Top 15 Famous Brazilian people

Top 20 Famous Brazilian People

*Originally published by Lilian in November 2020 and Updated by Vanessa R in August 2022 and by Vanessa R in July 2023 and by Vanessa M in February 2024.

The Federal Republic of Brazil is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. Over 211 million people are calling Brazil home in an area of about 8.5 million square kilometers.

This country has some of the finest beaches, idyllic islands, big-city beaches and rainforest along the coastline. It is no wonder Brazilians say God is Brazilian.

One other famous thing about Brazil is its people. They are known for their colourful carnivals, football, and their music.

Names such as Neymar, Pele, Ronaldinho Gaucho quickly bring to mind football. These are some of the people that make Brazil proud.

Here are the top 20 famous people from Brazil.

1. Pele – Retired Footballer

By AFP/SCANPIX -Wikimedia

His birth name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, but he is known to the world as Pelé.

He is a retired footballer and the greatest of all time to have ever lived. Pele lived and played football in Brazil while also playing for Santos Football Club.

At 16, Pele was named as part of the Brazilian national team. He won his first World Cup a year later, he won 3 more World Cups.

In all the 1,363 professional games, Pele scored 1,281 goals which are yet to be beaten.

To date, Pele is considered the King of Soccer also known as GOAT (Greatest of All-Time).

2. Paulo Coelho – Author

By Ricardo – Wikimedia

You have probably read his best-seller The Alchemist. The author, Paulo Coelho, is a Brazilian novelist who has sold over 165 million books.

His work has been published in more than 170 countries in different countries. The Alchemist made him famous.

Like most people, Coelho struggled with procrastination while launching his career. He asked for a sign from God, and he got it, he saw a white feather.

The year that followed he wrote The Alchemist which was published by a small Brazilian publishing house. His next book, Brida, was published at a bigger publishing house.

During an interview, Coelho mentioned that his book The Alchemist was influenced by his Sufi tradition.

After the publication of The Alchemist, he has been writing at least one novel every two years.

His books have sold more than 320 million copies. He was listed by UK-based company Richtopia at number 2 in the list of 200 most influential contemporary authors.

3. Neymar – Professional Footballer

Neymar is another popular football player who came into prominence at Santos. He made his professional debut at the age of 17.

His club won two successive Campeonato Paulista Championships, a Copa do Brasil and the 2011 Copa Libertadores. The last time Santos won the Copa Libertadores in 1963.

Neymar was named the South American Footballer of the Year twice in 2011 and 2012. He then moved to Europe where he plays for Barcelona.

Together with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez, they won the continental treble of La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEAFA Champions League.

Neymar plays for Paris Saint-Germain where they attained a domestic quadruple in the 2019–20 season. This was the team’s first-ever Champions League Final.

4. Oscar Niemeyer – Architect

By Wikimedia

Oscar Niemeyer was an extraordinary architect who achieved worldwide fame for his exceptional designs. His designs are characterised by their eccentric shapes and usage of large spaces.

Oscar’s famous architectural designs include the Serpentine Pavilion in Hyde Park in London, the UN Head Quarters in New York and the Brazilian National Museum in Brasilia.

He mentioned that he was never fond of straight lines, but loved free-flowing sensual curves such as the waves of the ocean and the curves of a woman.

In 2006, he hit the headlines for a different reason, he was 99 years old and had just gotten married to his secretary.

5. Ronaldinho Gaúcho – Retired Footballer

Ronaldinho is on the list of most famous Brazilian celebrities. In 2004 and 2005 he won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards.

He is often praised for his skills, use of tricks, and accuracy from free-kicks.

Ronaldinho kicked off his career in 1998 and has played for clubs such as Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Milan, and Flamengo.

He has represented Brazil in two FIFA World Cups and won the championship in 2002.

6. Alice Braga – Actress

By iDominick – Wikimedia

Alice began her acting career in the Portuguese-language short film Trampolim in 1998 and later went back to school.

She had her breakthrough when she was cast as Angelica in the film City of God in 2002. From this film, she was nominated for the Best Supporting Actress from the Cinema Brazil Grand Prize.

Alice made her English-language debut in the crime thriller Journey to the End of Night in 2006.

Her other popular films were: I Am Legend, Redbelt, Blindness and crossing over.

