President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa paid tribute to Luís Lucas, describing him as a “fundamental but discreet figure in Portuguese theatre and cinema,” whose collaborations over the past half-century included influential projects with A Comuna, Teatro da Graça, Cornucópia, Artistas Unidos, and filmmakers like Manoel de Oliveira, José Álvaro Morais, and Jorge Silva Melo. This statement was shared in a note on the Presidential website.
Rebelo de Sousa highlighted Lucas’s theatrical background, shaped by Ariane Mnouchkine’s courses and his work as an assistant to Patrice Chéreau and Jean Jourdheuil, and remembered his roles in films such as ‘Passagem ou A Meio do Caminho’, ‘Dina e Django’, and ‘O Bobo’, terming them “vivid and haunting portraits of a generation and sensibility.”
The President remarked that the actor “combined his intensity, a sense of menace or disquiet, with a uniquely melancholic affability,” and extended his condolences and homage to Lucas’s family.
Luís Lucas, aged 73, one of the founders of Comuna – Teatro de Pesquisa, passed away, as announced by the Portuguese Cinema Academy on Facebook on Sunday.
“It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of actor Luís Lucas, a dear member of the Portuguese Cinema Academy,” the statement read.
Born on June 16, 1952, in Lisbon, Luís Lucas enjoyed a career spanning over four decades in theatre, cinema, and television.
The vigil for Luís Lucas will be held from 5:30 PM today at the Basílica da Estrela in Lisbon, with the funeral taking place on Tuesday morning, according to a source close to the actor who spoke to Lusa news agency.
The funeral service will be preceded by a mass at 11:00 AM, added the same source.
The Portuguese Cinema Academy emphasized the “legacy” and “indelible mark” left by the actor on the Portuguese artistic scene, noting that he will be remembered by colleagues and audiences for “his generosity, humor, professional seriousness, and ability to excel in both dense drama and light comedy.”
Luís Lucas graduated from the National Conservatory and was one of the founding members of the Comuna – Teatro de Pesquisa group, having worked with various theatre companies such as Cornucópia, Cómicos, and Teatro da Graça, among others.
