List of Brazilians

Encyclopedia : L : LI : LIS : List of Brazilians

This is a list of well known Brazilians, ordered alphabetically within categories:

Contents

Actors

Ana Paula Arósio (1975-), actress
Antônio Fagundes (1949-), actor
Bibi Ferreira, actress
Bruna Lombardi, actress
Daniel Benzali, actor
Daniele Suzuki, actress
Cacilda Becker (1921-1969), actress
Denise Fraga (1965-), actress
Fernanda Montenegro (1929-), actress
Fernanda Torres (1965-), actress
Fábio Assunção (1971-), actor
Grande Otelo (1915-1993), actor
José Lewgoy (1920-2003), actor
José Wilker (1945-), actor
Lima Duarte (1930-), actor
Malu Mader (1966-), actress
Carmen Miranda (1909-1955), entertainer
Marco Nanini (1948-), actor
Maria Fernanda , actress
Marilia Gabriela (1948-), actress and journalist
Marilia Pera (1943-), actress
Matheus Nachtergaele (1969-), actor
Miguel Falabela (1957-), actor
Oscarito, actor
Paulo Autran (1922-), actor
Paulo Satinho (1979-), actor and comedian
Procópio Ferreira (1898-1979), actor and theatrical director
Regina Duarte (1947-), actress
Reynaldo Gianecchini (1972-), actor
Rodrigo Santoro (1975-), actor
Ronald Golias (1929-2005), actor and comedian
Selton Melo (1972-), actor
Seu Jorge (1970-), entertainer
Silvia Pfeifer (1958-), actress
Sônia Braga (1950-), actress
Tarcisio Meira (1935-), actor
Taís Araújo (1978-), actress
Vera Fischer (1951-), actress
Xuxa (1963-), actress

Architects and urbanists

Roberto Burle Marx (1909-1994), architect and landscape designer.
Lúcio Costa (1902-1998), architect and urbanist, creator of Brasília
Oscar Niemeyer, (1907-), architect of international renown
Ruy Ohtake, architect
Affonso Eduardo Reidy (1909-1964), architect and urban planner, reformer of Rio de Janeiro
Paulo Mendes da Rocha (born 1928), architect, winner of the 2006 Pritzker Prize
João Batista Vilanova Artigas (1915-1985), architect

Artists

Main article: List of Brazilian artists

Anita Malfatti, painter
Alfredo Volpi, (1896-1988), painter
Almeida Junior, (1850-1899), painter
Antonio Francisco Lisboa "O Aleijadinho" (1738-1814), Baroque sculptor
Arnaldo Angeli Filho, (b. 1956), cartoonist
Cândido Portinari, (1903-1962), painter
Carlos Gomes Lacerda, (b.1964), painter, computer animation
Emiliano Di Cavalcanti, (1897-1976), painter
Fernando Gonzales, (b. 1961), cartoonist
Frans Krajcberg, (b. 1921)
Glauco, (b. 1957), cartoonist
Guto Lacaz, painter
Hélio Oiticica, (1937-1980), painter
Iberê Camargo (1914-1994), painter
Laerte Coutinho, (b. 1951), cartoonist
Lygia Clark (1920-1988)
Lygia Pape (1924-2004)
Manabu Mabe (1924-1997)
Mario Gruber (b. 1927)
Mauricio de Sousa, cartoonist
Oscar Araripe, painter
Oswaldo Goeldi, (1895-1961), illustrator and engraver
Raul Bopp, painter
Silvia Matheus, (b. 1955), electronic musician and composer
Tarsila do Amaral, (1886-1973), painter
Victor Brecheret, (1886-1973), painter
Vitor Meireles de Lima, (1832-1903)

Diplomats

Main article: List of Brazilian diplomats

Barão do Rio Branco (1849-1912)
Joaquim Nabuco (1849-1910)
Luiz Martins de Souza Dantas
Oswaldo Aranha
Rui Barbosa
Walter Moreira Salles
Sérgio Vieira de Mello (1948-2003), UN representative