7. Fernanda Montenegro – Actress

Fernanda Montenegro is another Brazilian television, film, and stage actress. She is considered to be the greatest Brazilian actress of all time.

She is the only Brazilian to ever get nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. This nomination was for her work in Central Station.

Fernanda was the first Brazilian actress to win the International Emmy Awards for Best Actress for her role in Sweet Mother.

8. Gisele Bündchen – Model and Businesswoman

Gisele is a model, activist, and businesswoman. She was the world’s highest-paid model between 2002 and 2016.

She walked the longest runway in her career during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio. Other than her successful career, she supports many social and environmental causes.

In 2018, she released a memoir called Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, which became a New York Times bestseller. The proceeds from this book went to support her work at the NGO Brazil Foundation.

9. Adriana Lima – Model

By Toglenn – Wikimedia

Adriana is a Brazilian supermodel, who had the longest-running modelling career. She was also named as the most valuable Victoria’s Secret Angel in 2017.

She was the face of Maybelline cosmetics and was also featured in Super Bowl and Kia Motors commercials.

She is also known as a spokesmodel for Maybelline cosmetics since 2003 and for her Super Bowl and Kia Motors commercials. Adriana is currently an ambassador for IWC, Puma, Maybelline, and Chopard.

10. Morena Baccarin – Actress

Another Brazilian actress who is famous in Hollywood is Morena Baccarin. She was born in Rio de Janeiro but moved to the US with her parents when she was 7 years old.

Morena starred in the television series Homeland and the movie Deadpool. She has also featured in a Netflix series Gotham and had the leading role in the series V.  

11. Taís Araújo-Actress

Taís Araújo by ONU Brasil no Vimeo from Wikimedia Commons

Araújo is one of the most admired Brazilian celebrities and a model, actor, and TV personality.

She has acted in numerous national telenovelas and was the first Afro-Brazilian to hold the role of a soap opera’s lead actress in prime time. Araújo has also taken part in a number of university discussions, including one at New York’s Columbia University. The South American actress was recently chosen as one of the top 100 people under the age of 40.

Araújo is known as “Brazil’s most glamorous and bravest TV star,” according to Vogue, for her continual social media discussion of racial issues in Brazil.

12. Gisele Bündchen-Model

Gisele Bündchen by Danilo Borges from Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian fashion model Gisele Bündchen is well-known throughout the world. She was even one of the wealthiest ladies in the entertainment industry and one of the tops paid models in the world for many years.

She is unquestionably one of the most well-known Brazilians, and it isn’t just because of her catwalk work; she is also well-known for her supporting parts in blockbuster films like Taxi and The Devil Wears Prada.

She has served as a UN Environment Program Goodwill Ambassador since 2009. Born in Rio Grande do Sul, Bündchen is the wife of American football quarterback Tom Brady.

13. Rodrigo Santoro- Actor

Rodrigo Santoro by David Shankbone from Wikimedia Commons

Born in Petrópolis, a Brazilian city in Rio de Janeiro State, Santoro is a prominent actor who is especially well-known among female viewers.

In numerous telenovelas, popularly known as soap operas on Brazilian television, he performed pivotal roles. In 2001, the Brazilian film Bicho de Sete Cabeças (Brainstorm), which launched his acting career, gave him his first important role in a motion picture.

After then, he appeared in Love Actually, Lost, 300, The Last Stand, Jesus, and a number of Chanel commercials, in addition to many other films. One of the well-known Brazilians nominated for several “sexiest” and “most attractive” lists is Santoro.

14. Morena Baccarin- Actress

Morena Baccarin by Gage Skidmore from Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian actress Baccarin has appeared in a variety of films and television shows, including Gotham, Firefly, Homeland, and Deadpool.

She has received numerous nominations, including those for best actress, female performance, and supporting actress. Since their 2017 wedding, Baccarin and Ben McKenzie have been parents to two kids. She was formerly married to Austin Chick, a movie producer, and they have a son together.

15. Alexandre Herchcovitch-Fashion designer

Alexandre Herchcovitch by André Schiliró from Wikimedia Commons

Herchcovitch is a So Paulo-based Brazilian fashion designer who is most recognized for his avant-garde styles and unusual prints. In the 1990s, Brazil’s youth adopted his signature skulls as an emblem.

In addition to New York, Paris, and other cities, he has attended numerous fashion events. Herchcovitch created the McDonald’s Brazil uniforms, served as a judge for Brazil’s Next Top Model, and was employed by Cori and Zoomp.

