His early career included significant roles in Walter Salles' Behind the Sun (2001), the prison drama Carandiru (2003), and the romance Lower City (2005).
However, to pigeonhole Moura as merely a gritty, action-oriented actor would be a disservice to his range. This was proven spectacularly in the 2013 film Elysium , directed by Neill Blomkamp. In a dystopian sci-fi setting, Moura played Spider, the underground leader of the resistance. It was his introduction to English-language cinema, and he held his own against Matt Damon and Jodie Foster. Yet, it was his role in the Brazilian film The Man of the Future ( O Homem do Futuro ) that showcased his comedic and romantic capabilities. Playing a physicist who travels through time to fix his past mistakes, Moura displayed a lightness of touch and a flair for physical comedy that his international audience might find surprising. It proved that his dramatic weight was not his only weapon; he possessed the versatility of a true leading man. wagner moura movies and tv shows