon. The opportunity evaporated before he had the chance to compete for it, a reminder that, in the entertainment industry, timing matters, but acting on timing matters more. Windows of opportunity rarely stay open. Today, Pimentel’s path has brought him international visibility through Netflix and a growing body of work that solidifies his reputation. Yet the missed “Lost” moment remains part of his narrative, an example of the unpredictable turns that shape creative careers. It’s a story that resonates not only with actors, but with anyone working in an industry where momentum is fragile — and where hesitation can mean watching a defining moment pass by. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    57 min
  7. Piper Perabo on acting, activism, and a little bit of Portugal

    12/19/2025

    Piper Perabo on acting, activism, and a little bit of Portugal

    Actor Piper Perabo’s path to the screen began with a landline phone call: producer Jane Rosenthal contacted the young performer at home with the words every new actor hopes to hear: “You got the part”. Just six months after graduating from college, Perabo found herself on set with Robert De Niro, an early break that set the pace for a varied and steadily rising career. Although widely recognized for her roles in “Coyote Ugly” and the series “Covert Affairs” Perabo’s story begins far from Hollywood. Raised on the Jersey Shore, she is the daughter of a poetry professor and grew up in an environment steeped in the arts. Perabo was among the featured guests at this year’s Tribeca Festival Lisboa, attending the opening-night screening of “In the Hand of Dante”. Piper’s first time in Lisbon was a moment she will treasure forever, as she remembers a particular afternoon around a “ginjinha” place downtown in the pouring rain. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 2m
  8. Paula Lobo Antunes: The New York–born actress who became a Portuguese icon

    12/12/2025

    Paula Lobo Antunes: The New York–born actress who became a Portuguese icon

    Paula Lobo Antunes’s recent role in the film “A Teacher’s Gift” is as memorable as the path that brought her here. Whether playing the villain in Flor do Mal or a leading protagonist in Mar de Paixão, Paula knows she made the right decision the day she quietly applied to drama school while still studying medicine. She opens up about her career, her life, motherhood, and family. She recalls how her father, the renowned neurosurgeon João Lobo Antunes, operated on an HIV patient at a time when no one else would dare. Throughout this conversation with Tony Gonçalves, Paula reveals a lifelong sense of not fully belonging, of working hard, and of constantly competing with herself. And the work speaks for itself. She also brings forward a Portuguese trait that no other guest has named so clearly: the constant apologizing, the “forgive me for existing” mentality. What does that mean for the cultural identity of a small country with enormous talent? See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    1h 2m
See All (63)

Trailer

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

Each week, join Tony Gonçalves—a U.S.-based Portuguese immigrant and successful media executive—as he explores the stories of those driving Portugal’s influence on the global stage. From visionary entrepreneurs to cultural pioneers, The Heart and Hustle of Portugal uncovers the unique ways the Portuguese identity thrives worldwide. As Expresso’s first English-language product, this series bridges cultures and connects the global audience to Portugal’s spirit of innovation, passion, and resilience.

Information

More From Expresso

You Might Also Like