Wagner Moura wins Best Actor at Cannes 2025: Here is what you need to know about his life and career

File Photo of Wagner Moura

Brazilian actor Wagner Moura, globally recognized for his chilling portrayal of Pablo Escobar in Narcos, has taken a triumphant turn, this time for playing a hero. On Saturday, Moura won the Cannes Film Festival's Best Actor prize, a momentous occasion in his career as he was recognised for a performance that demonstrates his versatility beyond antagonistic roles.

Moura outperformed well-known actors like Benicio Del Toro in Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix for Ari Aster's Eddington, and British star Josh O'Connor (who starred in two festival films) in a very competitive category.

Let us know more about his background, and the journey of his life and career.

Personal Life

Born on 27 June 1976 in Salvador, Moura's family consisted of his so his family consisted of his father, mother and sister. Since his father was in the military, they often moved from place to place throughout his childhood.

Director Kleber Mendonca Filho poses with his Best Director award and with the Best Actor award he received on behalf of Wagner Moura, for the film "O Agente Secreto" (The Secret Agent - L'Agent secret), during a photocall after the closing ceremony of the 78th Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, May 24, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Career

Following in the footsteps of an art-loving schoolmate, Wagner Moura developed a passion for acting. Moura wanted to try to find a class where he would fit in by following the same steps as his colleague, who did theatre. Moura began working in professional theatre in 1996 after taking acting classes during his teenage years. He later received his journalism degree from the Federal University of Bahia.

With roles in critically acclaimed films such as Elite Squad and its sequel, in which he portrayed a tough Rio de Janeiro cop, he rose to national prominence in Brazil. His global breakthrough, however, came with Netflix's Narcos, where he received widespread praise for his nuanced and powerful portrayal of drug lord Pablo Escobar.

Off-screen, Wagner Moura is well-known for his vocal support of social justice, human rights, and Brazilian politics. His work, particularly his directorial debut Marighella, a potent biographical drama based on Afro-Brazilian revolutionary Carlos Marighella, reflects his passion for activism. The movie reaffirmed Moura's dedication to narrating stories that are both socially and politically significant.

Also read: Alia Bhatt talks about life after Motherhood at Cannes: 'I am here but my heart is at home with my daughter...'

Moura swiftly rose through the ranks of Brazilian cinema as it started to accept new talent, working with well-known directors on blockbusters like Behind the Sun (Walter Salles), The Three Marias (Aluizio Abranches), God Is Brazilian (Cacá Diegues), Nina (Heitor Dhalia), The Man of the Year (José Henrique Fonseca), and The Middle of the World (Vicente Amorim).

Moura made his Hollywood debut in Elysium, starring alongside Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Alice Braga—whom he personally recommended for the film. He landed the role of Spider after producers were shown his acclaimed performance in Elite Squad 2, which helped establish his international presence.