Maisa Silva is a TV presenter with the kind of looks that could easily land her on a Sports Illustrated cover—and possibly make you forget what you were watching. She’s undeniably gorgeous, but luckily for everyone, there’s plenty more going on than a camera-ready face. Maisa also has the talent and confidence to match, commanding attention and projecting herself with the poise of a seasoned supermodel. In other words, she’s got beauty, brains, and serious on-screen presence. So, let’s get to know her a little better.
Who is Maisa Silva
Maisa Silva is a Brazilian actress, presenter, and former singer who started her television career remarkably young. In 2007, she joined Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão (SBT), where she became a familiar face hosting children’s programs such as Sábado Animado and Bom Dia & Cia. Her big leap into the national spotlight came when she began co-hosting segments alongside television legend Silvio Santos. Not a bad introduction to show business—most people spend years trying to get noticed, while Maisa apparently skipped the queue.
Her Early Life
Maisa Silva was born on May 22, 2002, and she certainly didn’t waste much time getting started. At just three years old, she appeared as part of a group of young performers on Programa Raul Gil, which aired on RecordTV and Band. Two years later, SBT hired her to host two programs, setting the stage for her rapid rise to fame. She gained even more attention when she shared the spotlight with her boss, television legend Silvio Santos, on Pergunte a Maisa. Most toddlers were busy with cartoons; Maisa was already building a TV career.
Maisa Silva is an only child. She was born in ABC Paulista and spent much of her early childhood in São José dos Campos, where she lived from the age of two until seven. In July 2009, professional commitments prompted her family to move to Alphaville, in Barueri. Apparently, even childhood came with a relocation package when your career is already taking off.
Career Journey
Maisa Silva was discovered in 2005 after appearing on Programa Raul Gil, first on RecordTV and later on Rede Bandeirantes, where she performed songs by groups and artists including Rouge, Ivete Sangalo and Wanessa. She was only three years old at the time, which is a fairly impressive résumé for someone who was probably still negotiating bedtime.
In 2007, Maisa moved to SBT to host Sábado Animado, where she answered phone calls and presented games. She also took on similar duties on Domingo Animado and Bom Dia & Cia. By 2008, Sábado Animado was occasionally attracting a larger audience than TV Xuxa on TV Globo. Not bad for a child presenter. That same year, she began appearing on Programa Silvio Santos as part of Pergunte a Maisa, where SBT leaned into her youthful image by styling her in a way reminiscent of 1930s child star Shirley Temple.
Maisa then added singer to her growing list of credits. In 2009, she released her first studio album, Tudo que Me Vem na Cabeça, through Universal Music. The album featured songs that became closely associated with her, including “Tempo de Mudar,” “Pipoca Pula,” “Me Liga” and “Tudo Que Me Vem na Cabeça,” along with guest appearances from Eliana, Jorge & Mateus, Ivete Sangalo and Roger Moreira of Ultraje a Rigor.
On October 12, 2011, Maisa left Bom Dia & Cia to join the cast of Carrossel, playing Valéria Ferreira, the girlfriend of Davi Rabinovich, played by Guilherme Seta. The remake was adapted by Íris Abravanel and gave Maisa another major opportunity to show that she could do more than host children’s television.
She returned to Sábado Animado in April 2013 alongside Ana Zimerman and Matheus Ueta. At first, Maisa presented alone on Mondays and Wednesdays, but once the additional presenters joined, the trio began alternating in pairs. In 2014, she also co-hosted Mundo Pet with Carla Fioroni.
Music remained part of her career, too. In December 2014, she released her first EP, Eu Cresci!, featuring five new tracks on iTunes Brazil and Google Play. Produced by Otávio de Moraes, the EP spent considerable time on the Brasil Hot 100 Airplay chart. The title track was followed by “NheNheNhem,” which reached No. 1 on Spotify Brazil’s “Brazil Viral 50” in June 2015.
That success came with an unpleasant downside. During an August 9, 2015, episode of Domingo Legal, Maisa told host Celso Portiolli that she had been bullied at school because of her music and admitted that she regretted the experience. Fame, unfortunately, does not come with a magical force field against schoolyard nonsense.
