50 Top Brazilian Actors

Antonio Abujamra was born on 15 September 1932 in Ourinhos, São Paulo, Brazil. He was a director and actor, known for Festa (1989), Super Plá (1969) and Os Adolescentes (1981). He died on 28 April 2015 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Antônio Fagundes was born on 18 April 1949 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He is an actor and producer, known for Two Faces (2007), O Dono do Mundo (1991) and Port of Miracles (2001). He was previously married to Mara Carvalho and Clarisse Abujamra.

Armando Bógus was born on 19 April 1930 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor and producer, known for O Pintor e a Florista (1964), Pedra Sobre Pedra (1992) and Ciranda de Pedra (1981). He was married to Elizabeth 'Beth' Nunes Souza and Irina Greco. He died on 2 May 1993 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Ary Fontoura was born on 27 January 1933 in Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil. He is an actor and writer, known for The Favorite (2008), A Indomada (1997) and Amor com Amor Se Paga (1984).

Carlos Vereza was born on 4 March 1939 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro [ex-Distrito Federal], Brazil. He is an actor and writer, known for Memórias do Cárcere (1984), Direito de Amar (1987) and O Trampo (2019).

Carlos Zara was born on 14 February 1930 in Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor and director, known for Secrets of Sand (1973), O Tempo e o Vento (1967) and Dez Vidas (1969). He was married to Eva Wilma. He died on 11 December 2002 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Cláudio Corrêa e Castro was born on 27 February 1928 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor, known for O Dono do Mundo (1991), Cabocla (1979) and Os inocentes (1974). He was married to Ileana Kwasinski and Ileana Kwasinski. He died on 16 August 2005 in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Claudio Marzo was born on 26 September 1940 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor and producer, known for Planet of the Pantanal (1990), O Homem Nu (1997) and Memórias do Medo (1981). He was married to Neia Marzo, Xuxa Lopes , Thaís de Andrade, Georgiana de Moraes, Betty Faria and Miriam Mehler . He died on 22 March 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Dionísio Azevedo was born on 4 April 1922 in Conceição da Aparecida, Minas Gerais, Brazil. He was a director and actor, known for TV de Vanguarda (1952), A Moça que Veio de Longe (1964) and O Tempo e o Vento (1967). He was married to Flora Geny. He died on 11 December 1994 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Elias Gleizer was born on 4 January 1934 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Pé na Jaca (2006), Caminho das Índias (2009) and José do Egito (1959). He died on 16 May 2015 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Francisco Cuoco was born on 29 November 1933 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. He is an actor and producer, known for O Cafona (1971), Redenção (1966) and Treason (1998).

Geraldo Del Rey was born in Ilhéus, Brazil and studied dramatic art at university in Salvador. While studying he was approached by director Anselmo Duarte to play the role of Handsome in the movie The Given Word (1962), one of the most important Brazilian movies of all time.

He was nicknamed "the Brazilian Alain Delon" due to his resemblance to the famous French actor.

After 'O Pagador de Promessas', Del Rey took the lead role in two classics; A Grande Feira (1961) and Black God, White Devil (1964), the latter directed by the Brazilian director Glauber Rocha.

In the mid-sixties Del Rey worked in television on series such as 'Anjos e Demônios', 'Sheik de Ipanema' and Véu de Noiva (1969). In the early seventies his political activism led to him being fired from the Rede Globo, a large Brazilian TV enterprise, and his career began a decline.

In the nineties he returned to the Rede Globo where he made a TV series, Anos Rebeldes (1992), about the Brazilian dictatorship of the sixties and seventies. Del Rey died from lung cancer in 1993.

Gianfrancesco Guarnieri was born on 6 August 1934 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy. He was an actor and director, known for Secrets of Sand (1973), The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965) and They Don't Wear Black Tie (1981). He was married to Vanya Sant'anna and Cecilia Thompson. He died on 22 July 2006 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Sebastião Bernardes de Souza Prata was born in Uberlândia, Minas Gerais state, but became a famous actor in Rio de Janeiro.

At the National Opera, where he studied, got the nickname "The Little Otelo". Then, he decided to be called "Great Otelo" or in Portuguese, "Grande Otelo".

He acted in theaters, movies and TV. His first movie was "Noites Cariocas" (1935). But he really became known when he started working besides the great star Oscarito.

Otelo was best known by comedy movies, but he could also be a dramatic actor.

Hugo Carvana was born on 4 June 1937 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and writer, known for Vai Trabalhar Vagabundo (1973), Vai Trabalhar, Vagabundo II (1991) and Apolônio Brasil, Campeão da Alegria (2003). He was married to Martha Alencar. He died on 4 October 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ítalo Rossi was born on 19 January 1931 in Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil. He was an actor and director, known for Doida Demais (1989), Take It, Give It (2005) and Maria, Mãe do Filho de Deus (2003). He died on 2 August 2011 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jardel Filho was born on 24 July 1927 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Assim na Terra Como no Céu (1970), Macunaima (1969) and Coração Alado (1980). He was married to Beth, Myriam Pérsia, Glauce Rocha and Márcia de Windsor. He died on 19 February 1983 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jece Valadão was born on 24 July 1930 in Campos dos Goitacases, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and producer, known for Otto Lara Rezende ou... Bonitinha, Mas Ordinária (1963), Vale do Canaã (1970) and A Noite do Meu Bem (1968). He was married to Vera Lúcia, Vera Gimenez, Dulce Rodrigues and Kátia. He died on 27 November 2006 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Jofre Soares was born on 21 September 1918 in Palmeira dos Índios, Alagoas, Brazil. He was an actor, known for O Predileto (1975), Mr. Abrakadabra! (1996) and Planet of the Pantanal (1990). He died on 19 August 1996 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.

