Odete Roitman is a fictional character in the Brazilian telenovela Vale Tudo, broadcast by TV Globo from May 1988 to January 1989. Played by Beatriz Segall, she became the leading icon of villainy in Brazilian television drama and is frequently cited in retrospectives, rankings and critical analyses of telenovelas in Brazil. She was later portrayed by Débora Bloch in a 2025 version of the series, which altered parts of her storyline.
Death and public fascination
The character's murder and the mystery surrounding her killer, popularized by the question "Quem matou Odete Roitman?" (Who killed Odete Roitman?), generated wide media and cultural repercussion at the time. The story appeared on newspaper front pages, inspired advertising campaigns, and even led to bets in the jogo do bicho, an illegal lottery game. The culprit was revealed only in the final chapter.
Character and storyline
Born in Petrópolis, Odete was the daughter of a bookshop owner and was known for arrogance and prejudice against Brazil and its people. She married the head of a business group whose main company was an airline, and she managed the enterprises with him. Her manipulation of family members, her affairs and her involvement in a fatal car accident shaped much of her narrative. Her character is widely regarded as a defining example of villainy in Brazilian television.