It happened fast. One minute you're scrolling through Netflix looking for something light, and the next, you're watching a Brazilian social media influencer crash her Mustang because she couldn't stop texting. That’s Modo Avião. If you searched for airplane mode the movie cast, you're probably trying to figure out where you recognize the lead actress from or why the grandfather looks so familiar.
Let's be real. Most "teen" movies feel like they were written by people who haven't seen a smartphone since 2012. But this 2020 flick actually landed pretty well because of the chemistry between the actors. It wasn't just another throwaway romantic comedy; it became one of Netflix’s most-watched non-English films at the time of its release. That doesn't happen by accident. It happens because the casting department knew exactly what they were doing.
Larissa Manoela: The Powerhouse Behind Ana
You cannot talk about this movie without talking about Larissa Manoela. She is, quite literally, a mogul in Brazil.
In the film, she plays Ana, an influencer who is deeply "plugged in" to the point of clinical obsession. Think of her as a stylized version of what people imagine Gen Z stars to be like—glamorous, exhausted, and tethered to a digital brand.
Larissa wasn't some random newcomer they found at a mall. She’s been a household name in South America since she was a kid. If you grew up in Brazil, you knew her from the telenovela Carrossel. By the time she filmed Airplane Mode, she already had millions—and I mean tens of millions—of followers on Instagram.
This creates a weird, meta layer to the movie. You're watching a real-life mega-influencer play a fictional mega-influencer who is being told to put her phone down. It's almost a documentary at that point. Her performance works because she understands the frantic energy of "content creation." She captures that specific brand of anxiety that comes when your battery hits 1% and you’re nowhere near a charger.
Erasmo Carlos: The Legend You Might Have Missed
The heart of the movie isn't the romance or the Instagram filters. It’s the relationship between Ana and her grandfather, Germano.
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Germano is played by Erasmo Carlos. If you aren't familiar with Brazilian music history, you might just see him as a "kindly old man" character. That is a massive understatement. Erasmo Carlos, who sadly passed away in 2022, was a pioneer of Brazilian rock and roll. He was part of the Jovem Guarda movement in the 1960s.
Having Erasmo in the airplane mode the movie cast brought a gravitas to the film that it honestly wouldn't have had otherwise. He played the "analog" foil to Ana’s "digital" chaos. His character fixes old cars. He lives in a house where the Wi-Fi signal goes to die. The chemistry between him and Larissa Manoela felt authentic because, in a way, it represented two different eras of Brazilian stardom meeting in the middle of a farmhouse.
André Luiz Frambach and the Romantic Lead
Then there's João. Every movie like this needs a grounded, slightly rugged love interest who teaches the protagonist that "real life" is better than a screen. André Luiz Frambach stepped into that role.
Funny enough, the chemistry you see on screen wasn't just acting. André and Larissa Manoela actually ended up getting married in real life. They are basically a Brazilian power couple now.
João isn't a particularly complex character—he’s a mechanic, he’s nice, he likes nature—but Frambach plays him with enough sincerity that it doesn't feel like a total cliché. He’s the guy who helps Ana realize that she doesn't need a ring light to be seen. It's a trope, sure, but it’s a trope that works because the two actors clearly liked each other.
Supporting Players Who Rounded Out the World
A movie about the pitfalls of fame needs villains, or at least people who represent the "problem."
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- Dani Ornellas and Eike Duarte: They play the people managing Ana’s career and her image. They represent the corporate side of social media—the people who view a human being as a "vertical" or a "brand identity."
- Nayobe Nzoldy: She plays Julia, providing a much-needed balance to the high-stress environment of Ana's city life.
- Mariana Amâncio: As Vitória, she adds to the social circle that defines Ana’s world before the "digital detox" kicks in.
The parents, played by Michel Bercovitch and Silvia Lourenço, act as the catalyst for the whole plot. They’re the ones who finally snap and send Ana to her grandfather’s house after her third car accident. Their performances are understated, but they capture that specific parental "we don't know what to do with you anymore" vibe perfectly.
Why This Specific Cast Worked So Well
Most Netflix international films struggle because they try to mimic American styles too closely. Airplane Mode didn't do that. It leaned into the specific culture of São Paulo and the Brazilian countryside.
The casting of Larissa Manoela was the smartest move the producers made. She brought a pre-built audience. But more than that, she brought an understanding of the material. When she’s crying over a broken phone, it feels real because she knows what that phone represents in her actual career.
The contrast between her and Erasmo Carlos is the movie’s secret weapon. You have a girl who lives for the future and a man who lives in the past. It’s a classic setup, but the actors make it feel like a genuine family dynamic rather than a script requirement.
Production Details and Context
Directed by César Rodrigues, the film was based on a script by Alberto Bremer. It’s worth noting that the film was dubbed into several languages, which is how it became a global hit. If you watched the English dubbed version, you might have missed some of the nuance in the actors' original voices, especially Erasmo’s gravelly, soulful tone.
The film was shot largely in the state of Rio de Janeiro, specifically in areas that could pass for a secluded, rural escape. This setting was essentially a character in itself, acting as a cage for Ana at first, and then a sanctuary.
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The Reality of the "Influencer" Genre
We see a lot of these movies now. Films like Not Okay or Ingrid Goes West take a darker look at social media. Airplane Mode is the "comfort food" version of that. It doesn't want to make you feel bad about your phone; it just wants to remind you to look up occasionally.
The cast carried that message without being too preachy. If the acting had been stiff, the "put down your phone" message would have been annoying. Instead, because we liked Ana and Germano, we were willing to go along with the journey.
What to Watch Next if You Liked This Cast
If you found yourself becoming a fan of the airplane mode the movie cast, there are a few places to go next.
- Lulli (Netflix): This is another Larissa Manoela vehicle. She plays a medical student who starts hearing people's thoughts. It’s a bit more "high concept" but carries the same charm.
- Beyond the Universe: If you want more Brazilian drama on Netflix, this is a solid choice, though it's much more of a tear-jerker than Airplane Mode.
- Erasmo Carlos’s Discography: Seriously, go listen to Amar Pra Viver ou Morrer de Amor. It will give you a much deeper appreciation for the man playing the grandfather.
Actionable Insights for Fans
If you're looking to dive deeper into the world of Brazilian cinema or just want more from these specific actors, here is how to navigate it:
- Follow the leads on Socials: Larissa Manoela and André Luiz Frambach are very active. Following them gives you a "behind the scenes" look at their actual lives, which ironically mirrors the themes of the movie.
- Check the "More Like This" section: Netflix's algorithm is actually quite good at grouping Brazilian rom-coms. Look for titles like Rich in Love (Ricos de Amor).
- Watch in the Original Language: If you haven't already, go back and watch a few scenes with the original Portuguese audio and subtitles. You get a much better sense of the actors' timing and the emotional weight of their performances, especially in the scenes between Ana and her grandfather.
The legacy of Airplane Mode isn't necessarily its plot—it's how it introduced a global audience to the massive talent coming out of Brazil. It proved that a local story about a girl, her grandpa, and a broken Mustang could resonate in New York, London, and Tokyo just as well as it did in São Paulo.