Rafael Morais is a Portuguese actor and film director. He has worked with several globally awarded filmmakers, such as Lav Diaz, Marco Martins, Joao Canijo, and Tiago Guedes. He won the Best Actor prize at the 2023 Prishtina International Film Festival for his performance in Albania's 95th Academy Awards submission, A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On, which was lauded as one of the best of the year by Variety and Screen International.
Career Morais has appeared in films including Marco Martins's How to Draw a Perfect Circle (Portugal's official submission to the 82nd Academy Awards and winner of the Best Ensemble Acting Award at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival); João Canijo's Blood of My Blood (Portugal's official submission to the 85th Academy Awards); Gentian Koçi's A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On (Albania's official submission to the 96th Academy Awards); Canijo's Bad Living (Portugal's official submission to the 96th Academy Awards); and the 2025 Cannes Film Festival Official Selection, Magellan, directed by Lav Diaz.
In 2012, he made his directorial debut with the short film You Are the Blood, which he also wrote and starred in.
In 2022, Morais portrayed the Portuguese painter Amadeo de Souza Cardoso in the biopic Amadeo. He is also known for his work in the Netflix series White Lines,Glória, and Turn of the Tide.
Accolades Morais has been nominated three times as Best Actor at the Portuguese Golden Globes, for the films Blood of My Blood, A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On, and How to Draw a Perfect Circle.
He has been nominated twice as Best Lead Actor at the Sophia Awards, for his performances in Amadeo and A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On.
In 2023, Morais won the Best Actor award at the Prishtina International Film Festival for A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On. His portrayal of the deaf-mute Agim earned him rave reviews, and his work was lauded as "one of the best performances of the year" by Variety.
In 2024, he was selected for the Berlinale Talents development program, and the same year, he was invited to become a permanent member of the European Film Academy.
Selected filmography
Film + Year Title Role Notes2008Doomed LoveManuel Botelho2009How to Draw a Perfect CircleGuilhermeL'arc-en-cielGary 2011Blood of My BloodJoca FialhoBest Lead Actor nomination at the 2011 Globos de OuroYou Are the BloodDanWriter, director, actor2012Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James DeanJohny2015Chasing Eagle RockRaffa2022AmadeoAmadeo de Souza CardosoBest Lead Actor nomination, Sophia AwardsA Cup of Coffee and New Shoes OnGezimBest actor award, 2023 Prishtina International Film Festival; Best Lead Actor nomination, Sophia Awards and Globos de Ouro2023Bad LivingAlexLiving BadAlex2025MagellanJoao Carvalho
Television + Year Title Role Notes2020White LinesYoung Boxer6 episodes2021GlóriaDomingos4 episodes2023Turn of the TideMorcela7 episodes2024Hotel do RioAlex4 episodes
References
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