Rafael Morais
| Rafael Morais | |
|---|---|
| Born |
25 June 1989 Portugal |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2003–present |
Rafael Morais (born 25 June 1989) is an actor.
Personal life
Morais was born in Portugal to an antique restorer mother and a contractor father. He was raised in Lisbon and accepted into one of Portugal's oldest and most prestigious acting schools. At the age of eighteen Morais attended the Stella Adler Studio of Acting in Hollywood. Morais speaks fluent English, Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
Morais currently lives in Los Angeles.
Career
Rafael Morais was born in Coimbra, Portugal. By the age of 15 he moved to Lisbon to study acting. While still in the first year of school, Rafael started working professionally in television and theater. Subsequently, at the age of 16, Rafael was cast in Doomed Love (Locarno International Film Festival's official selection). At 17, Rafael was cast as the lead in the controversial film How to Draw a Perfect Circle (Winner of the Special Jury Prize for Ensemble Acting at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival and Portugal’s official submission to the 82nd Academy Awards). By the age of 18, Rafael received a scholarship from GDA (Portuguese Actor’s Guild) to study at the Stella Adler Acting Academy in Los Angeles.
Rafael starred in Blood of My Blood (Portuguese entry for the 85th Academy Awards) by acclaimed director Joao Canijo. Blood of My Blood was the official selection for festivals such as: Toronto International Film Festival, Palm Springs International Film Festival, AFI Fest, Berlin Film Festival, and many others. The film received the FIPRESCI Prize at the San Sebastian International Film Festival and a Special Mention at the Miami International Film Festival.
In 2012, Rafael directed his first short film, You Are The Blood (IndieLisboa International Film Festival’s official selection and NewFilmMakers Film Festival main competition).
Theater
Morais made his stage debut in William Shakespeare's Hamlet at the Mirita Casimiro Theater in Lisbon in 2006. He has appeared in many theater productions since, including Sarah Kane's Phaedra's Love, Brian Friel's Lovers, Jean Genet's Deathwatch and Arnold Wesker's The Kitchen.
Awards
- 1999: L'Oreal Best Actor Award at the Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival
- 2011: Nomination for the Best Actor Award at the Golden Globes Portugal
- 2012: Nomination for the Best Actor Award at the Golden Globes Portugal
Filmography
| Year | Title | Director | Other notes |
| 2008 | Doomed Love | Mário Barroso | |
| 2009 | L'Arc-en-Ciel | David Bonneville | |
| How to Draw a Perfect Circle | Marco Martins | ||
| Gone | David Brooks | ||
| 2011 | Blood of My Blood | João Canijo | |
| Chasing Eagle Rock | Erick Avari | Post-production | |
| You Are The Blood | Rafael Morais | ||
| 2012 | Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean | Matthew Mishory | |
| 2014 | Still Here, Not There | Vijessna Ferkic & Rafael Morais | Post-production |
| Untitled Europe Project | Luke Eberl | Filming | |
| Oh Gallow Lay | Julian Wayser | Post-production | |
| 2015 | God's Work | Luke Eberl | Pre-production |
| Rompre | In Development |