Wagner Moura

Wagner Moura
Wagner Moura in 2012
Born	Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (1976-06-27) June 27, 1976 Rodelas, Bahia, Brazil
Alma mater	Federal University of Bahia
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1996–present
Spouse(s)	Sandra Delgado
Children	3 children

Wagner Maniçoba de Moura (Portuguese pronunciation: [ˈvaɡneɾ ˈmowɾɐ]; born June 27, 1976)^[2] is a Brazilian film, television and stage actor. Besides being a well-established and acclaimed actor in Brazil, he has achieved widespread international fame for his portrayal of Captain (later Colonel) Roberto Nascimento, protagonist of the highly successful 2007 film Elite Squad and its sequel, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within. He also gained recognition globally playing "Spider" in the 2013 sci-fi film Elysium.

Early life

Moura was born in Rodelas, in the state of Bahia, in the North-East region of Brazil. His mother, Alderiva Moura, was a housewife, and his father, José Moura, was a Sergeant of the Brazilian Air Force. At the age of 13, he moved with his family to Salvador, Bahia.

He graduated in journalism at Federal University of Bahia but decided to become an actor.^[3]

Career

In 1996 he starred in his first play, called Cuida bem de mim. After this he did some commercials and other plays. He started in the cinema in 1999, with the short film Pop Killer and the movie Rádio Gogó. In the next year, he did a participation in the film Woman on Top starring Penélope Cruz.

Later he moved to Rio de Janeiro. There he auditioned to some TV productions, and made his debut at the Brazilian television with television series, such as Carga Pesada and Sexo Frágil. He became a known TV and movie actor in Brazil. In 2007 he participated in his most acclaimed work in the movies as Captain Nascimento, protagonist of the Golden Bear winner in the 2008 Berlin Film Festival, Elite Squad.

During the preparation for the first Elite Squad movie, Wagner and part of the cast were subject to lifelike special forces training conducted by Paulo Stovani, a former captain of BOPE, the elite squad portrayed in the movie.^[4] During training, Stovani was asked by the movie's cast director to help "develop" Wagner's aggressiveness for the role, which he attempted to do through repeated sessions of moral abuse.^[5] After several days, Stovani finally got the reaction he was looking for, and a little more. He reportedly made a fictional threat to Wagner's family, particularly mentioning Wagner's newborn to which the actor responded with a punch that fractured Stovani's nose. "That's when Captain Nascimento was born", said Stovani.^[6]

In 2010, he started the sequel of Elite Squad, Elite Squad: The Enemy Within. and affirmed himself as a top-notch actor. In 2013, he played "Spider" in the sci-fi film Elysium.

Music

Besides his acting career, Moura is also a lyricist and the vocalist of a band named Sua Mãe ("Your Mum").^[7]

Personal life

Moura married photographer Sandra Delgado.

He is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt and a Muay Thai practitioner.

Filmography

Television

Theater

References

External links

• Wagner Moura at the Internet Movie Database
• Official blog