Wagner Moura says that Oscar opened doors and that the Latin wave in films is unstoppable

He plays Jason, who, together with his wife, played by Greta Lee, and their two children, is trapped at home from one day to the next. An unusual and incessant rain forms a kind of alien film outside, preventing entry or exit from the residence - it is not even possible to break doors or windows, which reform thanks to the mysterious liquid. To complete the suspense by Louis Leterrier, director of "The Master's Trick" and the tenth "Fast and the Furious", monstrous creatures roam the deserted neighborhood while everyone is locked up, on a hunt for humans.

It's the type of American film that would be broadcast in the Afternoon Session, says Moura about the Globo track that largely shows commercial successes designed for different audiences. "Streaming is a reality, and it reaches everyone's home. It's cheap to do, but it's important to also make films for the cinema. My passion for films has to do with going to the cinema", continues the actor, who has starred in other Netflix productions, such as "Sergio" and "Agente Oculto".

It's a caveat that matches the profile of the actor, who took advantage of his own projection with "The Secret Agent" to campaign for the regulation of streaming in Brazil through social networks and who has been, in parallel with working on films and streaming series, dedicating himself with similar dedication to works designed for movie theaters.

After directing "Marighella", he popularized his voice in the United States by voicing the Wolf in "Puss in Boots 2", an animation praised by critics and a box office success. Two years later, he starred in "Civil War", the first blockbuster from the cool studio A24.

Last year, he took Kleber Mendonça Filho's "The Secret Agent" to the Cannes Film Festival, the first step in the film's long campaign for the Oscars, in which it received four nominations, including best film.

"Today, after 'The Secret Agent', I have access to projects and conversations with directors that would have been more difficult before this film. What hasn't changed is my criteria for choosing projects and doing the things I want to do", says Moura.

Despite the suspense with hints of horror, "The Last House" brings reflections on masculinity and the direction of society in the face of the climate crisis. Jason, the protagonist, becomes obsessed with protecting his own family, taking on the responsibility of provider that no longer fits into a daily life limited by isolation - a reality, in fact, that references the Covid-19 pandemic.

"He [Jason] gets into the madness of resolving everything, but fails to see what others are doing. And, to take care of others, you have to let yourself be taken care of too," says Moura. Tension worsens between family members as food runs out and alternative ways of eating need to be found.

Many ideas came to Leterrier, the director, when observing the sea. In an interview, he says that he lives in a small trailer near the coast with his wife, who is a surfer, and year after year he notices the increase in water levels. "We are blinding ourselves", he says. "We're heading towards something that's insane. Just look at the fires in Europe or Washington right now. The world is warming, and it's our fault."

In the film, he makes a point of highlighting, most of the things in the scene are real - the animals, the vegetation and the water, which allowed him to extract more organic performances from the actors. "Wagner has a very authentic approach to everything. He needs to feel, he needs to experience. And that's because he's a person who wants to evolve as a human being, just like his character."

Unlike "Narcos", a series from ten years ago in which Moura played the drug lord Pablo Escobar, perhaps the Bahian's greatest character outside of Brazil, in "The Last House" he returns to play a good guy, a role historically less given to Latin American actors in Hollywood.

Something that is changing, according to Moura, who was also on the good side of the stories in other newer productions, such as "Drug Thieves", on Apple TV, and in "Civil War" itself.

"The tendency is for this stereotype [of the bad Latino] to be broken. As much as the United States is currently experiencing a terrible moment in relation to immigration and racism, it is clear that Latinos occupy spaces in culture and society that are not restricted to what the Trump administration says, that they would be rapists and criminals", he states.

"This is an unstoppable movement", continues the Bahian, when talking about the growing presence of Latinos in more diverse roles in cinema and television. It's a trend that, in a way, mirrors another trend underway in Brazil. "Today, in soap operas, there are many Northeastern and black actors. When I was young and started doing TV, this wasn't very common."

Moura became a kind of ambassador for Brazil in Hollywood, a bit like Pedro Pascal is for Chile. And with great power also comes great responsibility. "I feel responsible for the choices I make, because there will always be an easy way out."

THE LAST HOUSE- When Premieres this Friday (7), on Netflix- Rating 14 years old- Cast Wagner Moura, Greta Lee and Riley Chung- Production USA, 2024- Directed by Louis Leterrier