Wagner Moura made historical past Thursday morning when he was nominated for an Academy Award within the class for actor in a number one position for his efficiency in Kleber Mendonça Filho’s 2025 movie “The Secret Agent.”
This historic nomination makes Moura the primary Brazilian actor nominated for an Oscar on this subject.
Within the movie, Moura performs Armando, a former professor pressured into hiding whereas attempting to guard his younger son throughout Brazil’s navy dictatorship through the Seventies.
Ought to he win on the March 15 ceremony, Moura would turn into the primary Brazilian to win an Oscar in an performing class.
Moura is the third Brazilian nationwide to be nominated for an performing Oscar, becoming a member of the mother-daughter duo of Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres — each of whom have been nominated for actress in a number one position.
Montenegro turned the primary Brazilian nominated within the class for her position as Isadora “Dora” Teixeira within the 1998 Walter Salles movie “Central Station.” The award finally went to Gwyneth Paltrow for her efficiency in “Shakespeare in Love.”
Torres obtained her Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of Eunice Paiva in 2024’s “I’m Nonetheless Right here,” which was additionally directed by Salles. The Oscar that yr was awarded to Mikey Madison for her work in “Anora.”
“The Secret Agent” star has already made historical past twice throughout this awards cycle.
He received the Golden Globe for lead actor in a movement image drama earlier this month for the political thriller, changing into the second Brazilian and first Brazilian man to take house a Globes performing prize, after Torres’ win final yr for “I’m Nonetheless Right here.”
The 49-year-old actor additionally earned the actor prize finally yr’s Cannes Movie Pageant, making him the primary Brazilian performer to win that honor.
Moura’s nomination comes a yr after “I’m Nonetheless Right here” turned the primary absolutely Brazilian manufacturing to win an Academy Award with its win within the worldwide function class.
The 1959 movie “Black Orpheus” — which retold the parable of Orpheus and Eurydice within the context of Nineteen Fifties Rio de Janeiro and featured a largely Brazilian forged — received the worldwide function award on the thirty second Academy Awards because the French submission and was helmed by French director Marcel Camus.
“The Secret Agent” represented a cinematic homecoming for the “Civil Struggle” star after not starring in a Brazilian movie for over a decade, he instructed The Instances final yr. Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s oppressive right-wing administration, the COVID-19 pandemic and commitments overseas prevented him from taking up a serious performing job in his house nation and in his native language.
Mendonça Filho instructed The Instances that he initially apprehensive if Moura — after so a few years working away from Brazil — would carry a number of the “The place’s my trailer?” perspective folks assume exists in Hollywood. “He didn’t,” the director stated. “He’s clever sufficient to adapt to every venture.”
At the same time as his profession has been formed by politically charged tasks, Moura has been cautious to not let that ingredient outline him.
“I don’t need to be the Che Guevara of movie,” Moura stated. “I gravitate in direction of issues which can be political, however I like being an actor greater than anything.”