Currently, Herchcovitch has one store in Japan and four locations in Brazil. He creates four collections per year for his own brand.

16. Gusttavo Lima

Turismo Bahia, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian singer, composer, and record producer Lima is of sertanejo descent. He rose to fame with the song “Balada.”

He was raised in Minas Gerais and began working at the young age of 7. His song gained popularity worldwide when the smash “Balada” propelled him to number 3 on the Billboard Top 100 Brazil. This includes the United States, France, Spain, and other nations. His first worldwide tour of the USA and Europe was prompted by those circumstances. Many of Lima’s songs currently rank among the top 100 in Brazil.

17. Fabrizio Moretti

While Moretti was born in Rio de Janeiro, he spent a lot of time there. He is a musician and DJ best known for being the drummer for the rock band The Strokes.

Moretti and two other Brazilians also founded the rock supergroup Little Joy. He has served as the band’s leader since 2018 for the Machinegum artist collective and synth-pop band from New York.

18. Marta

Marta, a forward for the Brazil national team and Orland Pride, was born in Alagoas. With 112 goals, she holds the record for most international goals scored by a Brazilian player of either gender. Marta also holds the record for the most goals scored in either the men’s or women’s FIFA World Cup competition, with 17 goals.

Marta has won six FIFA World Player of the Year awards and is often considered to be the greatest female football player of all time. She was recognized as a supporter of the Sustainable Development Goals by the UN Secretary-General.

19. Guto Inocente

K.O. Artist Sports, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Brazilian professional kickboxer and mixed martial artist named Inocente. Inocente, a native of Brasilia, initially trained in Brazilian jiu-jitsu before switching to boxing and kickboxing. Among other accomplishments, he formerly held the titles of five-time Brazilian Kickboxing Champion, three-time Pan-American Champion, and three-time South American Champion.

He was however given a four-year suspension in 2017 after testing positive for a few illegal substances.

20. Ana Beatriz Barros

Brazil’s Barros is a model known for her many appearances working with well-known companies like Guess, Dior, Victoria’s Secret, Chanel, JLO, Dolce & Gabbana, etc. Karim El Chiaty is married to an entrepreneur who is from both Greece and Egypt, they have two kids together. 

10 Brazilians Who Are Fashion Icons

1. Gisele Bündchen

Tiago Chediak, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Gisele Bündchen, born on July 20, 1980, in Brazil, is a world-renowned supermodel and philanthropist. She rose to prominence in the late 1990s as a Victoria’s Secret Angel and dominated international catwalks. Gisele’s iconic looks and versatility have landed her on countless magazine covers and campaigns for well-known fashion brands.

In addition to her modeling success, she is an environmental activist who promotes sustainability. Gisele is consistently ranked among the highest-paid models, and her influence extends beyond fashion, cementing her reputation as an enduring and influential figure in the entertainment and philanthropic spheres.

2. Alessandra Ambrosio

Born in Brazil on April 11, 1981, Alessandra Ambrosio is a world-renowned supermodel and actress. She rose to prominence as a Victoria’s Secret Angel, demonstrating her beauty and runway prowess. Ambrosio’s career has included collaborations with top fashion houses such as Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, and Christian Dior.

Her elegant yet sultry style has graced numerous magazine covers, cementing her reputation as a fashion icon. Alessandra has dabbled in acting as well as modeling, appearing in films and on television. Ambrosio is still a well-known Brazilian figure in the fashion and entertainment industries, thanks to her enduring charm and international appeal.

3. Adriana Lima

Toglenn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Adriana Lima, born in Brazil on June 12, 1981, is a celebrated supermodel and actress known for her captivating beauty and long-standing presence in the fashion industry. Her striking looks and confident runway demeanor have cemented her place as one of Victoria’s Secret’s most iconic Angels.

She’s graced the covers of prestigious magazines and collaborated with renowned fashion designers. Lima’s interests have expanded beyond modeling to include acting and philanthropy. Her blend of grace, professionalism, and philanthropic efforts has cemented her place as a prominent Brazilian figure and a symbol of enduring beauty in the global fashion scene.

4. Camila Coelho

Born on February 27, 1988, Coelho is a well-known fashion and beauty influencer with a large social media following. Coelho, known for her impeccable style, rose to prominence through her blog and YouTube channel, where she posts fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content.

