In a Brazilian studio where an American TV series is being dubbed to Portuguese, middle-aged Mary Matos dreams of becoming a Hollywood star. Her needy sentimental life is very complex: she lost her first love in a motorcycle accident after making love with him; she has a married lover, Wallace, who promises to move with her to the USA when his children are raised; and she has a brief affair with Pompeu, the studio director. Her neighbor and best friend is Dalila, who has an American boyfriend and pen pal. When Mary sees an advertisement in an American newspaper, looking for an actress with her profile, she decides to take a chance and move to the USA.