Ivo Canelas (born 23 December 1973) is a Portuguese actor, born in Lisbon. With a career of more than 30 years, he is recognized for his participation in numerous film, theater and television productions.
He has a degree in Theater Studies from Escola Superior de Teatro e Cinema and studied at the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, in New York, with a scholarship from the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation.
Career
Cinema He made his film debut in 1997 in the short film Menos Nove, directed by Rita Nunes. Soon after, in 1998, he participated in the short film It's Just a Minute directed by Pedro Caldas and written by Jacinto Lucas Pires.
In 2002 he joined the cast of The Uncertainty Principal by Manoel de Oliveira. In 2007 he won the Portuguese Golden Globe for Best Actor for the films O Mistério da Estrada de Sintra by Jorge Paixão da Costa and Call Girl by António-Pedro Vasconcelos.
In 2012 he played Apeles Espanca in the film Florbela directed by Vicente Alves do Ó and produced by Ukbar Filmes, a role that earned him the nomination for best actor in the first edition of the Sophia awards from the Portuguese Cinema Academy and the Best Actor CinEuphoria award. In the same year he joined the cast of A Estrada 47, a Brazilian, German, Italian and Portuguese co-production directed by Vicente Ferraz.
In 2015 he participates in the international production Powder and Gold directed by Felix Limardo and produced by William Fay. The following year he plays Lucas Mateus in Refrigerantes e Canções de Amor, a film written by Nuno Markl and directed by Luis Galvão Teles.
More recently, in 2022, he co-starred in the short film An Avocado Pit, w ritten and directed by Ary Zara, which was on the Oscar’s shortlist of 15 pre-nominated short films. A project with great international visibility, which received the support of actor Elliot Page's production company and was widely acclaimed by the trans community, all over the world.
Theater In 1991 he made his debut at Teatro da Cornucópia in Amo-te by Almeno Gonçalves. Between 1993 and 1994 he was part of the group of actors of the Passage del Terror a very successful attraction at the Lisbon Amusement Park. In 1996 he joined the cast of Aqui Está Ela, by Nathalie Sarraute, directed by Diogo Dória.
In 1997 he began his work with Artistas Unidos, with Prometeu I, II, III by Jorge Silva Melo, with whom he returned to work the following year in O Fim ou Tende Misericórdia de Nós, then in Downfall of the Egotist Johann Fatzer by Bertolt Brecht, in 2000, O Navio dos Negros as the protagonist, in 2001, and Quartet by Heiner Müller, in 2016. Silva Melo becomes a decisive mentor in his career as an actor and will shape the way he practices his craft throughout his career.
In 1999 he joined the cast of Peaches a very successful comedy directed by José Wallenstein at Teatro Aberto. In 2000, he worked with director Solveig Nordlund in the show Night is Mother to the Day by Lars Noren and, in the same year, he participated in Boca Cheia de Pássaros, a dance theater show at Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, staged by Fernanda Lapa and Francisco Camacho.
In 2004 he participated in Capricho directed by Lúcia Sigalho. The following year he worked for the first time with director Tim Carroll in The Tempest at Teatro Nacional São Luiz. He returned to work with this director as the protagonist of Peter Shaffer's Amadeus, with Diogo Infante, at Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, a role for which he received the Portuguese Golden Globe for Best Theater Actor in 2011.
In 2014, he once again starred in the show Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, directed by Miguel Seabra, at Teatro Meridional, which earned him a nomination for Best Theater Actor at the Portuguese Golden Globes.
Between 2018 and 2023 he stages and performs the monologue Every Brillian Thing by Duncan MacMillan, produced by Hugo Nóbrega from H2N, with scene and actors’ direction by Dora Bernardo. The show was a huge success, having toured the country for 4 years with more than 280 sold-out shows and around 30,000 spectators. This project earned him several awards, including the Solo Show Award by the 2020 Theater Guide, integrating the list of 30 best shows of 2019 by Comunidade Cultura e Arte and having won the 2021 Marketeer Award in the Art and Culture category.
Television He became famous for his portrayal of Joca in the series O Fura Vidas (1999–2001). Between 2008 and 2011 he participated in the series Liberdade 21, produced by SP television and directed by Patrícia Sequeira and Sérgio Graciano. I n 2009 he joined the cast of the mini-series Conexão, directed by Leonel Vieira on RTP.
