Actors/Actresses Of Mexican Descent
List of American actors and actresses of Mexican descent.
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- Actress
- Writer
- Soundtrack
Sara Paxton was born in Woodland Hills, California. At a young age she began acting in television commercials.
She was cast in her first film at the age of 8 as a child at school and at the party in Liar Liar (1997). Her first major television series role was on the WB's Greetings from Tucson (2002). She filmed Sleepover (2004) in fall 2003 (released July 9, 2004), was in Aquamarine (2006) with Julia Roberts' niece, Emma Roberts. Her movie Return to Halloweentown (2006) opened on October 20, 2006. She has also starred in television shows such as SpongeBob SquarePants (1999) and Malcolm in the Middle (2000). She had a recurring TV role on the WB's Summerland (2004).
Sara Paxton graduated from El Camino Real High School in Woodland Hills in 2006 and is fluent in both English and Spanish.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Carrying talent, the requisite good looks, and plenty of on-screen charisma, Jay Hernandez was born in Morelia, Mexico and grew up in Los Angeles, California, to Isis (Maldonado), an accountant and secretary, and Javier Hernandez, Sr., a mechanic. He is of Mexican descent. Jay had a serendipitous experience that led to his career. While riding an elevator in a high-rise building in Los Angeles, the young man was approached by talent manager Howard Tyner, who suggested Hernandez had what it took to have a successful career in Hollywood. In 1998, he made his TV series debut as "Antonio Lopez", one of the high school basketball players in the NBC Saturday morning teen sitcom, Hang Time (1995), and stayed with the show for two seasons. Departing NBC, Hernandez moved to MTV with the short-term role of pizza delivery guy "Eddie" on the popular late-night serial, Undressed (1999), before segueing to the big screen. In 2001, Hernandez co-starred with Kirsten Dunst in the teen romance, Crazy/Beautiful (2001), portraying stalwart, straight-A high school student "Carlos Nunez", whose plans to attend the US Naval Academy are threatened by his growing attraction to a self-destructive rich girl, (Kirsten Dunst). He next appeared in Disney's surprise hit film, The Rookie (2002), as high school baseball team captain Joaquin "Wack" Campos. He also had a supporting role in the video-game-ish action flick, Torque (2004). Also in 2004, he was in the action-packed drama, Ladder 49 (2004), as "Keith Perez", and in the other action-packed drama, Friday Night Lights (2004). In 2006, he next starred in Eli Roth's Hostel (2005), a brutal horror flick about two American college buddies (Hernandez and Derek Richardson) lured to an out-of-the-way hostel in a Slovakian town rumored to house desperate, but beautiful Eastern European women. Following their wrong heads, both Americans get trapped in a truly sinister situation that plunges them into the dark recesses of human nature.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
Born February 24, 1947, in East Los Angeles, at The First Japanese Hospital to Pedro Olmos and Eleanor Huizar. Raised on Cheesebrough's Lane, he attended Greenwood Elementary and Montebello Junior High. He then graduated from Montebello High School in 1964. After which he received an Associative Arts Degree in Sociology and Criminal Justice at East Los Angeles College in 1966. Olmos since then has gone on to receive many accolades from the City of Montebello, including the Alumni of The Year from Montebello High School in 2014, and Man of the Year Award from The Mexican American Opportunity Foundation in 2015.
He has achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer and humanitarian. The Tony, Emmy and Academy Award® Nominated actor, is probably best known to young audiences for his work on the SYFY television series "Battlestar Galatica" as Admiral William Adama. Although the series kept the actor busy during its run from 2003 through 2009, it didn't stop him from directing the HBO movie "Walkout" in 2007, for which he earned a DGA Nomination in the Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Movies for Television category.
Olmos' career in entertainment spans over 30 years. In that time he created a signature style and aesthetic that he applies to every artist endeavor, often grounding his characters in reality and gravitas. His dedication to his craft has brought him attention across the industry, and with audiences worldwide.- Actor
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Danny Trejo was born Dan Trejo in Echo Park, Los Angeles, to Alice (Rivera) and Dan Trejo, a construction worker. A child drug addict and criminal, Trejo was in and out of jail for 11 years. While serving time in San Quentin, he won the lightweight and welterweight boxing titles. Imprisoned for armed robbery and drug offenses, he successfully completed a 12-step rehabilitation program that changed his life. While speaking at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985, Trejo met a young man who later called him for support. Trejo went to meet him at what turned out to be the set of Runaway Train (1985). Trejo was immediately offered a role as a convict extra, probably because of his tough tattooed appearance. Also on the set was a screenwriter who did time with Trejo in San Quentin. Remembering Trejo's boxing skills, the screenwriter offered him $320 per day to train the actors for a boxing match. Director Andrey Konchalovskiy saw Trejo training Eric Roberts and immediately offered him a featured role as Roberts' opponent in the film. Trejo has subsequently appeared in many other films, usually as a tough criminal or villain.
