Get to know João Gabriel Marinho, the heartthrob from Surviving Summer

Get to know João Gabriel Marinho, the heartthrob from Surviving Summer

João Gabriel Marinho is an up-and-coming actor from Brazil. He rose to fame after playing his role as Marlon Sousa in Surviving Summer, captivating audiences with his charm and magnetic on-screen presence.

João Gabriel Marinho enjoying a peaceful moment in nature and carrying his surfboard toward the sea
João Gabriel Marinho relaxing in a greener background (L), and heading into the surf (R). Photo: @joaogabmarinho on Instagram (modified by author)
Source: UGC

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Key takeaways

  • João Gabriel Marinho was born in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
  • The actor is best known for his role in the teen drama series Surviving Summer.
  • João learned to play the drums at the age of eight.
  • He wrote a song that was featured in Surviving Summer.

Profile summary

Full name

João Gabriel Marinho

Gender

Male

Date of birth

16 July 1999

Age

26 years old (as of 2025)

Zodiac sign

Cancer

Place of birth

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Current residence

Brazil

Nationality

Brazilian

Ethnicity

Latino

Religion

Christianity

Sexuality

Straight

Height in feet

5'5"

Height in centimetres

165

Weight in pounds

143

Weight in kilograms

65

Hair colour

Brown

Eye colour

Brown

Relationship status

Single

Profession

Actor

Instagram

@joaogabmarinho

Read also

Inside Daniel Larson's wild ride from TikTok to infamy

João Gabriel Marinho's biography

The Brazilian actor was born on 16 July 1999 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Growing up near the beach, he developed a strong passion for surfing from an early age. A Brazilian citizen of Latino descent.

João also discovered a love for films and music, learning to play the drums by the age of eight. As a child, he often entertained his family with small performances.

Facts about João Gabriel Marinho
Top 5 facts about João Gabriel Marinho. Photo: @joaogabmarinho/Instagram (modified by author)
Source: Original

TV shows with João Gabriel Marinho

João is an up-and-coming actor. In 2019, he was cast as the lead in a new season of Malhação, the long-running Brazilian teen drama produced by Rede Globo. However, the project was cancelled due to the COVID‑19 pandemic.

His breakthrough came in 2022 when he landed a leading role in the Netflix teen drama Surviving Summer. He portrayed Marlon Sousa, a Brazilian surfer who moves to Australia. Selected after an online audition during the pandemic, João travelled to Australia and completed 15 days of quarantine before filming began.

Read also

The many faces of Lege Miami through chaos, comedy and confidence

Drawing on his own experience growing up near the beaches of Rio and surfing since childhood, Marinho brought authenticity to the character. He appeared in both seasons, totalling 18 episodes. In addition to his role in Surviving Summer, Marinho is a skilled musician and singer, and one of his original songs was featured in the series.

According to his IMDb profile, Surviving Summer is his only acting credit.

Who is João Gabriel Marinho's girlfriend?

João Gabriel Marinho at the sea
João Gabriel Marinho moments before surfing. Photo: @k0wzzyyy (modified by author)
Source: TikTok

Gabriel Marinho is currently not in a relationship. However, he was rumoured to be dating Savannah La Rain, an Australian actress and his co-star from Surviving Summer. The actor was also speculated to be dating Lilliana Bowrey following their on-screen chemistry in the series. However, neither of them confirmed the rumours.

FAQs

  1. Who is João Gabriel Marinho? He is an up-and-coming actor and singer.
  2. How old is João Gabriel Marinho? He is 26 years old as of 2025.
  3. Where is João Gabriel Marinho from? The actor hails from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
  4. What is João Gabriel Marinho's nationality? He is a Brazilian citizen.
  5. Did Lilliana Bowrey and João Gabriel Marinho date in real life? There is no verified evidence that Lilliana Bowrey and João Gabriel Marinho dated in real life.
  6. Does João Gabriel Marinho actually surf? João surfs in real life.
  7. How tall is João Gabriel Marinho? The Surviving Summer star is approximately 5 feet 5 inches or 165 centimetres tall.
  8. Is João Gabriel Marinho on Instagram? He is active on Instagram, with 165,000 followers currently.

Read also

Chuks Joseph's incredible journey to becoming Nollywood's favourite villain

João Gabriel Marinho is a Brazilian rising actor who has quickly captured global attention. From surfing the shores of Rio to charming audiences worldwide as Marlon Sousa in Surviving Summer, he is at the beginning of a promising career with global reach.

Legit.ng recently published a biography of Mason Thames. Mason Thames is an up-and-coming actor and dancer widely recognised for starring as Finney in Scott Derrickson's horror film The Black Phone.

Born in Phoenix, Arizona, he made his acting debut in 2011. Mason has since appeared in films and TV shows such as Walker, Monster Summer, The Black Phone, and Incoming. Discover more interesting facts about him in his full bio.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Isaac Wangethi avatar

Isaac Wangethi (Lifestyle writer) Isaac Wangethi has been a content writer at Legit since September 2021. He has gained valuable experience working on various projects, such as celebrity biographies, lifestyle, news and many more. Isaac won the Writer of the Year Award on Legit in 2023. He earned a Bsc. of Science in Information Technology in 2017 from the University of Nairobi and a Higher Diploma in Computer Software Engineering from Gretsa University in 2021. In 2023, Isaac finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques. In March 2024, he completed the Google News Initiative course. Email: Wangethin@gmail.com

Tags: