# João Guilherme Ávila
**João Guilherme Ávila**, full name João Guilherme de Ávila Costa, is a Brazilian actor, singer, and digital influencer, born in 2002 in São Paulo. The son of the sertanejo (Brazilian country-style popular music genre) singer [Leonardo](https://www.edgepedia.org/leonardo-musician), he became nationally known as a child actor, first in the film *Meu Pé de Laranja Lima* (2012) and then in the SBT children's telenovelas *Cúmplices de um Resgate* (2015) and *As Aventuras de Poliana* (2018).[1](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/) • [2](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/) In the 2020s he moved into streaming series and adult film roles, starring as the hacker Daniel Nascimento in *O Rei da Internet* (2026).[3](https://notasefofocas.com.br/joao-guilherme-veja-as-producoes-do-ator-lancadas-em-2026/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | João Guilherme de Ávila Costa, born 2002 in São Paulo, Brazil[1](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/) |
| Family | Son of the sertanejo singer Leonardo and Naira Ávila; half-brother of Zé Felipe, Pedro Leonardo, and others[4](https://revistaquem.globo.com/famoso/joao-guilherme/index/feed/pagina-15.ghtml) |
| Breakthrough roles | Zezé in *Meu Pé de Laranja Lima* (2012); Joaquim in *Cúmplices de um Resgate* (2015); Luca Tuber in *As Aventuras de Poliana*[1](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/) • [2](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/) |
| Streaming series | Fabrício in *De Volta aos 15* (Netflix); Nicolas in *Vicky e a Musa* (Globoplay)[5](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/) |
| 2026 films | *O Rei da Internet* (Daniel Nascimento, also associate producer); *Corrida dos Bichos* (Jonas)[3](https://notasefofocas.com.br/joao-guilherme-veja-as-producoes-do-ator-lancadas-em-2026/) • [6](https://hugogloss.uol.com.br/entrevistas/corrida-dos-bichos-exclusivo-rodrigo-santoro-usa-truque-inusitado-para-viver-personagem-e-joao-guilherme-se-surpreende-com-exame-medico-apos-cenas-de-acao-assista/amp/) |
| Other work | Singer with released albums and tours; digital influencer with more than 17 million Instagram followers[7](https://cinema10.com.br/personalidades/joao-guilherme-avila) |
## Family background
João Guilherme was born in São Paulo to the sertanejo singer Leonardo and Naira Ávila, and grew up in a family of musicians. His paternal half-siblings include the singers Zé Felipe and Pedro Leonardo, along with Jéssica Beatriz Costa, Monyque Isabella, and Matheus Vargas; on his mother's side, his uncle is Pe Lu of the band Restart, and he has a younger brother, Pietro.[4](https://revistaquem.globo.com/famoso/joao-guilherme/index/feed/pagina-15.ghtml) • [2](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/) In a 2026 interview he described how coordinating schedules with his father and siblings, who live in different cities, had kept the family apart, while saying he believed they were moving closer.[8](https://www.uai.com.br/app/entretenimento/famosos/2026/04/29/not-famosos%2C381996/joao-guilherme-expoe-motivo-que-o-distanciou-de-leonardo-tenho-esperanca.shtml)
## Child and teen career
**Early screen work.** He began acting at age 7 in the short film *Vento* (2009), directed by Marcio Salem, playing Vinícius opposite Vivianne Pasmanter.[9](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/entrevistas/o-reino-gelado-fogo-e-gelo-entrevista-exclusiva-com-joao-guilherme-avila/) His first major film role came as the protagonist Zezé in *Meu Pé de Laranja Lima* (2012), an adaptation of the classic children's novel by José Mauro de Vasconcelos, directed by Marcos Bernstein.[1](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/) • [10](https://www.flickchart.com/professional/joao-guilherme-avila) He later described the shoot, in Cataguazes, as his first heavyweight production, made while he was still at school.[9](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/entrevistas/o-reino-gelado-fogo-e-gelo-entrevista-exclusiva-com-joao-guilherme-avila/)
**Television fame.