Everyone Loved Wagner Moura As Pablo Escobar. Why Isn’t There the Same Fanfare for ‘The Secret Agent’
Everyone is celebrating Wagner Moura for his history-making moment at the Golden Globes. He is the first Brazilian actor to win the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. The historic win for “The Secret Agent” sparked celebration across social media, but there isn’t nearly the amount of fanfare received for playing Pablo Escobar in “Narcos.”
Brazilian actor Wagner Moura made history
Moura can go back to Brazil with his head held high after winning the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama. This is the first time a Brazilian actor has won the distinct honor. The moment was not lost on Moura and the audience in attendance at the Golden Globes, given the current geopolitical backdrop.
“The Secret Agent” follows Marcelo, a political dissident and former college professor. Marcelo, played by Moura, relocates from São Paulo to Recife under the cover of Carnival. He is trying to reconnect with his son while living under an alias to escape from a military dictatorship. A network of people making up an underground resistance works together to facilitate his daring disappearance.
However, things start to unravel when his neighbors start to spy on him. The technology expert is trying to get out of the country before hitmen hired by an official in the federal government find and kill him. But he doesn’t want to leave without his son. The movie is poignant given the current political tensions within the United States growing tensions between the US and its allies.
“‘The Secret Agent’ is a film about memory, or the lack of memory, and generational trauma,” Moura said in his acceptance speech. “I think that if trauma can be passed along generations, values can too. So, this is for the ones who are sticking with their values in difficult moments.”
At a time when there is such fear of a militarized government, stories like “The Secret Agent” can give us hope amid the fear. The role is one of strength in the face of an encroaching government.
The social commentary doesn’t seem to activate the fandom like ‘Narcos’
Everyone has seen the memes of Moura’s Pablo Escobar sitting alone. The jokes about the famed narco trafficker in Netflix’s “Narcos” continue to be everywhere. The show, while wildly popular, sparked conversations about the glamorization of narco activities and personalities. Granted, it was easy to fall into the “Narcos” fandom.
One of the things that Netflix did was humanize Pablo Escobar, a violent drug trafficker. Searching the internet brings up several results for people talking about the work Netflix inadvertently did that fed into the glorification of drug trafficking and criminality. Yet, there doesn’t seem to be a growing swell of Moura as Marcelo in the same way.
Several governments around the world are pushing back on growing threats of fascism and authoritarianism. The US government has renewed its aggressive campaign in Latin America with its blatant meddling in Venezuela. It is one of those incredible moments where real life truly emulates art with eerie accuracy.
So, why hasn’t there been bigger fanfare around “The Secret Agent” like there was around “Narcos”? Not only is the role of Marcelo history-making, but it is also a story that uplifts the fight against a menacing government. Millions of people around the world can see themselves, and their governments, reflected in “The Secret Agent” and Marcelo. His fight to flee an oppressive government is as relevant today as it will ever be.
Glamorizing narco culture and drug trafficking will always draw people’s attention because crime is fascinating. Yet, stories like “The Secret Agent” are worthy of the same celebration as “Narcos.”