Trejo is of Mexican descent.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Edward Walter Furlong was born in Glendale, California. His mother, Eleanor (Tafoya), is from a Mexican family, and worked at a youth center. Furlong had no acting ambitions until he was approached by casting agent Mali Finn, who was looking for a young actor to play the role of John Connor in what turned out to be one of the the biggest box-office hits of the 1990s, Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991). Finn instantly recognized his ability, and suggested him for the part, feeling that he could hold his own playing opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger and Linda Hamilton.
For his career-starting role, Furlong earned an MTV movie award for best breakthrough role, and a Saturn Sci-Fi award for best young actor. From there, he took an unconventional route through Hollywood, which led to his working with some of the top people in the business, in both studio and independent films. His work has included starring opposite Jeff Bridges in American Heart (1992) for which he was nominated for an IFP Spirit award for best supporting actor. He has also starred in A Home of Our Own (1993) with Kathy Bates, Little Odessa (1994) with Tim Roth, The Grass Harp (1995) with Walter Matthau and Barbet Schroeder's Before and After (1996).
He also starred opposite Edward Norton in Tony Kaye's controversial and gripping drama American History X (1998) and in the hit comedy Pecker (1998). More recently, Furlong has been opposite Willem Dafoe in the prison drama Animal Factory (2000), directed by Steve Buscemi. He recently starred in Pupi Avati's 13th-century tale, The Knights of the Quest (2001).- Music Artist
- Actress
- Music Department
Demi Lovato is a GRAMMY-nominated and award-winning musician, actor, advocate and New York Times best-selling author. She was first known for her onscreen talents, and soon after became a musical phenomenon for her remarkable vocal ability. With an audience of over 266 million on social media, Demi has established herself as a global sensation.
With nearly 49 billion streams earned worldwide, Demi has captivated audiences with her renowned powerhouse vocals and illustrious songwriting. From the resilient ballad "Skyscraper," to the unapologetic earworm "Sorry Not Sorry" and her enduring queer anthem "Cool for the Summer," Demi's discography showcases her musicality knows no bounds, with a genre-blending approach that has infused pop, R&B, rock, soul and more. Through several sold-out tours, Demi has brought her undeniable stage presence to venues across the globe, while live performances such as her rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Super Bowl LIV and the powerful debut of her single "Anyone" at the 62nd GRAMMY Awards have garnered universal acclaim.
Demi has released eight studio albums, all of which debuted in the Top 10 of the Billboard 200 and four which boast over one billion streams on Spotify. Her most recent album, HOLY FVCK, is a sonic journey grounded in Demi's rock and pop-punk roots that illustrates an earnest yet tongue-in-cheek retrospective of her life experiences and opened to widespread acclaim from both critics and fans. The album was hailed as "the best we've heard from Lovato to date" (Variety) and was described as "fiery album filled with passion, thoughtful reflection, and a dash of good ol' fashioned rage" (Vogue), with Demi receiving praise as a vocal "powerhouse" (Pitchfork). HOLY FVCK debuted at #1 on several Billboard charts including the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart, the Top Rock Albums chart, and the Top Alternative Albums chart. The album also marked Demi's eighth consecutive Top 10 album on the Billboard 200 and landed in the Top 5 of the Top Album Sales chart. The single "29" resonated with listeners worldwide and was deemed "the best song on the album" (TIME), with critics commending Demi's emotional delivery that reflects a "new, clear-eyed perspective" (Recording Academy).
Most recently, Demi released her album REVAMPED featuring rock versions of her hit songs on September 15, 2023, which hit the top 10 of Billboard's Top New Albums Chart in line with Demi's previous releases. With all new vocals and production, the 10-track album REVAMPED sees Demi reimagine her career-defining songs with a fresh perspective that reflects her current artistic vision. The re-recorded music serves as another showcase of Demi's artistic growth and versatility, as she seamlessly evolves her songs from pop to rock while maintaining her signature powerhouse vocals.
Demi has been lauded by fans and peers alike for her authenticity and vulnerability, demonstrating her transformative growth across two celebrated documentaries, 2017's Simply Complicated and 2021's Dancing with the Devil. As an advocate, Demi serves as Global Citizen's official ambassador for mental health, with a special focus on vulnerable communities around the world.