Jorge Dória was born on 12 December 1920 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He was an actor and writer, known for Que Rei Sou Eu? (1989), Deus Nos Acuda (1992) and Eu Transo, Ela Transa (1972). He was married to Isabel Cristina Gasparin , Íris Bruzzi , Leda Valle , Íris Bruzzi and Isabel Cristina Gasparin. He died on 6 November 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Jose Dumont was born in Bananeiras, a small city in Paráiba, Brazil. In the early 70s he started working in the theatre. He soon started in the cinema too. His first film was "Morte e Vida Severina", a very successful musical in Brazil. His next movie was "Lúcio Flávio, Passageiro da Agonia". In 1980, at Gramado Festival, he got a prize for best supporting actor for "Gajin - Os Caminhos da Liberdade". One year later, he got two best actor prizes for "O Homem que Virou Suco": the Candango and another Gramado. Another Best Actor Gramado Prize came to him in 1984, for "O Baiano Fantasma". For this film he was also awarded a prize at Havana Festival. Another Candago prize for best actor came to him in 1985, for his work in "A Hora da Estrela". In 1998 he was given two more prizes: another Candago and a Miami Festival Award for "Kenoma". "Narradores de Javé" gave Dumont two more awards for best actor in Recife and in Rio de Janeiro.

José Lewgoy was born on 16 November 1920 in Veranópolis, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He was an actor, known for Fitzcarraldo (1982), O Ibraim do Subúrbio (1976) and Blame It on Rio (1984). He died on 10 February 2003 in Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

José Wilker de Almeida was born on 20th August 1947 in Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil. He worked as a speaker in a radio there but he later moved to Recife where he started worked in the theatre as a member of "Movimento de Cultura Popular (MPC)". The group not only brought culture to people but also reading, writing and political lessons. During the military repression, however, MPC was made illegal and Wilker moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he started working in cinema. His first film as "A Falecida", starred by Fernanda Montenegro.

In Rio Wilker kept on working in theatre. In 1968 he wrote his own play, "O Trágico Acidente que Destronou Teresa". His next move as a playwright was "A China é Azul", in 1972. In this year he starred "Os Inconfidentes", a movie by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade. Still in 1972 he worked on his first TV series, "O Bofe".

Between 1976 and 1985 he didn't work in theatre, but played important roles in cinema and TV. "Dona Flor e Seus Dois Maridos" (1976), based on Jorge Amado's novel, is a recordist on Brazilian cinema box office. "Xica da Silva" (1976), "Bye Bye Brasil (1979)", "Bonitinha Mas Ordinária" (based on Nelson Rodrigues' text, 1981), and "O Homem da Capa Preta" (1986) were blockbusters too. His works for TV were very successful too.

In 1989 he worked on two then famous films: "Doida Demais" and "Dias Melhores Virão". In 1992 he was on "Medicine Man", directed by John McTiernan and starred by Sean Connery. In the next five years Wilker worked almost exclusively for Tv. However, in 1996, a compilation of his reviews on cinema was released in a book, "Como Deixar um Relógio Emocionado". In 1997 he came back to the Seventh Art with "O Pequeno Dicionário Amoroso" and "A Guerra de Canudos", where he was the protagonist and producer.

Wilker carried on his acclaimed TV career but in 2000 he worked on Villa Lobos, Uma Vida de Paixões". In 2002 he was on "Dead in the Water" starred by Henry Thomas. He then had three films in a role: "O Homem do Ano" (2003) and "Maria, Mãe de Deus" (2003) and "Redentor" (2004). In 2003 he was elected president of Rio Filmes, a cinema company in Brazil.

Juca de Oliveira was born on 16 March 1935 in São Roque, São Paulo, Brazil. He is an actor and director, known for Bufo & Spallanzani (2001), Nino, o Italianinho (1969) and The Clone (2001).

One of the most respected Brazilian thespians of all time, Leonardo Villar has a distinguished career in theatre, cinema and television. He was born on 25 July, 1924 in Piracicaba, São Paulo. His career initiated in the 1950's with several works in theatre and one special series for TV. But it was as the simple man Zé do Burro in The Given Word (1962) that his career turned around. His film debut and a leading role in one of the most important classics of Brazilian cinema, the only film to ever receive the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the very first film from Brazil to receive an Oscar nomination in the Best Foreign Film Language category. Then, he played the title roles in Lampiao, King of the Badlands (1964) and The Hour and Turn of Augusto Matraga (1965), winning a Best Actor award at the Brazilia Festival of Brazilian Cinema. Alternating between films and TV series, Villar's career highlights were "Barriga de Aluguel" (1990), "Desejo" (1990), "Os Ossos do Barão" (1996), Ação Contra Amigos (1998), the memorable Paschoal in "Laços de Família" (2000), and most recently Chega de Saudade (2007).

Villar died on 3 July, 2020, a few weeks before his 97th birthday.