Star Domingos Montagner sadly drowned to his death at the San Francisco river while swimming, on September 15, 2016. His co-star Camila Pitanga was reportedly saved by him, as he avoided grabbing her hand and consequently pulling her into the water. Pitanga still tried to grab him out of the river's rogue current, unsuccessfully. She witnessed Montagner being dragged by the water and disappearing. The actor was 54 years old.
Concicidentally, scenes strongly reminiscent of Domingos Montagner's demise were aired the day of his death as Selma Egrei's character Encarnação almost drowns to her death in the river. Monatgner's death itself mirrored his character's storyline, with the difference that Santo survived and was found alive in the river.
After Domingos Montagner's death, producers decided to keep Montagner's character alive. So they decided to shoot from the character's point of view and superimposed his voice from previous episodes.
The first Rede Globo period telenovela of the 8/9pm schedule since Esperança (2002) - also created by Benedito Ruy Barbosa.