The Brazilian actress, Camila Pitanga, has described the events leading up to the drowning of the soap opera star, Domingos Montagner, last week.
Ms Pitanga told TV Globo on Sunday that she believed Mr Montagner had stopped her trying to save him as it would have endangered her.
Both actors had gone for a swim in the Sao Francisco river in Sergipe state after a day shooting the soap opera Velho Chico.
He was buried in Sao Paulo on Saturday.
Ms Pitanga said they had arranged to go swimming with other stars after the day's filming but it had ended up being just the two of them.
No progress
They had chosen a quieter part of the riverbank where they would not be overlooked and could have privacy from bystanders.
She said they had chosen a place where there were some rocks and the water seemed calm and deep. Mr Montagner had dived in but she had noted some eddies around the rocks.
Concerned that they might be pushed against the rock and scratch themselves, she suggested they swim back. They then realised that there was a strong current and they were making no progress.