It’s not very common to see Brazilian actors starring in films outside of Brazil. However, in recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of faces familiar to us Brazilians in Hollywood and international productions.
Inspired by this trend, we decided to compile a list of 8 international films featuring Brazilian actors in relevant roles.
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We chose to select films in which Brazilian actors make a significant contribution to the plot, rather than just small appearances or appearances.
Brazilian actors in international films
Wasp Network – Prisoners of the Cold War (Wasp Network, 2019)
- Available to Netflix subscribers.
This spy thriller, co-produced internationally, is directed by Frenchman Olivier Assayas (“Personal Shopper”, “Água Fria”, “Irma Vep”).
Wagner Moura stars in the production alongside Penélope Cruz, Édgar Ramírez, Gael García Bernal and Ana de Armas.
Based on the book “The Last Soldiers of the Cold War”, by Brazilian Fernando Morais, the film tells the real story of Cuban spies in American territory during the 1990s.
Blue Beetle (Blue Beetle, 2023)
- Available to Max subscribers.
One of the most famous actresses in Brazil, Bruna Marquezine stars in the DC superhero film “Blue Beetle” in one of the lead roles. She plays Jenny Kord, romantic interest of hero Jaime Reyes / Blue Beetle (Xolo Maridueña).
In addition to Xolo Maridueña, Bruna Marquezine stars alongside Adriana Barraza, Damián Alcázar, Raoul Max Trujillo, Susan Sarandon and George Lopez.
In the plot, young Jaime Reyes is chosen by an alien relic that grants him armor with superpowers.
Hypnotic: Invisible Threat (Hypnotic, 2023)
- Available to Amazon Prime Video subscribers.
Alice Braga She is one of the Brazilian actresses with the most appearances in Hollywood films. In “Hypnotic”, a mystery and action film, she stars alongside Ben Affleck under the direction of Robert Rodriguez (“Sin City”, “Alita: Battle Angel”, “Spy Kids”).
In the plot, a detective in search of his missing daughter (Affleck) investigates a series of impossible robberies. However, he discovers that the crimes may be related to his daughter, leading him to government secrets involving super-powered “hypnotics.”
Elysium (2013)
- Available to Max subscribers.
This North American dystopian science fiction features two Brazilian actors: Wagner Moura It is Alice Braga. The actors also star alongside Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Diego Luna and William Fichtner.
The film is set in a dystopian future where Earth is overpopulated and devastated, while the rich live in a luxurious space station called Elysium. Directed by South African Neill Blomkamp, known for his film “District 9”.
The Strange Secret of the Dreamwood (Non si sevizia un paperino, 1972)
- Not available on streaming.
Few in Brazil know the actress Florinda Bolkan, as her acting career developed almost exclusively in Italy. Florinda was born in Uruburetama, Ceará, and lived in Fortaleza and Rio de Janeiro before moving to Italy.
In Italy, she participated in numerous films. The most notable is the cult giallo “The Strange Secret of the Dreaming Woods”, directed by Lucio Fulci. The plot follows a small Italian town shaken by the murder of several children. Florinda Bolkan stars as a reclusive gypsy witch.
Double Blow (Focus, 2015)
- Available to Max subscribers.
Rodrigo Santoro has a prominent role in this Hollywood feature film starring Will Smith and Margot Robbie. In the film, Santoro plays Rafael Garriga, a billionaire owner of a racing team.
The film is directed by the duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. The plot follows an experienced conman (Smith) who becomes a mentor and becomes romantically involved with a newcomer (Robbie) in the world of conning.
Moon over Parador (1988)
- Not available on streaming.
One of the few prestigious Brazilian actresses with a relevant international career is Sonia Braga. In “Luar Sobre Parador”, she plays a prominent role, opposite Richard Dreyfuss, who stars in the film, and Raul Julia.
Additionally, this romantic comedy was filmed in a few locations in Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro, Ouro Preto and Salvador da Bahia. The plot follows a little-known actor (Dreyfuss) hired to impersonate a deceased dictator of Parador, a fictional country in Latin America.
Directed by Paul Mazursky (“An Unmarried Woman”, “Bob, Carol, Ted and Alice”), the film is a remake of “Caviar for His Excellency” (1939).
Rookie – A Dangerous Professional (The Rookie, 1990)
- Available to rent or buy on Apple TV and Amazon Prime Video.
Sonia Braga also had a prominent role in this crime thriller directed by and starring Clint Eastwood.
In the film, Braga plays a villain, a dangerous and seductive thief who is part of a car theft gang. In addition to Eastwood, she stars alongside Charlie Sheen, Raul Julia and Lara Flynn Boyle.
In the plot, a veteran police officer (Eastwood) teams up with a rookie detective (Sheen) to stop a car theft ring.
