Vitor left the Escola Industrial e Comercial de Estremoz, to settle in Lisbon, when he was seventeen. He had multiple jobs, including truck driver helper and secretarial work. He had classic ballet classes with Ana Mascollo, did mimics workshops in the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, and began his work as an actor in the Casa da Comédia. During the Portuguese Colonial War, he was called to do his military service and he was for two years in Guinea Bissau. From his career in the theatre, its to be noticed the participation in Ay Carmela from the author José Sanchis Sinisterra, directed by Xosé Blanco Gil in Teatro Ibérico; Volpone of Ben Johnson, directed by Norberto Barroca in Teatro Aberto; Às Seis o Mais Tardar of M. Perrier, with Alexandre de Sousa in Instituto Franco Português; Horácios e Curiácios of Bertolt Brecht, with Antonino Solmer; Auto da Barca do Inferno of Gil Vicente, by Carlos Avilez; Os Quatro Cubos of Fernando Arrabal, by Herlander Peyroteo; Jogos de Praia of Whitehead, with João Canijo. He started on TV in Vila Faia, after which there has been lots of work in series and mini-series like Rua Sésamo - The Sesame Street-, Cluedo, Alentejo Sem Lei, Os Melhores Anos, O Bairro da Fonte or Capitão Roby ; telemovies - Mustang of Leonel Vieira and Monsanto of Ruy Guerra; soap-operas. With a regular presence in the cinema, he began in 1982 in A Vida é Bela, of Luís Galvão Telles. Collaborated with directors like Jorge Silva Melo, Luís Alvarães or José Fonseca e Costa, whom would direct Vitor in Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites, one of his most significant performances. With the same director he also did A Mulher do Próximo, Os Cornos de Cronos and O Fascínio. To be noticed No Dia dos Meus Anos by João Botelho, Ao Sul by Fernando Matos Silva, Sapatos Pretos by João Canijo, Jaime by António Pedro Vasconcelos, Respirar Debaixo de Água by António Ferreira, O Gotejar da Luz by Fernando Vendrell, A Mulher Polícia by Joaquim Sapinho, Tarde Demais and Os Lobos by José Nascimento. He was distinguished with two Golden Globes in the Best Cinema Actor in 1999 ; in 2000 ; 2002. He received in 1996 the Troféu Nova Gente as Best Actor for his performance in Cinco Dias, Cinco Noites by Fonseca e Costa. Vitor has two children, Diogo and Sara Norte.