Between 2010 and 2012 he participated in the Canadian series Living in Your Car, directed by David Steinberg, among others. Soon after, he played the role of Xavier in the RTP series Os Filhos do Rock (2013–2014). In 2019 he joined the cast of Sul, an RTP series produced by Arquipélago Filmes and directed by Ivo Ferreira. In 2021 he plays the Minister of Defense in the Netflix series Glória, directed by Tiago Guedes.
Recently, in 2023 he joined the cast of the RTP series Emília, directed by Filipa Amaro. In 2024 he plays the role of Doctor in the RTP series O Americano directed by Ivo Ferreira. In 2025, he will participate in Projecto Global, a series by Ivo Ferreira about the FP25, and in Cold Haven, a Portuguese and Icelandic co-production, filmed in both countries.
Selected filmography
Film Year TitleDirector Role Notes2022An Avocado PitAry ZaraCláudioLead2018Soldado MillhõesGonçalo Galvão TelesCapitão Ribeiro de CarvalhoSupporting2016Refrigerantes e Canções de AmorLuís Galvão TelesLucas MateusLeadHistórias de AliceOswaldo CaldeiraMiguelSupporting2015ZeusPaulo Filipe MonteiroSupporting2014Powder and GoldFelix LimardoEl Pavo RealSupportingPapel de NatalJosé Miguel RibeiroSanaGeloGonçalo Galvão TelesFilipeSupporting 2012FlorbelaVicente Alves do ÓApeles EspancaLeadA Estrada 47Vicente FerrazRui Lead2010Shoot MeAndré BadaloRubenLeadSo SoSérgio GracianoLeadBroken CloudsYuri AlvesSupportingA Bela e o PaparazzoAntónio-Pedro VasconcelosMédicoCameo15 Pontos na AlmaVicente Alves do ÓMárioLead10-GnosisLeandro Ferrão2009Desesavergonhadamente RealArtur Serra AraújoLead2008BudapestWalter CarvalhoSupportingThe art of StealingLeonel VieiraXico da SilvaLead 2007Call GirlAntónio-Pedro VasconcelosMadeiraLeadLove BirdsBruno de AlmeidaSupportingDo Outro Lado do MundoLeandro FerreiraRickySupporting200620, 13 PurgatórioJoaquim LeitãoGuerra SupportingO Mistério da Estrada de SintraJorge Paixão da CostaEça de QueirósLeadUm Tiro no EscuroLeonel VieiraLead 2005AliceMarco MartinsSupporting 2002The Uncertainty PrincipleManoel de OliveiraSupportingA Dupla ViagemTeresa GarciaPedroSupporting2001Olhó PassarinhoJosé SacramentoJoãoLead2000António Um Rapaz de LisboaJorge Silva MeloJaimeSupporting1999MonsantoRuy GuerraBrunoSupporting 1998Zona JLeonel VieiraCosmoSupportingÉ Só um MinutoPedro CaldasLeadEntrada em PalcoPedro CaldasHimselfSupporting1997O Que Foi?Ivo FerreiraSupportingMenos 9Rita NunesO Que Espera Na EstaçãoLead
TV Year TitleDirector Role Channel2025Cold HavenArnor Palmi e Tiago MarquesAlexProjecto GlobalIvo FerreiraInspector ChefeRTP12024O AmericanoIvo FerreiraDoutorRTP12023EmíliaFilipa AmaroCoreógrafoRTP12022Causa PrópriaJoão Nuno Pinto Procurador VítorRTP1SantiagoPedro VarelaPedro VasconcellosSIC2021GlóriaTiago GuedesMinistro da DefesaNetflix2020O Mundo Não Acaba AssimArtur RibeiroAlbertoRTP12019SulIvo FerreiraPastor SantoroRTP12018Soldado MilhõesGonçalo Galvão Teles e Jorge Paixão da CostaCapitão Ribeiro de CarvalhoRTP1+2017Into the BadlandsBaron RojasAMCEmerald CityTarsem SinghJavierNBCFilha da LeiYuri Alves e Sérgio GracianoJaimeRTP12014Mulheres de AbrilJoaquim OliveiraJorgeRTP12013Os Filhos