In 2015, Maisa made her film debut in Carrossel: O Filme. The movie received a sequel, Carrossel 2: O Sumiço de Maria Joaquina, in 2016, the same year she joined the cast of her second soap opera, Carinha de Anjo. She also published her first book, Sinceramente Maisa, offering readers a look at her career and experiences.
Maisa kept the momentum going in 2017. She filmed the movie adaptation of Tudo por um Popstar, playing Gabi, one of its three protagonists alongside Klara Castanho and Mel Maia. The film reached theaters in 2018. She also published two more books that year: O Diário de Maisa, which focused more on her personal life, and O Livro de Tweets da +A, a collection of her Twitter posts.
Her résumé expanded again in January 2018 when she voiced Nina in the Brazilian release of Ferdinand. Around the same time, her social-media presence was becoming almost as impressive as her television career. In August, she ranked 10th among Brazil’s most-watched Instagram Stories creators. By December, she had become the most-followed teenager in the world, although she surrendered that title the following year to singer Billie Eilish.
Maisa also starred in Cinderela Pop as Cintia Dorella. The film premiered in theaters on February 28, 2019, and added another leading role to an already rather crowded résumé.
Later that year, she received her own talk show, Programa da Maisa, on SBT, sharing hosting duties with comedian Oscar Filho. She also appeared in Ela Disse, Ele Disse, playing Júlia—her first villainous role. The film premiered on October 3, 2019. By December, Maisa had another accolade of sorts, landing on the QualiBest institute’s list of Brazil’s biggest digital influencers.
In 2020, she took her growing international profile to Milan, where she attended a Dolce & Gabbana fashion show alongside young internet influencers from around the world and participated in a TikTok campaign for the brand. She also starred in Pai em Dobro, her first Netflix film.
Then came a major career change. In October 2020, Maisa announced that she would not renew her contract with SBT, which was set to expire at the end of the month. She wanted to pursue new personal and professional projects, bringing her 13-year run at the network to an end. During her farewell, she received tributes from several SBT personalities, including Raul Gil and Silvia Abravanel. Her departure also marked the end of Programa da Maisa.
Maisa didn’t exactly spend her first post-SBT chapter sitting around waiting for the phone to ring. On December 14, 2020, she announced her first venture as an entrepreneur. Alongside businessman and now business partner Guilherme Oliveira, she launched Mudah, an agency connecting brands and artists for influencer-marketing and advertising projects.
In 2021, Maisa was cast in Netflix’s De Volta aos 15, which premiered the following year. She played the teenage version of protagonist Anita, while Camila Queiroz portrayed her adult counterpart. The series debuted in 2022 and proved successful enough to earn a second season, scheduled for 2023.
From singing as a toddler to hosting television shows, starring in movies and soap operas, becoming a social-media powerhouse and eventually launching her own business, Maisa Silva has packed an extraordinary amount into a career that started before most people have even figured out how to tie their shoes.
Facts and Trivia
In October 2013, at just 11, Maisa announced another change: she was saying goodbye to her signature curls and choosing to wear her hair straight instead. A small style decision, perhaps, but one that got plenty of attention from fans.
Maisa has also openly identified as a feminist. Speaking about the historical ways women have been labeled and restricted, she explained, “Having the notion that, historically, women have been labeled and limited awakens [in me] the desire to be a woman, to use this to my advantage.”
Despite her young age, Maisa’s unusually long career has made her a respected voice in television, entertainment, advertising and media. That reputation has led to invitations to speak at major events—because apparently hosting shows, acting, singing and building a digital following still left some room on the résumé.
Her first major lecture, “Você tem Sonhos?” (“Do You Have Dreams?”), was held at the Ibirapuera Auditorium in São Paulo for an audience of around 8,000 young people. Maisa spoke about dreams, ambitions and setting goals, sharing lessons from her own career.
At ProXXIma 2019, she discussed her professional journey, advertising work and relationship with the media. She also appeared at the YOUPIX Summit 2019 for “Maisa Interview Paulo Marinho,” where the pair talked about online and offline communication, the future of the industry and content creation.
Later that year, Maisa joined SBT CEO José Roberto Maciel at RD Summit 2019 to discuss the communications market and the increasingly blurred line between “ON” and “OFF” media.
For someone who started working in television as a child, Maisa has clearly graduated from being the person on the screen to someone people want to hear from off it, too.
Maisa Silva Photos
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