Who is the Brazilian dancer who inherited millions from a British presenter

André Portasio lived a long love story with Paulo O’Grady that began in a gay nightclub

In recent days, the press revealed details of the will of English actor, presenter, comedian and drag queen Paul O’Grady, famous for the character Lily Savage. He left the equivalent of R$800,000 to care for his dogs.

Of the fortune of 15.5 million pounds (around R$98 million), a relevant part went to her husband, Brazilian dancer André Portasio, aged 43.

After studying dance at the Escuela Nacional de Cuba, he moved to London, where he excelled at the English National Ballet.

He participated in productions of Swan Lake, Romeo and Juliet, The Nutcracker and The Rite of Spring, among others. She even performed for Queen Elizabeth II.

André and Paul met in a gay club in 2007. It was love at first time. They married ten years later at the Goring Hotel, in the English capital. One of the guests was actor Ian McKellen, Gandalf from ‘The Lord of the Rings’ and Magneto from ‘X-Men’.

A friend of the royal family and popular with his subjects, Paul O’Grady died at home, aged 67, in March 2023, of heart problems. He and André formed one of the UK’s most influential gay couples.

“Paul was my rock, my confidant and my partner in every adventure. Our journey together has been extraordinary. He taught me the true meaning of love and I will be forever grateful for the precious time we spent together,” Portasio wrote in a post.