Biography
Antônio Pitanga, born Antônio Luiz Sampaio on 13 June 1939 in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, is a Brazilian actor and director. He began his career in 1960 with a role in Bahia de Todos os Santos and adopted his stage name from the character. He appeared in several films of the Cinema Novo movement, including Barravento (1962) and Ganga Zumba (1963).
Pitanga is known for his performance as Mestre Coca in The Given Word (1962). His later credits include Lula, the Son of Brazil (2010) and the television series The Clone (2001). He has directed films such as Na Boca do Mundo (1979) and Malês (2024). He was previously married to actress Vera Manhães and is married to politician Benedita da Silva; their children Camila Pitanga and Rocco Pitanga are also actors.