** National fame came with the SBT remake of the telenovela *Cúmplices de um Resgate* (2015), in which he played Joaquim Vaz, one of the leads, and began his music career through the character, who was a guitarist with a band.[2](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/) • [11](https://br.lucamoreira.com/entrevistas/conheca-a-trajetoria-de-joao-guilherme-avila-um-dos-maiores-sucessos-da-nova-geracao/) He then played the youtuber Luca Tuber in *As Aventuras de Poliana* (2018) and its 2020 film.[2](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/) Film roles in this period included Nando in *Fala Sério, Mãe!* (2017) and the band leader in *Tudo por um Pop Star* (2018).[1](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/) In 2018, Forbes Brazil listed him among 91 [Brazilians](https://www.edgepedia.org/brazilians) under 30 making a difference.[11](https://br.lucamoreira.com/entrevistas/conheca-a-trajetoria-de-joao-guilherme-avila-um-dos-maiores-sucessos-da-nova-geracao/)
## Move to adult roles
In the 2020s he worked mainly in streaming: as Fabrício in three seasons of the Netflix series *De Volta aos 15* and as Nicolas in *Vicky e a Musa* on [Globoplay](https://www.edgepedia.org/globoplay).[12](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-575473/filmografia/) • [5](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/) He has said he has no immediate plans to return to telenovelas, telling the *O Globo* column Play that the daily production routine was one factor and that he is currently focused on cinema.[13](https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/celebridades/joao-guilherme-explica-por-que-se-afastou-das-novelas-sempre-que-fiz-isso-odiei-152322)
**O Rei da Internet.** Released in Brazilian cinemas on 14 May 2026 and directed by Fabrício Bittar, the film stars João Guilherme as Daniel Nascimento, a character inspired by the real Brazilian hacker who became notorious young for cybercrimes moving millions of reais, and who carried out virtual fraud schemes that marked Brazil in the 2000s.[3](https://notasefofocas.com.br/joao-guilherme-veja-as-producoes-do-ator-lancadas-em-2026/) • [14](https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/celebridades/joao-guilherme-explica-por-que-se-afastou-das-novelas-sempre-que-fiz-isso-odiei-152322) The role, which includes nudity and drug use, was presented by the actor as his most adult work to date; he also served as associate producer.[15](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/joao-guilherme-sobre-novo-filme-minha-mae-vai-me-ver-fazendo-amor/) • [10](https://www.flickchart.com/professional/joao-guilherme-avila)
**Corrida dos Bichos.** In the Prime Video action and science-fiction film *Corrida dos Bichos* (2026), directed by [Fernando Meirelles](https://www.edgepedia.org/fernando-meirelles), Rodrigo Pesavento, and Ernesto Solis, he plays Jonas in a dystopian Rio de Janeiro where a deadly running competition has replaced the traditional jogo do bicho (brazil's traditional illegal animal-numbers lottery).[6](https://hugogloss.uol.com.br/entrevistas/corrida-dos-bichos-exclusivo-rodrigo-santoro-usa-truque-inusitado-para-viver-personagem-e-joao-guilherme-se-surpreende-com-exame-medico-apos-cenas-de-acao-assista/amp/) • [16](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-575473/streaming/) He told the film's press that he has been seeking more mature projects to show new possibilities as an actor.[6](https://hugogloss.uol.com.br/entrevistas/corrida-dos-bichos-exclusivo-rodrigo-santoro-usa-truque-inusitado-para-viver-personagem-e-joao-guilherme-se-surpreende-com-exame-medico-apos-cenas-de-acao-assista/amp/)
## Music and public image
Following his father and half-brothers into music, he released songs and albums and toured with his own band, including the Mega Tour 2016/2017.[7](https://cinema10.com.br/personalidades/joao-guilherme-avila) • [17](https://www.opusentretenimento.com/downloads/994_joao_guilherme_apresenta_show_no_teatro_feevale_em_novo_hamburgo.pdf) He is also a prominent social media figure, with more than 17 million Instagram followers.[7](https://cinema10.com.br/personalidades/joao-guilherme-avila)