Film directors

Main article: List of Brazilian film directors

Alberto Cavalcanti (1897-1982), pioneer film-maker
Anselmo Duarte (1920-), winner of a Cannes Film Festival Palm d'Or
Bruno Barreto
Cacá Diegues
Fernando Meirelles, director of "Cidade de Deus" (City of God)
Glauber Rocha (1939-1981)
Guel Arraes
Hector Babenco
Humberto Mauro (1897-1983), pioneer and inventive film-maker
Joaquim Pedro de Andrade (1932-1988)
Mário Peixoto (1910-1922), pioneer film-maker
Oswaldo Caldeira
Walter Salles, award-studded director of "Central do Brasil" (Central Station)

Explorers and discoverers

''Main article: List of Brazilian Explorers

Cândido Rondon, famous explorer and engineer
Orlando Villas Boas (1914-2003), explorer and indigenist
Amyr Klink, adventurer and navigator, first solo rowing across the South Atlantic
Sydney Possuelo, (b. 1940), explorer, social activist and Indian expert

Foreigners who explored or discovered in Brazil

Pedro Alvares Cabral, discovered Brazil in 1500 (Portuguese)
Francisco de Orellana, first European to sail down the Amazon River (Spaniard).
Vicente Yáñez Pinzon, a Spaniard that explored the Brazilian Coast
Hans Staden, german explorer held captive by Tupinambá natives in 1554 (German).
Pedro de Teixeira, made the first trip up the Amazon by a European (Portuguese)

Fashion Designers

Clodovil Hernandes
Gilson Martins
Vivian Crettol
Mara MacDowell da Costa (Mara-Mac Mariazinha)
Alexandre Herchcovitch
Ocimar Versolato
Tufi Duek

Heroes and historical figures

Anita Garibaldi (1807-1849), the Brazilian wife of Giuseppe Garibaldi, the Father of Modern Italy.
Bento Gonçalves, Southern politician
Bárbara de Alencar, Brazilian mother of Independence and Republic.
Chico Mendes (1944-1988), murdered rural leader and martyr of ecological movements in the Amazon
Frei Caneca (1779-1825), a priest, martyr of the independence, executed by hanging
Luis Gonzaga Pinto da Gama (1830-1882), abolitionist leader
Maria Quitéria (1792-1853), martyr of the fight for independence
Padre Feijó, leader of the independence
Princess Isabel (Isabel Christina de Bragança, 1846-1921), Princess Imperial of Brazil, second daughter of Emperor D. Pedro II, signed the abolition of slavery in Brazil
Tiradentes (Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, 1746-1792), leader of a failed conspiracy against the Portuguese, executed by hanging
Tristão de Alencar Araripe, Equador Confederation leader, murdered.
Zumbi dos Palmares (1655-1695), African-Brazilian leader of a slave revolt, murdered

Intellectuals and thinkers

Anísio Teixeira (1900-1971), educator
Benjamin Sodré
Benjamin Constant, abolitionist and republican
Caio Prado Jr. (1907-1990), writer, publisher and sociologist
Dalmo de Abreu Dallari, jurist and university professor
Darcy Ribeiro (1922-1997), anthropologist and educator, scientific leader and politician
Francisco José de Oliveira Vianna (1883-1951)
Fernando de Azevedo (1894-1974)
Florestan Fernandes (1920-1995), sociologist
Gilberto Freyre (1900-1987), sociologist
Heráclito Sobral Pinto (1893-1991), jurist and civil rights activist
José do Patrocínio, liberal abolitionist and republican
Nisia Floresta Augusta (1810-1885), early feminist
Leonardo Boff, friar, theologian, silenced by the Vatican due to his socialist stance
Milton Santos (1926-2001), geographer, writer and university professor
Paulo Freire (1921-1997), educator and university professor
Raymundo Faoro (1925-2003), jurist

Models

See also:

Female

Male

Newton Maia Salomao Alves
Marcelo Boldrini
Anderson Dornelles
Alvaro Jacomossi
Felipe Matarazzo
Bruno Santos
Evandro Soldati
João Vellutini
Alexandre Verga
Rafael Verga
Paulo Zulu

Monarchs

Main article: List of Brazilian monarchs

D. Pedro I, (1798-1834)
D. Pedro II, (1825-1891)
Queen Silvia of Sweden, (1943-) (née Silvia Sommerlath, German-Brazilian)

