In The Secret Agent, Wagner Moura Makes the Political Personal
Little Gold Men by Vanity Fair
Vanity Fair
4.2 • 1.2K Ratings
🗓️ 10 February 2026
⏱️ 34 minutes
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Summary
The Secret Agent has broken through the Oscar conversation in a big way: the Brazilian film is nominated not only for Best International Feature, but also Best Picture, Best Casting, and, of course, Best Actor, for Wagner Moura's indelible performance. Rebecca caught up with Moura a few weeks after his historic nomination to talk about the film and how he sees himself and his politics in the character he plays. He also discusses his upcoming directorial project and plays a round of Proust Roulette.
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| 0:00.0 | Hey, Little Gold Men listeners, especially the ones across the pond. |
| 0:05.7 | We're recording a Little Gold Men episode live in London on the evening of February 19th with the cast of sentimental value. |
| 0:13.2 | We've got a select number of tickets to give out to our listeners. |
| 0:17.0 | So if you'd like to join the fun, email us at little goldmen at vF.com. |
| 0:23.3 | We hope to see you there. |
| 0:29.0 | Hello and welcome to Little Gold Men, Vanity Fair's podcast for film, TV, and awards lovers. |
| 0:37.5 | I'm Rebecca Ford. |
| 0:39.2 | My guest today is Wagner Mora, |
| 0:41.1 | who's nominated for an Oscar for his incredible leading performance in The Secret Agent. |
| 0:45.9 | Even if you haven't yet seen the film, |
| 0:47.9 | you might know him from his role in Civil War opposite Kirsten Dunst |
| 0:51.4 | or from his turn as Pablo Escobar in the Netflix series Narcos. |
| 0:56.2 | The Secret Agent is set in Brazil in 1977, a time of great mischief, as the film calls it. |
| 1:04.3 | Wagner plays Armando, a former professor now living undercover after he angered the wrong official. |
| 1:15.6 | It's a surprisingly funny, beautifully shot, and wholly original film. And Wagner's performance is incredible. |
| 1:17.6 | And I just want to let you know, we're treading lightly into spoiler territory in this interview |
| 1:22.6 | because I could not ask him about the story's remarkable ending. |
| 1:26.6 | Wagner and I caught up a couple weeks ago, shortly after he got the news of his nomination. |
| 1:31.9 | Speaking from outside his house, Wagner told me about his collaboration with the Secret |
| 1:36.0 | Agents director Cleva Mendoza Filio, his own upcoming directorial project, and how his politics |
| 1:42.7 | helped him explore the character. |
| 1:45.1 | Oh, and he also explains what the hairy leg is. |
... |
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