Born in Salvador, Bahia, in 1974, Wagner Moura is an actor, director, journalist, and musician. He began doing theatre in his hometown, where he also took on his first roles in film. His performance in Héctor Babenco’s Carandiru (2003) made him popular in Brazilian cinema, leading to starring roles in several films, including José Padilha’s Elite Squad (2007).
His international recognition came with Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium (2013), and was further strengthened by his portrayal of Pablo Escobar in the series Narcos (2015–2017), which earned him nominations for several awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Drama Series. He also appeared in Olivier Assayas’s Wasp Network (2019), part of the Official Selection at the Venice Film Festival. His directorial debut, Marighella (2019), premiered at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival and was screened in a special session at LEFFEST’19.
Wagner Moura is one of the most acclaimed Brazilian actors of today, a position confirmed in Cannes with the Best Actor Award for The Secret Agent (2025), directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. In this edition, the festival pays tribute to him as a symbol of the strength of contemporary Brazilian cinema.