Music

Main article: List of Brazilians in music

Adoniran Barbosa (1912-1982), singer and composer
Airto Moreira (1941-), musician and composer
Almir Sater, singer and composer
André Matos, singer, frontman of metal bands Angra and Shaaman
Antonio Carlos Jobim (1927-1994), pianist, singer and composer
Arnaldo Antunes, singer and composer
Arnaldo Baptista (1948-), singer, musician and composer, former member of Os Mutantes
Ary Barroso (1903-1964), composer
Baden Powell (1937-2000), composer and guitar musician
Bidu Sayão (1902-1999), Opera singer
Caetano Veloso (1942-), singer and composer. Founder of the Tropicália movement
Carla Maffioletti, opera singer
Carlinhos Brown, singer, musician and composer
Carmen Monarcha, opera singer
Cartola, singer and composer
Cazuza (1958-1990), singer and composer. Former frontman of Barão Vermelho
Chico Buarque (1944-), singer and composer
Chico César (1964 -), singer, musician and composer
Chiquinha Gonzaga (1847-1935), conductor and composer
Djavan, singer and composer
Dudu Nobre,sambist
Eleazar de Carvalho, conductor
Elis Regina (1945-1982), singer
Eloy Fritsch, composer and keyboardst
Elza Soares, singer, former wife of Garrincha
Erasmo Carlos, singer and composer
Ernesto Nazareh, composer
Fabrizio Moretti (1980-) drummer and artist
Fernando Cutait, singer/guitarrist and producer
Flávio Venturini, piano/keyboard player, singer and composer
Flora Purim, jazz singer
Frank Solari, virtuoso guitar player and composer
Frejat, singer, guitarrist and composer. frontman of Barão Vermelho
Gal Costa (1945-), singer
Gilberto Gil (1942-), singer and composer. Founder of the Tropicália movement
Guilherme Arantes, pianist, singer and composer
Gustavo Assis-Brasil, composer, virtuoso guitar player
Helena Meireles (1924-2005), musician
Hermeto Pascoal, musician and composer
Igor Cavalera, drummer of Sepultura
Ivan Lins, singer, composer and pianist
Jacob do Bandolim, composer, virtuoso mandolinist
João Gilberto, singer and composer
João Gordo, punk rock bandleader, VJ
Jorge Ben Jor (1942-), singer, musician and composer
Lenine, singer, musician and composer
Luiz Gonzaga, singer, musician and composer
Marina Lima, singer and composer
Marisa Monte, singer and composer
Max Cavalera, frontman of thrash metal band Soulfly and formerly Sepultura
Milton Nascimento, singer and composer
Nelson Gonçalves (1919-1998), singer
Noel Rosa (1910-1937), guitar player, singer and composer
Oswaldo Vecchione, singer, musician and songwriter, founder member of rock band Made in Brazil
Pixinguinha (1893-1973), musician and composer
Rafael Rabello (1962-1995), guitar player and composer
Raul Seixas (1945-1989), singer and composer
Renato Russo, singer and composer, frontman of Legião Urbana
Renato Teixeira, Brazilian country singer and composer
Rita Lee (1947-), singer and composer, former member of Os Mutantes
Roberto Carlos, singer and composer
Rogério Duprat, conductor, musician and composer
Sérgio Dias, singer, musician and composer, former member of Os Mutantes
Sergio Mendes (1941-), musician
Tim Maia, singer and composer
Tom Zé (1936-) singer and composer
Toquinho, singer and composer
Vinicius de Moraes, diplomat, singer and composer
Waldir Azevedo, composer, virtuoso cavaquinho player
Zeca Pagodinho, singer and composer

Classic composers

Carlos Gomes (1836-1896), classical musician and composer
Egberto Gismonti
Chiquinha Gonzaga
Camargo Guarnieri
Felipe Lara
Heitor Villa Lobos (1887-1959), classical musician and composer