do RockPedro VarelaXavier BastosRTP12012Perdidamente FlorbelaVicente Alves do ÓApeles EspancaRTP1 2010Living in Your CarDavid SteinbergBrunoHBOO Segredo de Miguel ZuzarteHenrique OliveiraMiguel ZuzarteTempo FinalPedro VarelaÓscarRTP12009ConexãoLeonel VieiraMiguel ÂngeloRTP12008Liberdade 21Sérgio Graciano e Patrícia SequeiraAfonso FerrazRTP12005JuraPaulo SumionSebastiãoSIC2002Olá PaiAntónio Moura MatosVasco SarmentoTVI1999O Fura VidasJorge QueirogaJocaSICA Hora da LiberdadeJoana PontesSantos SilvaSIC1998Diário de MariaLuísRTP1PortugalmenteRTP1DéboraJorge CardosoManuelRTP11997Médico de FamíliaMiguel QueirogaHugoSICRiscosMiguel Amaro da Costa, Santa Maria, António CorreiaRTP1
Theatre +YearTitlePlayDirectorTheatre2018/23Every Brilliant ThingDucan MacMillanIvo CanelasSala Estúdio Time Out2018CreditorsStrindbergPaulo PintoTeatro da Trindade2016QuartetHeiner MüllerJorge Silva MeloTeatro Paulo Claro2014Pedro PáramoJuan RulfoMiguel SeabraTeatro Meridional2011AmadeusPeter ShafferTim CarrollTeatro Nacional D. Maria II201060 Durações de 1 MinutoClara Andermatt e Marco MartinsTeatro São Luiz2005The TempestW. ShakespeareTim CarrollTeatro São Luiz2004CaprichoLúcia Sigalho2003Modigliani Robert CastleNew York2002Fairy TaleMegan WallaceNew York2001O Navio dos NegrosJorge Silva MeloCulturgest2000Boca Cheia de PássarosFernanda Lapa e Francisco CamachoTeatro Nacional D. Maria IINight is Mother to the DayLars NorénSolveig NordlundC. C. MalapostaDownfall of the Egotistic Johann FatzerBertolt BrechtJorge Silva MeloTeatro Variedades1999PeachesNick GrossoJosé WallensteinTeatro Aberto1998O Fim ou Tende Misericórdia de NósJorge Silva MeloCulturgest1997Prometeu I, II, IIIJorge Silva MeloTeatro de Almada e Teatro da Trindade1996Aqui Está ElaNathalie Sarraute Diogo DóriaEstrela 601995O Grande CerimonialFernando ArrabalPaulo de CastroCCB1994Bosque de LeiteSandra FaleiroAcarte1993/94Passage del TerrorLisbon Amusement Park1991Amo-teAbel NevesAlmeno GonçalvesTeatro da Cornucópia
Awards +YearAwardCategoryProject2016Sophia Awards - Portuguese Cinema AcademyBest Supporting ActorGeloNominated2015Golden GlobeBest Theatre ActorPedro PáramoNominated2014Lumen AwardBest Dramatic Fiction ActorWinner2013Sophia Awards - Portuguese Cinema AcademyBest ActorFlorbelaNominated2013Lux MagazineCinema PersonalityFlorbela and So SoWinner2013SPA - Sociedade Portuguesa de AutoresBest Series (collective award)Perdidamente FlorbelaWinner2013CinEuphoria Best ActorFlorbela and So SoWinner2012Golden GlobeBest Theatre ActorAmadeusWinner2010Caminhos do Cinema Português FestivalBest ActorDesavergonhadamente RealWinner2009Ibero Brasil FestivalBest ActorThe art of StealingWinner200949th Montecarlo TV FestivalBest ActorLiberdade 21Nominated2009GDA AwardBest Film ActorCall GirlWinner2009Golden GlobeBest Film ActorThe art of StealingNominated2008Golden GlobeBest Film ActorMistério da Estrada de Sintra and Call GirlWinner200836th Gramado Film FestivalBest Actor in Foreign FilmMistério da Estrada de SintraNominated1999Ribeiro da FonteNew TalentWinner1999Badajoz Short Films FestivalSpecial MentionOlhó PassarinhoWinner
References
External links