Marcus Buaiz Talks About His Career and One Year of Marriage to Isis Valverde: “We Stayed Together from Midnight to 2 A.M.”

Marcus Buaiz, 46, says he was born into exceptional circumstances as the grandson of Américo Buaiz, founder of Grupo Buaiz in Espírito Santo, a family business active in food, communications, education, and real estate. Even so, he says he never saw himself simply following in the family succession. Instead, he chose to build a career around projects that feel meaningful and aligned with what he enjoys doing.

One of his most visible recent ventures is in Brazilian cinema. Since mid-2020, Buaiz has been a partner at Ventre Studio alongside João Queiroz, Giuliano Cedroni, and Justine Otondo. The company recently presented its main project in Rio de Janeiro: 100 Dias, a film directed by Carlos Saldanha and based on Amyr Klink’s book Cem Dias entre Céu e Mar, which tells the story of Klink’s 1984 rowing crossing of the South Atlantic. In the movie, Klink will be played by Filipe Bragança.

Ventre Studio is also moving ahead with other productions. It has started filming Refestança – Diário, Fotos e Música, a documentary with fictional elements made in partnership with Globo and centered on the 1970s collaboration between Rita Lee and Gilberto Gil. Zé Ibarra, lead singer of Bala Desejo, stars in the project. The studio is also working with Disney on a romantic comedy titled Save The Day, starring Maisa Silva and Giovanna Lancelotti and filmed in Pernambuco, with a release planned for 2027.

Buaiz says he is inspired by the model of American studio A24, which became known for distinctive productions aimed at audiences that engage heavily with social media. According to partner João Queiroz, the projects being developed by the company can exceed budgets of R$ 30 million. The long-term goal is to generate R$ 500 million per year by 2028. Buaiz says the focus is not on becoming the biggest production company in Brazil, but on raising quality and choosing stories with real purpose and message.

Beyond film, Buaiz currently invests in nine businesses and serves on their boards. Over the past six years, he has shifted from being an owner-operator to a more advisory role, favoring diversification over direct control. His portfolio spans sectors including culture, financial services, and life insurance.

He will also appear as one of the guest investors on the 11th season of Shark Tank Brasil, where he evaluated 27 business ideas during recordings in May. He says he wants to be taken seriously on the show and not turn it into a performance.

On the personal side, Buaiz spoke from a family house in Rio de Janeiro that is undergoing renovation to better suit daily life with actress Isis Valverde and their family. The couple split time between homes in Rio, California, and São Paulo. They are not planning to have another child. Buaiz said both have demanding schedules, but they make an effort to protect time together and maintain a deliberate partnership built on choice, dialogue, and mutual support.