Paulo (Lost)
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| Paulo | |
|---|---|
 Rodrigo Santoro as Paulo |
|
| First appearance | "Further Instructions" |
| Last appearance | "Exposé" |
| Centric episodes | "Exposé" |
| Information | |
| Name | Paulo (surname unknown) |
| Status | Deceased[1] |
| Profession | Con artist/chef |
| Portrayed by | Rodrigo Santoro |
Paulo is a fictional character on the ABC drama television series Lost, which chronicles the lives of over forty people after their plane crashes on a remote island somewhere in the south Pacific.[2] Successful Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro plays the survivor of the crash of Oceanic Flight 815.[3]
Paulo is introduced early in the third season alongside his girlfriend Nikki Fernandez.[4] The writers and producers of the show were often asked what the rest of the plane-crash survivors were doing while the major characters were trekking through the jungle, hoping to ensure the survivors' safety, and the characters of Nikki and Paulo were created in response.[5] Fan reaction to the characters was generally negative because they had not been present for the past two seasons, and suddenly appeared on the beach as if they had been.[6] Lost's show runner Damon Lindelof even acknowledged that Paulo was "universally despised" by fans.[7]
Contents |
[edit] History
Originating from Brazil, Paulo is a con artist working with his girlfriend Nikki. He works as a chef for a wealthy television executive in Sydney, Australia, while Nikki guest stars on his show and seduces him, the latter of which Paulo is uncomfortable with. Paulo poisons his food, murdering him, in order for him and Nikki to steal his bag of diamonds, which are worth $8 million. Three days later, Paulo and Nikki board Oceanic Flight 815 to return to Nikki's home in Los Angeles, USA.[8]
They lose the diamonds on the island after the plane crashes and they spend their time searching for them. However, Paulo suspects that they are the only reason for their relationship, and thus does not tell Nikki when he finds them on their thirty-third day after the crash. One day while looking in the jungle, they come across the DHARMA Initiative's The Pearl, a scientific research station built in sometime around 1980. Nikki is uninterested, but Paulo later returns by himself forty-nine days after the crash, hiding the diamonds in the toilet. While in the washroom, Paulo overhears two of the mysterious island inhabitants known as the Others speak of capturing some of Paulo's fellow survivors, however he keeps this information to himself.[8]
On the seventy-second day after the crash, Nikki and Paulo join Locke when he ventures back to the Pearl Station, hoping to communicate with the Others.[9] He returns to the toilet to retrieve the diamonds, keeping them in his underwear after that. As they leave, the group witnesses Mr. Eko's death and burial not far from The Pearl.[10]
Eighty-one days after the crash, Nikki finds out about Paulo hiding the diamonds from her, and in anger releases a venomous spider on him that causes Paulo to be paralyzed for the next eight hours. As he is entering the state of paralysis, Paulo admits that he only kept the diamonds from her because he thought that she would leave him after she got them. Nikki then gets bitten and is also temporarily paralyzed. The pair is mistaken for dead after being discovered by the survivors. Paulo and Nikki are then accidentally buried alive by James "Sawyer" Ford and Hugo "Hurley" Reyes.[8]
[edit] Characteristics
Paulo was written to be unlikable, with the hope that he would redeem himself in his final episode, in which the flashbacks centered around him.[11] Paulo either resents or is indifferent toward the often heroic actions of some of the surivors, spending much of his time golfing.[12] He complains to Nikki about not being included, however he does little to help out around the camp and does not try to improve his status in the survivors' hierarchy.[9] When he does get chances to participate in treks, for example, when Hurley finds a car, Paulo is uninterested and discourages Nikki from joining Hurley on his adventure.[13] Nikki volunteers to go with Locke to the Pearl station, much to the surprise of Paulo, who accompanies her, and he exhibits a constant sarcastic behavior in the Pearl.
After the crash, Paulo becomes suspicious that Nikki is just using him to get the diamonds. The first thing that she asks him after the crash is the whereabouts of the diamonds, and avoids answering Paulo when he asks if they would still be together if she did not need him to help find the diamonds. Paulo acts subordinate to Nikki because of his fear of losing her, and does not tell her when he finds the diamonds, which ultimately leads to his demise.[8]
[edit] Creation
At the end of the first season, the writers had the idea that one of the background survivors would emerge and receive an on-island flashback episode to help answer the question, "What the hell is going on with the other 35 people who nothing ever happens to?"[7] At the end of the first season, Leslie Arzt was introduced, with the thought of giving background characters speaking roles, only for him to explode a few episodes later.[14] It was originally conceived that only a woman would be introduced, however the idea later changed to include her boyfriend, as well.[15] While the writers only wanted the characters for their flashback episode, which was the fourteenth of the third season, they recurred them throughout the earlier episodes of the season, so that they could become recognizable to the audience[5] when they became "iconic characters of the show."[7]
[edit] Casting
Rodrigo Santoro, who has been called "the Brazilian Tom Cruise" and the "the Brazilian Russell Crowe," was cast in his first major American television role as Paulo on Lost.[16] Santoro was reportedly paid "between $2634 and $6427 a week."[17] The executive producers called Santoro "perfect for Lost because he a face that the American audience is not familiar with," but he is a well experienced actor in his home country, having won many awards.[18] A similar reason was given for casting actress Yunjin Kim, "the Korean Julia Roberts,"[19] in the role of Sun Kwon.[20] Part of the reason that Santoro was cast over other actors was because of his attractive physique, however the writers said that they were not interested in writing for his character with that in mind, nor did he want them to.[16]
[edit] Reception
Fan reaction was mostly negative, one journalist even giving Paulo the nickname, "Paulo Poops-a-Lot," referencing a gag scene where Paulo emerges from the Pearl station bathroom and exclaims, "the toilet still works," to Locke, Nikki, Sayid Jarrah and Desmond Hume who are attempting to communicate with the Others.[21] The writing for the character was also criticized,[22] and the character was called "boring," "flat," "unwanted"[23] and a "walking collateral damage."[24] When rumours circuclated the Internet and were mentioned in ABC commercials that characters were going to die, many fans hoped for a "double murder"[25] of Paulo and Nikki and rejoiced when their wish was granted.[26] Additionally, Santoro stated in an interview that his character would die in the middle of the third season, causing fans to wonder why they should invest time in a character who would depart from the show only a handful of episodes after he was introduced.[27]
[edit] References
- ^ Malcolm, Shawna, (March 29, 2007) "Lost Boss Explains Last Night's Double Demise," TV Guide. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ (January 22, 2007) "ABC Television Studio Lost Show Description Lead Press Release Page," ABC Medianet. Retrieved on April 8, 2007.
