Academia of Artes and Ciências Cinematográficas announced this Thursday, January 22, 2026, the nominees for the 98th edition of Oscar. Brazilian actor Wagner Moura appears in the Melhor Ator category for his performance in the film O Agente Secreto, directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho. The award ceremony is scheduled for March 15, 2026, on Los Angeles, at Estados Unidos.
The announcement of the nominations took place in the morning, broadcast live on the official Academia website and YouTube channels. Presenters Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman revealed the names in two stages, starting with the technical categories and moving on to the main ones. The presence of a Brazilian actor in the Melhor Ator competition represents a milestone for national cinema.
Agente Secreto had already accumulated international recognition before being nominated for Oscar. The film won important awards at recent festivals and ceremonies, consolidating the upward trajectory of Brazilian production on the global stage.
Announcement of nominations
Academia announced the nominations for Oscar 2026 in an online broadcast this Thursday. Danielle Brooks, known as A Cor Púrpura, and Lewis Pullman, from Top Gun: Maverick, led the reading of the names selected by the voting members.
The voting process for the nominations took place over the previous weeks, with the participation of thousands of film industry professionals. The final list reflects the films released throughout 2025 that had the greatest impact on critics and audiences.
Film trajectory until Oscar
Agente Secreto debuted in Brazilian cinemas in December 2025 and quickly attracted international attention. The political thriller set in 1977 Recife surpassed the one million viewer mark in Brasil, according to data from Ancine.
The production received praise for Kleber Mendonça Filho’s direction and Wagner Moura’s central performance. The film had already won awards at Festival and Cannes 2025, including Melhor Direção and Melhor Ator.
- Globe from Ouro 2026: Melhor Ator to Filme from Drama to Wagner Moura
- Ouro 2026 Globe: Melhor Filme on Língua Não Inglesa
- Critics Choice Awards 2026: Melhor Filme Estrangeiro
These recognitions preceded the nomination for Oscar and strengthened the production’s campaign.
Role of Wagner Moura in production
Wagner Moura plays Marcelo, a teacher who returns to Recife in search of tranquility after a mysterious past. The character faces political tensions during the military dictatorship, in a plot that mixes suspense and historical drama.
The Bahian actor’s performance was described as intense and nuanced by specialized critics. Moura had already worked with Kleber Mendonça Filho on previous projects, which contributed to their on-screen chemistry.
The nomination represents the first time that a Brazilian actor competes in the main category of Melhor Ator. Antes In addition, professionals from the country had appeared in technical or supporting categories.
Consolidated career of the actor
Wagner Moura began his career in theater and gained national recognition with Tropa from
His international career grew with the series Narcos, where he played Pablo Escobar between 2015 and 2017. The performance earned him nominations for Globo,
In recent years, Moura has acted in productions such as Guerra Civil, from 2024, and directed the feature film Marighella. The actor also participated in Academia campaigns to diversify voting members.
Direction of Kleber Mendonça Filho
Kleber Seus films often address Brazilian social and political issues with authorial language.
Agente Secreto marks the director’s return to a political thriller after the documentary Retratos Fantasmas. The production featured international co-production and filming was carried out entirely in Pernambuco.
The director had already been recognized at important festivals, but the nomination for Oscar represents the highest point of his career to date. Mendonça Filho also joins Academia as a voting member.
Context of recent Brazilian cinema
Brasil experienced a historic moment in the previous Oscar, when Ainda Estou Aqui, from Walter Salles, won in the Melhor Filme Internacional category. Fernanda Torres received a nomination as Melhor Atriz for the same film, but did not win the statuette.
These consecutive results demonstrate the growth of Brazilian presence in the awards. Produções national songs have advanced on the shortlists and attracted attention from international critics.
Agente Secreto was selected as the Brazilian representative in the Filme Internacional category, but also advanced in other disputes. The multifaceted campaign reflects the technical and artistic quality of the project.
National box office success
The film recorded the largest Brazilian audience of 2025, surpassing one million tickets sold. The premiere took place on December 6th and maintained good occupancy in the theaters during the end of year festivities.
Distribution was supported by exhibitors across the country. Positive word of mouth contributed to poster longevity.
Initial repercussion of the nomination
The news of Wagner Moura’s nomination quickly circulated on social media and specialized portals. Profissionais of Brazilian cinema celebrated the feat as an important advance for the national industry.
Academia released the full list on their official website shortly after the live announcement. Outras categories feature films from different countries, reflecting the diversity of global production in 2025.
The campaign for the final vote begins now, with Academia members deciding the winners by February. The ceremony on March 15 will be broadcast to several countries.
Awards accumulated for production
Agente Secreto has accumulated recognition since its festival debut. Além of the awards already mentioned, the film received honorable mentions at regional events.
The soundtrack and photography were also praised in technical awards. The complete team involves experienced professionals from Pernambuco cinema.
Preparation for the ceremony
Wagner Moura is expected to participate in promotional events in the coming weeks at Los Angeles. The presence of Brazilian nominees in recent editions made logistics easier for the team.
The awards maintain the tradition of celebrating global cinema. The 2026 edition has Conan O’Brien as the confirmed presenter.
Interest in the film should grow as the final vote approaches. Plataformas streaming companies are already negotiating post-ceremony exhibition rights.
