in 1997, de oliveira selected from among almost 2,000 candidates to play the role of josué in salles’ "central station" alongside fernanda montenegro. the film was critically acclaimed and launched de oliveira into a career as a child actor, presenting such programs as “"alô vídeo escola" and "que bicho é esse?" on canal futura between june 1998 and march 2000. he also starred in the telenovela "suave veneno" on globo tv and reunited with walter salles to perform in the film "behind the sun" during this period.