Marcelo remembers Luís Lucas: "A fundamental actor in theater and cinema"

"A fundamental but discreet figure in Portuguese theater and cinema, Luís Lucas was linked to many key projects and authors over the last half century, such as A Comuna, which he founded, Teatro da Graça, Cornucópia, Artistas Unidos, Manoel de Oliveira, José Álvaro Morais and Jorge Silva Melo", wrote Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa in a note published on the Presidency's website .

The President of the Republic highlighted the actor's training in theater, "marked by Ariane Mnouchkine's courses and his work as an assistant to Patrice Chéreau and Jean Jourdheuil" and recalled his role in films such as 'Passage or Halfway', 'Dina and Django' and 'The Fool', which he considers "vivid and haunting portraits of a generation and a sensibility".

Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also considered that the actor "combined his intensity, threat or restlessness with a melancholic affability that was very much his own", sending his condolences and tribute to Luís Lucas' family.

Luís Lucas, one of the founders of Comuna - Teatro de Pesquisa, died at the age of 73, the Portuguese Academy of Cinema announced on Sunday in a post on the social network Facebook.

"It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of actor Luís Lucas, a beloved member of the Portuguese Cinema Academy," the statement reads.

Born on June 16, 1952, in Lisbon, Luís Lucas had a career spanning more than four decades, having worked in theater, cinema and television.

The wake for actor Luís Lucas will take place from 5:30 pm today at the Basílica da Estrela, in Lisbon, and the funeral will take place on Tuesday morning, a source close to the actor told Lusa news agency today.

The funeral will be preceded by a mass at 11:00 am, the same source added.

The Portuguese Film Academy highlighted the "legacy" and the "indelible mark" left by the actor on the Portuguese artistic scene, also stating that he will be remembered by his colleagues and the public for "his generosity, humor, professional seriousness and ability to transition, with equal excellence, between the most intense drama and the lightest comedy."

Luís Lucas graduated from the National Conservatory and was one of the founding members of the Comuna - Research Theater group, having worked with several theater companies such as Cornucópia, Cómicos, Teatro da Graça, among others.