The Secret Agent (2025): Full list of cast and characters explored

The Secret Agent (2025) is a Brazilian political thriller that premiered at the Cannes Film Festival on May 18, 2025, and was later screened at the Sydney Film Festival in Australia on June 11, 2025. Directed and written by Kleber Mendonça Filho, the film is set during Brazil’s military dictatorship and reflects the country’s turbulent political climate in the 1970s.

The Secret Agent takes place in Recife, Brazil, during the 1977 Carnival. It's about Marcelo, a man who is trying to get away from the government's abuse and get back with his son.

The chaos of the carnival hides dark truths like murders, missing people, and betrayal under a harsh government. Marcelo gets caught in a dangerous game of survival, while college students today listen to cassette recordings of him and learn secrets about his life.

In The Secret Agent, Wagner Moura plays the main character, Marcelo, who is running away for his life. Elza, played by Maria Fernanda Cândido, helps Marcelo take on a new identity. Isabel Leone plays Bobbi, one of Marcelo's friends. As Seu Alexandr, Carlos Francisco plays a supporting role, along with Fatima, Alice Carvalho, Robério Diógenes, and Hermila Guedes.

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Main cast of The Secret Agent (2025)

1) Wagner Moura as Marcelo Alves

Wagner Moura at "O Agente Secreto" Press Conference - The 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival (Image via Getty)

Wagner Moura plays Marcelo Alves, a teacher and tech expert in his early 40s who is running away from political persecution in Brazil in 1977, when the military dictatorship is in power.

In The Secret Agent (2025), Marcelo is a primary character. He works as a fake person in Recife's identification office and wants to get back together with his son while avoiding being caught. At the Cannes Film Festival 2025, he won the award for Best Actor for his role.

Moura is a famous Brazilian actor who performed the role of Pablo Escobar in the TV show Narcos and was nominated for a Golden Globe. His movie Elite Squad won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival. His work in other countries includes the 2013 movie Elysium and the 2024 movie Civil War. He also voiced Death in Puss in Boots: The Last Wish.

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2) Maria Fernanda Cândido as Elza

Maria Fernanda Cândido in the 78th Cannes Film Festival - The Secret Agent - (Image via Getty)

Maria Fernanda Cândido plays Elza. She is a woman who helps Marcelo maintain his fake identity in Recife. Elza is part of an underground network that helps people who are being mistreated by the government.

Maria plays a huge role in Marcelo's plan to stay hidden and helps him stay alive in the dangerous political climate of 1977. Elza's character in The Secret Agent (2025) is strong, smart, and has a deep personal history.

Cândido became famous all over Brazil and became a well-known actress in the country for her role as Paola, an Italian immigrant, in Terra Nostra (1999). She was an international model before launching her career as an actress in TV and movies. She has been a host on MTV Brazil shows and studied acting in São Paulo.

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3) Gabriel Leone as Bobbi

Gabriel Leone for The Secret Agent Photocall in The 78th Annual Cannes Film Festival (Image via Getty)

Gabriel Leone portrays Bobbi, a younger figure who works closely with Marcelo during his escape in Recife. Bobbi is involved in the resistance and operates within the same hidden circles as Elza. In The Secret Agent (2025), Bobbi's quick thinking and loyalty contribute to Marcelo’s efforts to evade the oppressive state forces.

He became well-known in Brazil after his part in the TV show Verdades Secretas. His fame grew around the world when he played Alfonso de Portago in Michael Mann's Ferrari (2023). In 2024, he starred as Ayrton Senna in Netflix’s Senna, a biographical series that was praised for his detailed and accurate portrayal of the life of the racing driver.

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Supporting cast of The Secret Agent

A still from The Secret Agent (Image via Mubi)

Below is the supporting cast of The Secret Agent:

• Carlos Francisco as Seu Alexandr
• Alice Carvalho as Fatima
• Robério Diógenes as Euclides
• Hermila Guedes as Claudia
• Igor de Araújo as Sergio
• Ítalo Martins as Arlindo
• Laura Lufési as Flavia
• Udo Kier as Hans
• Roney Villela as Augusto
• Kaiony Venâncio as Vilmar
• Isabél Zuaa as Tereza Victoria
• Jimmy Astley as Valdomiro

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Crew of The Secret Agent

Director & Writer:

• Kleber Mendonça Filho

Producers:

• Dora Amorim (Executive Producer)
• Olivier Barbier (Co-producer)
• Sol Bondy (Co-producer)
• Fred Burle (Co-producer)
• Erik Glijnis (Co-producer)
• Fionnuala Jamison (Co-producer)
• Martín Kalina (Associate Producer)
• Elisha Karmitz (Co-producer)
• Nathanaël Karmitz (Co-producer)
• Emilie Lesclaux (Producer)
• Kleber Mendonça Filho (Producer)
• Wagner Moura (Producer)
• Leontine Petit (Co-producer)
• Olivier Père (Co-producer)
• Juliana Soares (Assistant Executive Producer)
• Brent Travers (Executive Producer)

Other key crew:

• Composers: Mateus Alves, Tomaz Alves Souza
• Cinematography: Evgenia Alexandrova
• Editors: Matheus Farias, Eduardo Serrano
• Casting Director: Gabriel Domingues
• Production Designer: Thales Junqueira
• Costume Designer: Rita Azevedo

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