Wagner Moura, famously known for playing Pablo Escobar in the Netflix drama series “Narcos”, is a Brazilian actor, filmmaker, journalist and musician, who also gained recognition for his performance in the “Elite Squad” film franchise.
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Age, Early Life, and Education Background
Wagner Maniçoba de Moura was born under the Cancer zodiac sign on 27 June 1976, in Salvador, Bahia, in Brazil’s Northeast Region; he’s 46-years-old as of 2022. He was raised in Rodelas alongside his younger sister, Lediane Moura, by their mother Alderiva Moura, who was a housewife, and father, Jose Moura who served in the Brazilian Air Force as a Sergeant. Moura is of mixed Portuguese, Spanish and Italian descent.
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Wagner went to a local high school and developed a knack for acting there, which drove him to join the performing arts group, and subsequently feature in various plays. Although acting was his passion, he preferred to take a journalism course after his matriculation, joining the Federal University of Bahia from which he graduated with a bachelor’s degree.
Interests and Facts
Moura frequently practises Transcendental Meditation, a technique to promote a state of relaxed consciousness by avoiding distracting thoughts.
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He is trilingual, being fluent in Spanish, English and Portuguese.
To play the role of the notorious Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar perfectly, Moura underwent a huge transformation; he had to gain close to 40lbs (18kgs) and take Spanish classes to perfect his accent.
Career and Awards
Career Beginnings
Wagner made his acting debut in 1996 with a minor role in the play “A Casa de Eros”, then was next seen in “Abismos de Rosas” in 1999. He appeared in his first major play – “A Máquina”, meaning the machine – a year later, and during that period, he became good friends with actors Vladimir Brichta and Lázaro Ramos.
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In the same year, he played Rafi in the film “Woman on Top” and then landed minor roles in the films “Behind the Sun” in 2001, and “The Three Marias” in 2002.
Rise to Prominence
2003 saw Moura making his career breakthrough, with a lead role in the drama film “Carandiru”, before he appeared in the comedy film “God Is Brazilian” as Taoca, and in “The Man of the Year” playing Seul.
He made his TV debut in 2003 in “Sexo Frágil”, and was later seen in several other series such as “JK” in 2006, and “Paraiso Tropical” in the year that followed. Wagner caught the public’s attention again in 2007, after he landed the major role of Captain Roberto Nascimento in the José Padilha-directed action film “Tropa de Elite” – “Elite Squad”- and its 2010 sequel “Elite Squad – The Enemy Within.”
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Continued Work (From 2010-Present)
After gaining global recognition, Moura began to focus on his Hollywood career, and in 2013 he was selected to appear as Spider in the Matt Damon-starred sci-fi film “Elysium.” Three years later, he was cast alongside Denzel Washington, Ethan Hawke, Chris Pratt and Luke Grimes in the western action movie “The Magnificent Seven.” His biggest project so far is the biographical crime drama “Narcos,” in which he featured alongside Pedro Pascal, Boyd Holbrook, Jose Maria Yazpik, and several other notable actors.
In 2019, he directed his first film, “Marighella,” which is based on the true story of a Marxist Brazilian named Carlos Marighella who was killed by police in 1969.
Wagner recently featured in the series “Shining Girls” in 2022, and will contribute to the upcoming animated films “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish”, and “The Gray Man.”
Wagner is also a guitarist and vocalist for the band Sua Mãe – means ‘Your Mom’ – which also has Gabriel Carvalho and Claudinho David as guitarists, Sergio Brito as the bassist, and Tangre Paranhos as the keyboardist; the band’s drummer is Leco. Wagner had previously founded a rock band called The Cure together with Gabriel Carvalho while they were studying journalism.
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Awards
Wagner has bagged several national awards; his role in “The Three Marias” saw him winning the Cine Ceara Award, and a Grande Premio do Cinema Brasileiro for his spectacular performance in “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within.” He has also won Prêmio Qualidade Brasil, Festival de Cine Iberoamericano de Huelva in the category of Best Actor in 2005, for his performance in “Lower City” – , and Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival Best Actor Award. He was nominated for a Golden Globe and an Imagen Award in 2016, both for his role in “Narcos.”
Personal Life
The “Narcos” star married his longtime girlfriend, photographer Sandra Delgado, in 2001; the duo met at a photoshoot during Moura’s early years as an entertainer.
Sandra gave birth to their firstborn, Bem five years later on 9 August 2006, and they later welcomed Salvador on 20 July 2010, and Jose on 16 June 2012. The couple is now living together with their children in the US.
Wagner and his wife share a similar passion in politics, and are members of the “50 for Freedom” organization, which advocates for eradication of slavery, and which still exists in a number of countries.
Height, Weight, and Physical Appearance
Wagner is slim-built, weighs approximately 155lbs (70kgs). and is 5ft 11ins (1.80m) tall. He has hazel eyes and black hair.
Net Worth
Moura has worked in the film industry for over two and a half decades now, and has featured in some of the highest grossing Brazilian films such as “Elite Squad: The Enemy Within” which has seen him earn a good sum.
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His journalism career has also contributed to his net worth, which in 2022 is estimated to be $10 million.
Who Wagner Moura’s Wife, Sandra Delgado Is
Sandra Delgado is a Documentary Photography Distribution Award-winning filmmaker, photographer, and visual artist. She was born in Brazil in 1980 to Inácio Delgado, who is an entertainer and his wife Marisa Delgado. She is an alumnus of Federal University of Bahia Ondina Campus.
Sandra is involved in installations, engraving, audio and video, and splits her time between Los Angeles and Rio De Janeiro. She has earned a net worth of approximately $150,000 from her career working on several projects.
She has brown eyes and long brown hair, is 5ft 5ins (1.67m) tall, weighs around 114lbs (52kgs), and wears shoe size 5 (UK).