Politicians

See also: List of Brazilian presidents

Aécio Neves, governor of Minas Gerais, grandson of former president Tancredo Neves.
André Franco Montoro, senator and governor of the state of São Paulo
Adhemar de Barros, governor of the state of São Paulo
Carlos Lacerda (1914-1977), mayor and governor of Rio de Janeiro
Cesar Maia, mayor of Rio de Janeiro.
Ciro Gomes, mayor of Fortaleza, governor of Ceará, presidential candidate and minister
Ernesto Geisel, general and president during the military regime, started the political liberalization
Esperidião Amin, senator and governor of Santa Catarina
Eurico Gaspar Dutra, marshall of the Army, was appointed president by the Congress, succeeding the dictator Getúlio Vargas in 1945.
Fernando Collor de Mello, mayor, governor of Alagoas and impeached president in 1992
Fernando Henrique Cardoso (1931-), sociologist and university professor, senator, minister and twice president
Geraldo Alckmin, ex-mayor of Pindamonhangaba, vice-governor and ex-governor of São Paulo
Getúlio Vargas (1883-1954), senator and twice president, was also a dictator, killed himself in 1954
Golbery de Couto e Silva, early conspirator of the military coup against Goulart, and powerful political figure behind the office of the president under Ernesto Geisel
José Bonifácio de Andrade e Silva, regent of the empire, politician, hero of the independence
José Sarney (1930-), governor of Maranhão and senator, vice-president of Tancredo Neves, took office of president when the later died suddenly
Júlio Prestes, governor of the state of São Paulo and defeated presidential candidate
Juscelino Kubitschek (1902-1976), mayor, governor of Minas Gerais, senator and president
Jânio Quadros, mayor and governor of São Paulo, president (renounced 1962)
João Goulart, vice-president of Jânio Quadros, president (deposed by a military coup in 1964)
Lauro Sodré
Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (1946-), known as "Lula", labor activist and politician, current president.
Mário Covas, mayor and governor of the state of São Paulo, senator and federal representative
Marta Suplicy, Federal representative and mayor of São Paulo
Paulo Maluf, twice mayor of and governor of São Paulo, defeated presidential candidate
Tancredo Neves (1910-1985), several times federal representative and senator, elected president by the Congress in 1985, being the first civil president after the military ruled, but died before taking charge.

Religious leaders

D. Helder Câmara (1909-1999), the "Red Bishop", Catholic archbishop of Olinda and Recife, a fierce defender of civil rights during the military regime
D. Paulo Evaristo Arns, former archbishop of São Paulo, also a defender of civil rights

Reporters and TV hosts

Alexandre Garcia
Amaury Jr.
Angélica Ksyvickis
Boris Casoy
Cid Moreira
Fausto Silva
Gugu Liberato
Jô Soares
Leo Batista
Luciana Gimenez
Marcos Uchôa
Pedro Bial
Renata Vasconcelos
Renato Machado
Sérgio Chapelin
Silvio Santos
Marília Gabriela

Sports

Main article: List of Brazilians in sport

Acelino Freitas (Popó) (1975-), boxer
Ademar Ferreira da Silva (1927-2001), Olympics champion, triple jump
Amyr Klink, Sailor
Ayrton Senna (1960-1994), Formula 1 driver
Bob Burnquist (1976-), skateboarder
Cafu (1970-), football player
Daniele Hypolito, gymnast
Daniel Coloneze de Pinho, sailor and national champion
Deco, Anderson Luiz de Sousa (born August 27, 1977 in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil) is a professional footballer widely known as Deco (pron. IPA: ['dɛku]). He plays internationally for Portugal.
Diego Hypolito, gymnast
Daiane dos Santos, gymnast
Eder Jofre (1936-), boxer, world champion
Emerson Fittipaldi (1946-), Formula 1 and Indy Car driver
Falcão(1953-), football player
Garrincha (1933-1983), football player
Giant Silva (1963), Wrestler and MMA fighter.
Gustavo Kuerten (1976-), tennis player
Hélio Castroneves (1975-) - Indy Car driver
Hortência (1959-), former basketball player
Jade Barbosa, gymnast
Jairzinho (1944-), football player
João (do Pulo) Carlos de Oliveira (1954-1999), athlete triple jumper, Olympics champion
Jr. Brasil, Jiu-Jitsu, Capoeira & Judo Instructor
Lars Grael, Olympic sailor and champion
Luisa Parente, gymnast
Maria Bueno, former tennis player
Mosiah Rodrigues, gymnast
Nelson Piquet (1952-), former Formula 1 driver
Nílton Santos (1927-), former football player
Oscar Schmidt (1958-), former basketball player
Paula, former basketball player
Pelé (1940-), former football player
Peter Tanscheit, Olympic sailor and champion
Rafael Coloneze de Pinho, sailor and chairman of ABCL
Renê Carmo Kreutz Weber (1960-), former football player and for some time, until presently (2005) a soccer trainer in Brazil and other countries
Robert Scheidt (1973-), Olympics sailor and champion
Romário (1966-), football player
Ronaldo (1976-), football player
Ronaldinho Gaúcho (1980-), football player
Royce Gracie, MMA fighter
Renzo Gracie, MMA fighter
Hélio Gracie, Father of Gracie Jiu Jitsu
Rickson Gracie, MMA fighter
Carlson Gracie, MMA fighter
Carlos Gracie, MMA fighter
Crosley Gracie, MMA fighter
Relson Gracie, MMA fighter
Rodrigo Gracie, MMA fighter
Rubens Barrichello - Formula 1 driver
Torben Grael (1960-), Olympic sailor and champion, brother of Lars Grael
Vanderlei de Lima (1969-), marathoner
Victor Penalber (1990-), Judo player
Zico (1953-), former football player
Felipe Massa (1981-), Formula 1 driver