- ^ (February 16, 2007) "ABC Televison Studio Lost March 7, 2007 Episode "Enter 77" Entertanment Press Release," ABC Medianet. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ "Further Instructions." Lost, ABC. October 18, 2006. Episode 3, season 3.
- ^ a b White, Cindy, (January 22, 2007) "Executive Producers Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse Promise That They Have Found the Plot Twists That Will Bring Lost's Viewers Back," Sci Fi. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ Catlin, Roger, (January 30, 2007) "Nikki and Paulo Rising," Hartfort Courant. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ a b c Jensen, Jeff & Snierson, Dan, (February 8, 2007) "'Lost' and Found," Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
- ^ a b c d "Exposé." Lost, ABC. March 28, 2007. Episode 14, season 3.
- ^ a b "The Cost of Living." Lost, ABC. November 1, 2006. Episode 5, season 3.
- ^ "I Do." Lost, ABC. November 8, 2006. Episode 6, season 3.
- ^ Goldman, Eric, (January 16, 2007), "How Will Lost End?," IGN. Retrieved on April 4, 2007.
- ^ "Every Man for Himself." Lost, ABC. October 25, 2006. Episode 4, season 3.
- ^ "Tricia Tanaka Is Dead." Lost, ABC. February 28, 2007. Episode 10, season 3.
- ^ "Exodus (Part 2)." Lost, ABC. May 24, 2005. Episode 24, season 1.
- ^ Cuse, Carlton & Kitsis, Eddie & Horowitz, Adam, (March 30, 2007, "Official LOST Podcast 03.30.07," ABC. Retrieved on April 4, 2007.
- ^ a b Ausiello, Michael, (July 25, 2006), "Lost Snags "Brazilian Tom Cruise"," TV Guide. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
- ^ Boscov, Isabela, (March 28, 2007), "He's Almost There," Vega magazine. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
- ^ "Awards for Rodrigo Santoro," IMDb. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
- ^ Maxim magazine, (Spring, 2007) “Yoon-jin Kim Picture Pages,” SuperiorPics. Retrieved on April 7, 2007.
- ^ Before They Were Lost [Documentary]. Lost: The Complete First Season: Buena Vista Home Entertainment.
- ^ Jensen, Doc, (March 27, 2007) "A "Lost" Cause?," Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved on April 1, 2007
- ^ Carreau, Isabelle, (March 22, 2007) "Rodrigo Santoro: In the Limelight," AOL TV Squad. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Duarte, Dylan, (March 31, 2007) "Nikki and Paulo, We Hardly Knew Ye," HubPages. Retrieved on April 1, 2007.
- ^ Bates, Lulu, (March 13, 2007) "Locke and Load Recap," Television Without Pity. Retrieved on April 8, 2007.
- ^ Ausiello, Michael, (March 14, 2007) "Ask Ausiello," TV Guide. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
- ^ Van De Kamp, Justin, (March 26, 2007) "LOST Spoilers #314: "Expose": Die, Nikki and Paulo, Die!," Televisionista. Retrieved on April 3, 2007.
- ^ Rolling Stone magazine, Brazilian edition, (January 10, 2007) "Santoro Says That His Character Dies in the 3rd Season of "Lost"," Folha. Retrieved on April 2, 2007.
[edit] External links
- Character history, trivia & theories at Lostpedia
- Biography at the Official Lost Wiki
- Character history at the Lost Wiki
- ABC Medianet press release text at ComingSoon
- Seasonal promotional photographs at Lost-Media
| Lost | |
|---|---|
| Production: | DVD releases • Episode list • Season 1 • Season 2 • Season 3 • Soundtrack |
| Main characters: |
Ana Lucia • Ben • Boone • Charlie • Claire • Desmond • Hurley • Jack • Jin • Juliet • Kate Libby • Locke • Michael • Mr. Eko • Nikki • Paulo • Sawyer • Sayid • Shannon • Sun • Walt |
| Supporting characters: |
Alex • Bernard • Christian • Cindy • Ethan • The Others • Pickett • Rose • Rousseau • Tom |
| Organizations: | DHARMA Initiative • Hanso Foundation • Oceanic Airlines |
| Elements: | Crossover list • DHARMA Initiative stations • Flight 815 • Mythology • Thematic motifs |
| Miscellaneous: | Gary Troup • In popular culture • Lost Experience • Rachel Blake • Video game |
