The most important singer of the Bossa Nova Movement, João Gilberto (the original performer of "Desafinado", "Chega de Saudade" and many others) is living in Rio as a recluse and refused to participate in the film.
Vinicius de Moraes, one of the founding fathers of Bossa Nova, drank heavily (he said once: "Whisky is man's best friend - the devil in a bottle), died of it at his home in Rio de Janeiro at the age of 66, while in the company of his eighth and last wife. Several Bossa Nova stars died relatively young: Tom Jobim at 67, Boscoli at 66, Bola Sete at 64, Baden Powell at 63, Nara Leão at 47, Maysa Matarazzo at 39, Elis Regina at 37, Newton Mendonça at 33.