It has been nearly 8 years since Wagner Moura secured a Golden Globe nomination for playing Pablo Escobar in Netflix's Narcos, which ran for 3 years. This was just the beginning of something bigger as he worked quietly to make his way up. His efforts paid off when he began making waves for his powerful performance as Armando in The Secret Agent.

Wagner Moura also won the Best Actor Award at the Cannes Film Festival for his performance in the movie. It was a win that indicated that greater things were to come, and it clearly did with the actor making history at the 2026 Golden Globe event.

The Secret Agent won the Foreign Language Film Award, while Wagner Moura’s impressive performance in the film earned him the Best Male Actor in a Drama Film award, making him the first-ever Brazilian to receive this honor. Holding the award in his hand, the actor thanked his fellow nominees and the film’s crew, while also sharing a heartwarming message for both the movie and the nation.

“Secret Agent is a film about memory, or the lack of memory, and generational trauma. I think if trauma can be passed along generations, values can too. So this is to the ones who are sticking with their values in difficult moments,” he said.

Directed by Kleber Mendonça, The Secret Agent tells the story of a former university professor, Armando, who is trying to escape persecution under Brazil’s military dictatorship. From his performance to the story, it made a huge impact on the viewers. In the same category, he was up against Joel Edgerton, Oscar Isaac, Dwayne Johnson, Michael B. Jordan, and Jeremy Allen White.

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Now, his historic win is just a shining example of what is possible for actors on this global stage. But before him, another Brazilian actress, Fernanda Torres, claimed the win.

Last year, Fernanda Torres made history at the 82nd Annual Golden Globes by winning Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama for her role in I’m Still Here. She portrayed the role of a grieving mother of five, Eunice Paiva, in the story, which was set during Brazil’s military dictatorship. 

The win was special not only for Fernanda Torres but also for audiences worldwide, as she became the first Brazilian actress to secure a Golden Globe. The moment was even more special because her mother, Fernanda Montenegro, had been nominated in the same category in 1999 for Central Station, a role that also earned her an Oscar nod. She also appeared in I’m Still Here as the older version of Eunice.

I’m Still Here has gone on to earn more honors, including Best Screenplay at the Venice Film Festival, and has been recognized as one of the top five international films by the National Board of Review. Both Fernanda Torres and Wagner Moura's wins are historic and will inspire a new generation of Brazilian rising stars. 

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What do you think about Wagner Moura's heartwarming speech? Let us know in the comments section below.