Writers and Poets

Main article: List of Brazilian writers

Álvares de Azevedo (1831-1852), poet and writer
Alfredo D'Escragnolle Taunay (1843-1871), writer and historian
Alfredo Dias Gomes (1922-1999), playwriter
Augusto dos Anjos (1884-1914), poet
Antônio Gonçalves Dias (1823-1864), poet
Carlos Drummond de Andrade (1902-1987), poet and writer
Cecília Meireles (1901-1964), poet
Clarice Lispector (1925-1977), writer
Érico Verissimo (1905-1975), writer
Fernando Sabino (1923-2004), writer
Ferreira Gullar, writer and poet
Haroldo de Campos (1929-), poet
Holdemar Menezes (1921-1996) writer
João Cabral de Melo Neto (1920-1999), poet
João Guimarães Rosa (1908-1967), writer
João Pedro Jorge, writer and poet
Jorge Amado (1912-2001), writer
José de Alencar (1829-1877), writer
Julio Ribeiro, writer
Luis Fernando Veríssimo (1936-), writer
Lya Luft (1938-), writer and poet
Machado de Assis (1839-1908), writer
Manuel Bandeira (1886-1968), poet
Maria Clara Machado (1921-2001), playwriter
Mário de Andrade (1893-1945), writer
Márcio Souza (1946-), writer
Menotti del Picchia, critic and writer
Monteiro Lobato (1882-1948), writer and publisher
Nelson Rodrigues (1912-1980), journalist and writer
Oduvaldo Vianna Filho (1936-1974), playwriter
Olavo Bilac (1865-1918), poet
Otto Maria Carpeaux (1900-1978), critic
Otto Lara Rezende, writer, critic and journalist
Oscar Araripe, Poet and painter
Oswald de Andrade (1890-1954), writer and critic
Paulo Coelho (1947-), writer
Patrícia Galvão ("Pagu"), wife of Oswald de Andrade
Plínio Marcos (1935-1999), playwriter
Raquel de Queiroz, writer
Sergio Pinheiro Lopes (1953-), writer
Vinícius de Morais (1913-1980), poet

