Wagner Moura shares his disappointment that writer-director Kleber Mendonça Filho was not officially nominated for an Academy Award, despite his film The Secret Agent being nominated for four Oscars, including a historic Best Actor nomination.
Neon’s The Secret Agent earned four Oscar nominations, including Best International Feature, but its writer and director Kleber Mendonça Filho isn’t technically an Oscar nominee under current Academy rules, which award categories to participating countries rather than individual filmmakers (even though his name is engraved on an Oscar statuette). This is a long-standing rule that is in dire need of updating, and Moura agrees.
“I think his writing is great,” Moura said on the Variety Awards Circuit podcast. “The script for ‘The Secret Agent’ is one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. Kleber made the film a success.”
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Moura’s admiration for Mendonça Filho goes back more than a decade. “When I saw his first feature film, Neighboring Sounds, I knew I had to work with this guy,” he says. “It’s deeply rooted in the Brazilian political film tradition, but it’s very unique.”
Its lineage is directly linked to Moura’s cinematic DNA, formed by Italian cinema as well as Brazilian movements such as Cinema Novo. “I love Italian neorealism,” he says. “Movies like “Rome, Open City” and “Rocco and His Brothers.” The way they shot working-class people, using non-professional actors, had a huge influence on the way Brazilians made movies.”
Those influences will carry over into Moura’s next chapter behind the camera. He is preparing to direct and star in an adaptation of Stewart O’Nan’s novel The Last Night at the Lobster. This drama is a self-contained drama set entirely inside a chain restaurant during the week before Christmas, when employees are facing layoffs. The cast includes Sofia Carson, Brian Tyree Henry, and Elisabeth Moss, and the film is produced by Peter Saraf, known for supporting roles such as Philip Seymour Hoffman (Jack Goes Boating) and director.
A lifelong soccer fan, Moura reflected on the deep connections between soccer and Brazilian identity and politics. He is rooting for Vitoria, a small team from his hometown of Salvador. “I can’t believe my day is ruined because my team doesn’t win,” he admits. “The feeling of being in the stadium rooting for your team, when you win, when you score, when you connect with people you don’t know, it’s just amazing.”
However, the Brazilian national team is facing political difficulties. “The far right has appropriated them. They wear the Brazil jersey in all its manifestations, and I don’t think I’ll ever wear that again,” Moura says, although he acknowledges that the World Cup still unites the country.
That emotional connection extends to his children, especially when he thinks about legacy. Fatherhood sharpened his sense of worth more than any accolade. “I hope people see me as someone who stayed true to what I thought was right, even if it was bad for me or my career.”
Moura hopes to set an example of values for her three sons. “I want my kids to see me as someone who stands up for what I think is right, even if it’s bad for me or my career,” he says.
He wants them to see him as “someone doing what I love,” and encourages them to pursue their passions with the same dedication.
Despite the hectic pace of awards season, Moura remains positive. “I’ve been doing this since I was 15 years old, so I know what’s true and what’s not. This is a great moment in my life as an actor, and I’m very grateful and happy. But this is not real life.”
The 98th Academy Awards ceremony will be held on March 2nd, and Moura will co-star with Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, and Michael B. Jordan.
The episode also features “The Secret Agent” star Wagner Moura. The roundtable discusses BAFTA nominations and the Television Academy’s new category, Outstanding Variety Series.
Variety’s Awards Circuit podcast, hosted by Clayton Davis, Jazz Tunkay, Emily Longeretta, Jenelle Riley, and Michael Schneider, who also produces, is your one-stop destination for lively conversations about the best in film and television. Each episode’s “Awards Circuit” features interviews with top film and TV talents and creators, discussions and debates about the awards race and industry headlines. Subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, or wherever you download your podcasts.