Working with major fashion brands, she has successfully bridged the gap between digital influence and the fashion industry. Her authenticity, diverse style, and makeup expertise have earned her a loyal global following. Camila’s influence extends beyond the digital realm, cementing her position as a respected and influential figure in the modern fashion and beauty landscape.

5. Isabeli Fontana

Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Isabeli Fontana, a highly accomplished supermodel from Brazil, was born on July 4, 1983. She is known for her striking features and runway presence. She rose to prominence in the fashion industry at a young age, walking for renowned designers such as Versace, Chanel, and Victoria’s Secret.

Fontana’s alluring beauty has graced the covers of prestigious fashion magazines around the world, demonstrating her versatility and timeless appeal. Beyond modeling, she has dabbled in acting and philanthropy, demonstrating a multifaceted career. With her long-standing success, Isabeli Fontana remains a symbol of Brazilian beauty, elegance, and professionalism in the fast-paced world of high fashion.

6. Francisco Costa

Francisco Costa, born on May 10, 1964, is a well-known fashion designer who had a significant impact on the industry. He was Calvin Klein’s women’s creative director from 2003 to 2016, and he is known for his minimalist and modern aesthetic. During his tenure, he revitalized the brand’s image, receiving critical acclaim and numerous awards.

His designs, which featured clean lines and sophisticated simplicity, were popular with the fashion elite. Costa continued to make contributions to the industry after leaving Calvin Klein, showcasing his talent and influencing the trajectory of contemporary fashion with his innovative and timeless design approach.

7. Cris Herrmann

Cris Herrmann, a Brazilian model, has made a lasting impression on the fashion industry with her distinct presence on the runways and in campaigns. Her career has been highlighted by appearances for well-known fashion houses, which demonstrate her versatility and adaptability to a variety of styles.

Herrmann’s striking features and poise have made her a popular model in numerous fashion campaigns, contributing to her widespread recognition in the industry. With a captivating runway presence and a portfolio that includes collaborations with prestigious brands, Cris Herrmann remains a prominent figure in the dynamic world of fashion, embodying the essence of Brazilian beauty.

8. Helena Bordon

This prominent fashion blogger and entrepreneur from Brazil was born on May 5, 1987. Bordon, known for her distinct style, has gained widespread recognition through her eponymous blog, where she shares fashion tips, beauty advice, and lifestyle content.

As a trendsetter, she has worked with well-known brands and demonstrated her sartorial prowess at major fashion events. Helena is an entrepreneur who has her own fashion and accessory line in addition to her online presence. Her entrepreneurial spirit, combined with an innate sense of style, cements her place as a key influencer in the global fashion scene.

9. Ricardo Tisci

Renan Katayama, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Ricardo Tisci, born on August 4, 1974, in Italy, is a highly influential fashion designer known for his transformative work in the industry. Tisci is best known as Givenchy’s creative director from 2005 to 2017, where he revitalized the brand with an edgy and contemporary aesthetic that combined streetwear and high fashion.

His bold and innovative designs received widespread acclaim, attracting a diverse following. Beyond Givenchy, Tisci’s collaborations with Nike and Burberry, where he was appointed Chief Creative Officer in 2018, have cemented his influence on modern fashion, demonstrating a dynamic and boundary-pushing approach to design.

10. Donata Meirelles

Donata Meirelles is a renowned Brazilian fashion consultant and style icon known for her significant contributions to the fashion industry. Meirelles, the former editor-in-chief of Vogue Brazil, used her keen eye for style to curate and influence trends. Her extensive background in fashion journalism and consulting has cemented her status as a tastemaker.

Meirelles, known for her unique and influential style, is frequently seen at major fashion events, contributing to the industry’s cultural dialogue. Donata Meirelles, with her deep understanding of fashion and innate sense of elegance, continues to play an important role in shaping and defining the Brazilian fashion landscape.

Brazil has produced some of the most famous and influential fashion models in history. The sheer number of Brazilian supermodels who have walked runways starred in campaigns, and graced magazine covers for the world’s most prestigious fashion brands is astounding. From Gisele Bündchen’s unprecedented fame and earning power to iconic Victoria’s Secret Angels such as Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima, these ten women embody Brazil’s status as a true fashion superpower. Their fame and influence inspire models all over the world, and their legacy solidifies Brazil’s reputation for exporting iconic beauty and style.