Science and technology

Main article: List of Brazilian scientists

Adib Jatene, heart surgeon
Adolfo Lutz, physician and pioneer of public health
Alberto Santos-Dumont, aviator and inventor.
Antônio Rebouças Filho, pioneer engineer and urbanist
André Rebouças (1838-1898), pioneer engineer, brother of Antônio Rebouças Filho.
Aristides Leão, physician and physiologist, discovered Leão's depression, a phenomenon of the nervous tissue
Aurélio Buarque de Hollanda, historiographer and linguist
Carlos Chagas, physician and biomedical scientist, discovered Chagas Disease.
Carlos Chagas Filho, physician and physiologist, former president of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Son of Carlos Chagas.
Celso Furtado, noted economist and ideologue of economy of developing nations
César Lattes, experimental physicist, co-discoverer of meson-pi, a kind of atomic particle
Carlos Nemer, architect and urban designer, civil engineer, finance specialist
Eduardo Krieger, physician and physiologist, current president of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences
Ennio Candotti, physicist and scientific leader
Euryclides Zerbini, heart surgeon, pioneer of first heart transplant in Brazil
Florestan Fernandes (1920-1995), father of Brazilian sociology
Gilberto Freyre (1900-1987), historiographer and sociologist
Henrique da Rocha Lima,
Hércules Florence, pioneer of photography
Isaias Raw, physician, biochemist and scientific leader
Ivan Izquierdo, physician and neuroscientist, discovered neural mechanisms of memory
Jacob Palis, mathematician of international fame
Jorge Stolfi, computer scientist, nowadays professor at UNICAMP
Johanna Döbereiner (1924-2000), biologist of international fame, discoverer of the nitrogen fixation role of soil bacteria
José Aristodemo Pinotti, physician and gynecologist, former president of the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
José Goldemberg, physicist, former Minister of Science & Technology and Dean of the University of São Paulo
José Leite Lopes, theoretical physicist
José Lutzenberger (1926-2002), ecologist and zoologist
José Reis, biologist, greatest Brazilian science writer
Luiz Hildebrando Pereira da Silva, physician, infectologist and immunologist
Manuel de Abreu, physician, inventor of abreugraphy (mass radiography of the lungs for screening tuberculosis)
Marcelo Gleiser, physicist, writer and professor of physics and astronomy at the Dartmouth College since 1991
Marcos Pontes, first Brazilian astronaut, Expedition 13
Mário Schenberg, one of the most noted theoretical physicists in the world
Maurício Rocha e Silva, physician and pharmacologist, discovered bradykinin, an active cardiovascular peptide
Mayana Zatz, biologist and geneticist
Miguel Nicolelis, neuroscientist, one of Scientific American's best scientists of 2004
Milton Santos (1926-2001), geographer
Newton da Costa (1929), mathematician and logician, recognised for his works in paraconsistent logic
Nise da Silveira (1905-1999), psychiatrist and mental health reformer
Oswaldo Cruz, physician and public health champion, eliminated yellow fever, bubonic plague and smallpox in Rio de Janeiro at the turn of the 20th century
Paulo Emilio Vanzolini, zoologist
Paulo Nogueira Neto, ecologist, zoologist and scientific leader
Roberto Landell de Moura, pioneer of telephony
Rogério César de Cerqueira Leite, physicist and scientific leader and writer
Sérgio Henrique Ferreira, physician and pharmacologist, discovered the active principle of a new drug against hypertension
Sonia Ambrosio de Nelson, journalist and sociologist.
Vital Brazil, physician and scientist, discoverer of the antivenom for snakes and other venomous animals
Warwick Estevam Kerr, geneticist, researcher on the biology and genetics of bees
Wilson Teixeira Beraldo, co-discoverer of bradykinin

Foreign scientists and engineers who lived in Brazil

Carl August Wilhelm Schwacke, German botanist
Charles Frederick Hartt, Canadian-American geologist and paleontologist
Claude Lévi-Strauss, French anthropologist
Daniele Mundici, Italian mathematician
Émil Goeldi, Swiss naturalist
Emmanuel Liais, French astronomer and naturalist
Erasmo Recami, Italian physicist
Friedrich Sellow, German botanist
Fritz Müller, German naturalist
Fritz Köberle, Austrian physician and pathologist
Giorgio Mortara, Italian Demographer and Statistician
Grigori Ivanovitch Langsdorff, German/Russian naturalist
Giuseppe Occhialini, Italian physicist
Gleb Wataghin, Ukrainian/Italian physicist
Helmut Sick, German zoologist
Hermann von Ihering, German naturalist
Louis Couty, French physiologist and pharmacologist
Lucien Lison, Belgian anatomist
Ludwig Riedel, German botanist
Miguel Rolando Covian, Argentinian physiologist
Orville Adalbert Derby, American geologist
Richard Feynman, American physicist
David Bohm American physicist
Luigi Fantappiè Italian mathematician

Others

Iruan Ergui Wu, Taiwanese-Brazilian boy, focus of an international scandal