The 10 most famous Brazilian celebrities nowadays

It is hard to choose the most famous Brazilian celebrities of current times. The answer will probably differ depending on who is answering it. For example, Forbes Brazil‘s list of the 100 most powerful celebrities in Brazil is quite different from the list of most followed Brazilians on Instagram. 

Obviously, the ranking would be different if written by people of distinct ages, cultural backgrounds, locations, etc.

For instance, Maisa Silva, a Brazilian teen actress, and TV host, was the most followed teenager in the world on Instagram in 2018. However, if you ask an elderly person, they might say she cannot be more famous than singer Roberto Carlos.

For the sake of this article, we are only considering Brazilian celebrities that are still alive as of 2020. Furthermore, social media status will not affect this list as much as the general public opinion. The list is also ranked in no particular order.

Neymar

Neymar is a Brazilian professional football player who plays for Paris Saint-Germain and the Brazil national football team. He is a controversial player — while some consider him one of the best players in the world, others think he is overrated.

The footballer made his professional debut aged seventeen at Santos Futebol Clube in 2009. Since then, he also played for Futbol Club Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. Neymar helped his clubs to win more than 20 championships in total. He has also won over 50 individual honors, such as the UEFA Champions League top scorer. 

Neymar is also famous in Brazil for his party lifestyle and dating actress Bruna Marquezine. Their relationship was widely publicized throughout the media in Brazil. 

Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho is a novelist and one of the most famous Brazilian celebrities worldwide. His book The Alchemist is an international bestseller, with around 35 million copies.

After walking the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela, Paulo Coelho connected with religion. That made him start to explore rich symbolism and spirituality in his books through his characters. In Brazil, Paulo Coelho’s nickname is The Magus (O Mago).

Even though his books are a huge success among readers, critics might think otherwise. Book review editors and critics are always coming after him.

Ivete Sangalo

Ivete Sangalo is among the most loved Brazilian celebrities in Brazil. The singer is famous for her charisma and for being kind to fans. Her spunky personality is also something everyone loves about her. 

Ivete’s concerts are very popular and most of her singles become hits in Brazil. Ivete is unanimously the most popular female singer in Brazil, her albums have sold more than 20 million copies.

Ivete Sangalo first became famous as the lead singer for axé music band Banda Eva in 1993. She then started her solo career in 1997, winning three Latin Grammy Awards since. She is also the spokesperson for dozens of brands in Brazil.

Gisele Bündchen

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

During the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016, Gisele walked the longest runway of her career, the 105 meters of the Maracanã Stadium.

Gisele supports many social projects, mainly focusing on social and environmental causes. In 2018, Gisele released a memoir called Lessons: My Path to a Meaningful Life, which was a New York Times bestseller. All proceeds from her book went to the NGO Brazil Foundation, to support the causes she believes in.

Giselle Bündchen is married to American football quarterback Tom Brady and the couple has two kids together.

Pelé

Pelé is one of the biggest athletes of all time, winning the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000. That same year, the International Olympic Committee also elected Pelé Athlete of the Century.

During his career, Pelé won three FIFA World Cups, being the only player ever to do so. He is also the all-time leading goalscorer for Brazil national football team, with 77 goals in 92 games.

Since his retirement in 1977, Pelé has been an ambassador for football worldwide.

Roberto Carlos

Roberto Carlos is a Brazilian singer and songwriter. He started his career as a samba and bossa nova singer but became famous for his rock and roll music in the early ’60s. In Brazil, his nickname is The King.

Roberto Carlos was the main figure for the youth-oriented cultural movement known as Jovem Guarda, the first manifestation of Brazilian pop-rock. Since the end of Jovem Guarda, Roberto Carlos focused his career on romantic songs.

In 1994, Roberto Carlos was the artist who sold more records in Latin America, with over 70 million copies, beating the Beatles. He also has a star on the Miami Walk of Fame.

Every year, Roberto Carlos hosts a TV show special a few days before Christmas, in which he sings his greatest hits along with famous guests. The show is a huge tradition in Brazilian television.

Xuxa Meneghel

Xuxa is a television host who had a humongous career in television during the ’80s, ’90s, and early ’00s, when she was the presenter of children’s shows. She was the first Brazilian to appear on Forbes Magazine’s list of richest artists in the world, with an annual gross income of US$19 million in 1991.

During her career, Xuxa hosted children’s shows in Brazil, Argentina, and the USA. Kids from all over Brazil dreamed of being on her shows. 

Xuxa also had a solid career as a singer for children’s music, winning two Latin Grammy Awards for Best Children’s Album. As of today, she is still the second-highest best-selling female singer in Brazil, even though she released her last album in 2016.

Xuxa is a successful businesswoman, with a net worth estimated at US$160 million. Her philanthropic institution, Fundação Xuxa Meneghel, has been promoting children and youth’s rights for over 30 years. 

In Brazil, Xuxa is called Rainha dos Baixinhos, which means something like the Children’s Queen.

Anitta

Anitta is a Brazilian singer who rose to fame in 2013 after releasing the single Show das Poderosas. In that same year, she won the Artist of the Year award in Brazil.

Anitta started her career singing carioca funk music but later evolved to a more pop music side.

In 2017, Anitta started to focus on her international career, which is now well consolidated. She has collaborated with  Iggy Azalea, Major Lazer,  DJ Alesso, J Balvin, Maluma, and others.

Fernanda Montenegro

Fernanda Montenegro is a Brazilian television, film, and stage actress. She is considered the greatest Brazilian actress of all time and is the only Brazilian ever nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress. She was nominated for her work in Central Station. Fernanda was also the first Brazilian to win the International Emmy Awards for Best Actress for her performance in Sweet Mother.

Fernanda made her debut in soap operas in 1954 and was part of over 40 productions after that. She also acted in over 40 films and more than 20 plays. Fernanda Montenegro is a well-respected actress in Brazil, cited as an inspiration by most Brazilian actress.

In Brazil, she is also called Fernandona (Fernanda Sr.), due to her daughter also being an actress and also being called Fernanda. Fernanda Montenegro is now 90 years old and continues to work on soap operas, movies, and TV shows.

Ronaldinho Gaúcho

Of course, Ronaldinho is on the list of most famous Brazilian celebrities. He has won two FIFA World Player of the Year awards, in 2004 and 2005. He is also often praised for his skills, use of tricks, and accuracy from free-kicks.

Since his career debut for Grêmio, in 1998, he has played for clubs around the globe, such as Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Milan, and Flamengo. Ronaldinho also represented Brazil in two FIFA World Cups, winning the championship in 2002 alongside the dream team Ronaldo and Rivaldo. He has already retired.

So, who are the most famous Brazilian celebrities in your opinion? Leave a comment down below and let us know!

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