Former Playboy cover girl lived in a gas station and now survives at a thrift store

Summary: Regininha Poltergeist, an icon of the 1990s, faces financial and personal challenges after losing her fortune; currently, she seeks to start over with a thrift store and deals with dilemmas between her evangelical faith and her trajectory as a sex symbol.

Regininha Poltergeist, now 54, was considered a sex symbol in the 1990s . A trained dancer, she did it all: acting, singing, modeling, and even posing for Playboy -- one of the leading men's magazines of the time.

Over the past 25 years, however, the former model has been through a rough patch and lost everything she achieved at the height of her career. She told Terra that she works hard to pay the bills: she gives massages, hot meals, empanadas, and even works as a personal organizer. Her latest venture is a thrift store, which she set up in her backyard .

"I have a space at the entrance to my house, which is like a backyard. There's a long rope, and I hang my clothes there. I share my pieces on social media and invite people to come see the space and have tea with me. I want to spread the word. If it works out, I'm even thinking about expanding in the future and getting a better space."

The birth of Regininha Poltergeist

Born in Rio de Janeiro, Regina Soares grew up in the Méier neighborhood in the city's North Zone. As a child, she studied classical ballet for 10 years and graduated from the Municipal Theater. Her public life began when she began modeling.

At the time, she participated in several beauty pageants, gaining notoriety in the artistic field, but her career truly took off when she was chosen to work in a performance produced by Fausto Fawcett. In the play, she played Santa Clara Poltergeist, a character who healed people through sexual practices. The positive reception earned her the nickname that has stuck with her to this day: Regininha Poltergeist.

The height of her success came when she posed for Playboy , a time when the magazine used to pay "small fortunes" to anyone who would pose nude. Regina refuses to reveal the amount, but acknowledges that it was "life-changing money."

"I didn't even think about being an artist. I started dancing because my mother put my sister and I in ballet. She [my sister] quit, but I continued and even started teaching. The competitions started out unpretentiously; my cousins entered me in the first one, it took place on the beach, and I ended up doing well [...] The invitation to Playboy came when I was already working with Fausto. It was good money, for sure. If I received that kind of money today, I'd be very happy—but I'm sure others received much more."

The decline of a phenomenon: 'I had cars and apartments'

Regininha Poltergeist's routine changed after the birth of her son , in the mid-2000s. At the time, she left the artistic field to focus on motherhood and began living off the wealth she accumulated throughout her career.

"I had cars, five apartments, money I earned from my rehearsals and shows, but I used it all to raise my son. Things are expensive, and I never had any help from his father; I always took care of everything myself. I went grocery shopping, took him to school... Today he's 20. Eventually, the money runs out, and that's what happened," said Regininha, sadly.

The situation worsened in mid-2021, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the time, without resources, Regininha Poltergeist was evicted and had to live in a gas station for a few days. "I was the victim of a setup," she said, noting that she was prevented from entering a house she owns in Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Rio de Janeiro.

The situation improved after a crowdfunding campaign by internet users and she was able to rent a studio apartment.

Regininha Poltergeist faces religious dilemma

Since 2008, the former model has been an evangelical and attends the Bola de Neve church. Currently, in addition to potential persecution and the fight for survival, she faces a personal dilemma: to be or not to be Regininha Poltergeist? The question arose because, according to her, her religion advises her to repent of her past as a sex symbol in the 1990s.

"So... the pastor says I have to repent, but I don't regret it because I have a different perspective. I think it's part of my story. There are a lot of people who live this life wanting to achieve things and can't—I did. I can't regret it. On the day of the Playboy photos, I was embarrassed, but afterward I was happy."

Torn between the church and being Regininha Poltergeist in her entirety, the former model is considering returning to the artistic field.

She, for example, would love to be invited to A Fazenda (Record). According to her, she considers herself patient, "but only until page two." Until an invitation arrives, she's been praying that one of her businesses will take off, helping her live more comfortably after a life of ups and downs.