His public image has included fashion and political statements. He practices genderless fashion and, at 21, went viral for wearing a cropped top at [Paris Fashion Week](https://www.edgepedia.org/paris-fashion-week) in June 2023, saying that people should dress however they want and that clothing has nothing to do with sexuality.[5](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/) In October 2022 he publicly criticized his father's support for [Jair Bolsonaro](https://www.edgepedia.org/jair-bolsonaro), saying it disgusted him.[18](https://vejasp.abril.com.br/tudo-sobre/joao-guilherme-avila/) His relationship with his *Cúmplices de um Resgate* co-star Larissa Manoela, which lasted more than a year, and a later relationship with the actress [Bruna Marquezine](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruna-marquezine), made public in 2024 and ended in early 2025, received extensive press coverage.[9](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/entrevistas/o-reino-gelado-fogo-e-gelo-entrevista-exclusiva-com-joao-guilherme-avila/) • [5](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/)
## References
1. [João Guilherme, Papo de Cinema](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/artistas/joao-guilherme/)
2. [Filmografia de João Guilherme, Filmow](https://filmow.com/joao-guilherme-a302942/filmografia/)
3. [João Guilherme: veja as produções do ator lançadas em 2026, Notas e Fofocas](https://notasefofocas.com.br/joao-guilherme-veja-as-producoes-do-ator-lancadas-em-2026/)
4. [Saiba tudo sobre: João Guilherme, Revista Quem](https://revistaquem.globo.com/famoso/joao-guilherme/index/feed/pagina-15.ghtml)
5. [João Guilherme: notícias sobre o ator, Folha](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/)
6. [Corrida dos Bichos: entrevista com o elenco, Hugo Gloss](https://hugogloss.uol.com.br/entrevistas/corrida-dos-bichos-exclusivo-rodrigo-santoro-usa-truque-inusitado-para-viver-personagem-e-joao-guilherme-se-surpreende-com-exame-medico-apos-cenas-de-acao-assista/amp/)
7. [João Guilherme Ávila: biografia e carreira completa, Cinema10](https://cinema10.com.br/personalidades/joao-guilherme-avila)
8. [João Guilherme abre o jogo sobre afastamento de Leonardo, UAI Entretenimento](https://www.uai.com.br/app/entretenimento/famosos/2026/04/29/not-famosos%2C381996/joao-guilherme-expoe-motivo-que-o-distanciou-de-leonardo-tenho-esperanca.shtml)
9. [O Reino Gelado: Fogo e Gelo, entrevista exclusiva com João Guilherme Ávila, Papo de Cinema](https://www.papodecinema.com.br/entrevistas/o-reino-gelado-fogo-e-gelo-entrevista-exclusiva-com-joao-guilherme-avila/)
10. [João Guilherme Ávila, Flickchart](https://www.flickchart.com/professional/joao-guilherme-avila)
11. [Conheça a trajetória de João Guilherme Ávila, Luca Moreira](https://br.lucamoreira.com/entrevistas/conheca-a-trajetoria-de-joao-guilherme-avila-um-dos-maiores-sucessos-da-nova-geracao/)
12. [João Guilherme Ávila: Filmografia, AdoroCinema](https://www.adorocinema.com/personalidades/personalidade-575473/filmografia/)
13. [João Guilherme explica por que se afastou das novelas, Notícias da TV](https://noticiasdatv.uol.com.br/noticia/celebridades/joao-guilherme-explica-por-que-se-afastou-das-novelas-sempre-que-fiz-isso-odiei-152322)
14. [João Guilherme fala sobre cena de nudez em 'O Rei da Internet', Folha](https://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha-topicos/joao-guilherme-avila/)
15. [João Guilherme sobre novo filme, CNN Brasil](https://www.cnnbrasil.com.br/pop/joao-guilherme-sobre-novo-filme-minha-mae-vai-me-ver-fazendo-amor/)
16. [João Guilherme Ávila: películas y series en streaming, SensaCine](https://www.sensacine.com/actores/actor-575473/streaming/)
17. [João Guilherme apresenta show Mega Tour, Opus Entretenimento](https://www.opusentretenimento.com/downloads/994_joao_guilherme_apresenta_show_no_teatro_feevale_em_novo_hamburgo.pdf)
18. [Tudo sobre João Guilherme Ávila, VEJA São Paulo](https://vejasp.abril.com.br/tudo-sobre/joao-guilherme-avila/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of Latin America and Iberia › Brazilian and Southern Cone actors*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 19, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license