José Wilker facts for kids

Quick facts for kids José Wilker
Wilker in 2006
Born	José Wilker Almeida (1944-08-20)20 August 1944 Juazeiro do Norte, Ceará, Brazil
Died	5 April 2014(2014-04-05) (aged 69) Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Occupation	Actor, director
Years active	1965–2014
Spouse(s)	Elza Rocha Pinto ​ ​ (m. 1964; sep. 1976)​ Renée de Vielmond ​ ​ (m. 1976; div. 1985)​ Mônica Torres ​ ​ (m. 1986; div. 1996)​ Guilhermina Guinle ​ ​ (m. 1999; div. 2006)​
Children	2

José Wilker Almeida (born August 20, 1944 – died April 5, 2014) was a famous Brazilian actor and director. He worked in movies, theater, and television.

José Wilker became well-known for his roles in Brazilian TV shows called telenovelas. One of his most famous roles was in Roque Santeiro (1985). He also gained international fame for playing Vadinho in the movie Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976). In this movie, his character, Vadinho, comes back from the dead.

José Wilker's Acting Journey

José Wilker was born in Juazeiro do Norte, Brazil. He started his career in radio as an announcer in his home state of Ceará. Later, he moved to Recife. There, he joined a theater group called Movimento de Cultura Popular (MPC).

This group used theater to teach people about culture, reading, writing, and politics. In the 1960s, the MPC group was stopped by the government. So, Wilker moved to Rio de Janeiro.

Starting in Movies and Theater

In Rio, José Wilker began working in movies. Brazilian cinema was very creative and experimental at that time. He was just 19 years old when he appeared in his first movie, A Falecida, in 1965. He acted alongside the famous actress Fernanda Montenegro.

He also joined the Teatro Ipanema theater group. He became very popular in the underground theater scene. He starred in plays like The Architect and the Emperor of Assyria (1970). He also starred in his own play, A China é Azul (1972).

Television Success

José Wilker worked in television for many years. He started in 1971 on the popular show Bandeira 2. This show was written by Dias Gomes and shown on the Rede Globo network.

He became very famous for his main role in the telenovela Roque Santeiro. He acted with Regina Duarte and Lima Duarte in this show. From 1997 to 2002, he also directed many episodes of the comedy show Sai de Baixo.

Memorable Movie Roles

José Wilker had many unforgettable roles in movies. In 1979, he was in Bye Bye Brazil. In 1986, he starred in The Man in the Black Cape.

Some of his most well-known movie characters include:

• Tiradentes in The Conspirators (1972).
• Vadinho in Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands (1976), which was a huge hit.
• The politician Tenorio Cavalcanti in The Man in Black Cover (1986).
• Anthony Advisor in War Canudos (1997).

He also played an older Juscelino Kubitschek in the miniseries JK. Kubitschek was a former President of Brazil. In 1992, José Wilker acted in the movie Medicine Man with Sean Connery and Lorraine Bracco.

José Wilker's Passing

José Wilker passed away on April 5, 2014, in Rio de Janeiro. He was 69 years old. He died from a heart attack.

Filmography

Movies He Acted In

Television Shows He Acted In

Shows He Directed

• 1983: Louco Amor
• 1984: Transas e Caretas
• 1987: Corpo Santo
• 1987: Carmem (telenovela)
• 1997-2002: Sai de Baixo

See also

In Spanish: José Wilker para niños