Lovato has been honored with numerous awards and accolades over her career, including an MTV Video Music Award, 14 Teen Choice Awards, five People's Choice Awards, an ALMA Award, two Latin American Music Award and a GLAAD Vanguard Award for her services to LGBTQ+ activism. She has also received two GRAMMY Award nominations, four Billboard Music Awards nominations and three Brit Award nominations for her work.
A native of Dallas, Demi resides in Los Angeles.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Eva Jacqueline Longoria was born on March 15, 1975 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Ella Eva Longoria (née Mireles), a special education teacher & Enrique Longoria Jr., a rancher. The youngest of four sisters who grew up in a Mexican-American family on a ranch near Corpus Christi, Longoria attended Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. After graduating from college, she entered a talent contest that brought her to Los Angeles, where she was spotted and subsequently signed by a theatrical agent. After landing roles on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), General Hospital (1963) and co-starring on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), she auditioned for and won the role of Isabella Braña on the popular series, The Young and the Restless (1973). After Y&R, Eva became well known worldwide thanks to Desperate Housewives (2004), where she played a main character, Gabrielle Solis. She also has a contract with L'Oreal and has been named one of the most beautiful people. A passionate advocate of education, she founded The Eva Longoria Foundation which helps Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship and earned a Masters in Chicano Studies presenting her thesis on "Success STEMS From Diversity: The Value of Latinas in STEM Careers." Eva has also contributed writing to publications on the subject of education.- Writer
- Producer
- Actor
Louis C.K. was born on 12 September 1967 in Washington, District of Columbia, USA. He is a writer and producer, known for Louie (2010), American Hustle (2013) and Horace and Pete (2016). He was previously married to Alix Bailey.- Actress
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Jessica Marie Alba was born on April 28, 1981, in Pomona, CA, to Catherine (Jensen) and Mark David Alba, who served in the US Air Force. Her father is of Mexican descent (including Spanish and Indigenous Mexican roots), and her mother has Danish, Welsh, English, and French ancestry. Her family moved to Biloxi, MS, when she was an infant. Three years later her father's career brought the family back to California, then to Del Rio, TX, before finally settling in Southern California when Jessica was nine. In love with the idea of becoming an actress from the age of five, she was 12 before she took her first acting class. Nine months later she was signed by an agent. She studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company with founders William H. Macy and David Mamet.
A gifted young actress, Jessica has played a variety of roles ranging from light comedy to gritty drama since beginning her career. She made her feature film debut in 1993 in Hollywood Pictures' comedy Camp Nowhere (1994). Originally hired for two weeks, she got her break when an actress in a principal role suddenly dropped out. Jessica cheerfully admits it wasn't her prodigious talent or charm that inspired the director to tap her to take over the part--it was her hair, which matched the original performer's. The two-week job stretched to two months, and Jessica ended the film with an impressive first credit. Two national TV commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney quickly followed before Jessica was featured in several independent films. She branched out into TV in 1994 with a recurring role in Nickelodeon's popular comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). She played an insufferable young snob, devoted to making life miserable for the the title character, played by Larisa Oleynik. That same year, she won the role of "Maya" in Flipper (1995) and filmed the pilot for the series. She spent 1995 shooting the first season's episodes in Australia. An avid swimmer and PADI-certified SCUBA diver, Jessica was delighted to be doing a show that allowed her to play with dolphins. The show's success guaranteed it a second season, which she also starred in. Her involvement in the show lasted from 1995 to 1997.
In 1996 she appeared in Venus Rising (1995) as "Young Eve." The next year she appeared on The Dini Petty Show (1989), a Canadian talk show, and spoke about her role in "Flipper" and her general acting career. She began working on P.U.N.K.S. (1999), featuring Randy Quaid, in 1998. In early 1998 she appeared in Brooklyn South (1997) as "Melissa." That same year she was in two episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as "Leanne" and in two episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998).
She appeared in "Teen Magazine" in 1995 and various European magazines over the following years. More importantly, she was featured in the February 1999 issue of "Vanity Fair" magazine. She also had major roles in two movies that year: Never Been Kissed (1999) and Idle Hands (1999). In 2000 she had roles in Paranoid (2000) and starred in the sci-fi TV series Dark Angel (2000), gaining worldwide recognition.
Her first starring role in a major studio film was the Honey (2003), Universal Pictures' contemporary urban drama that grossed over $60 million worldwide. She has since made over 25 feature films that have earned a combined box-office total of over $800 million, including comedies and dramas, from gritty independents to major studio blockbusters. In 2005 she starred opposite Bruce Willis and an all-star cast in the provocative and critically acclaimed Sin City (2005), directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. She next starred as Sue Storm--"The Invisible Girl"--in Marvel's action-franchise blockbuster Fantastic Four (2005), which was released by 20th Century-Fox in July 2005 and became a worldwide box-office success with over $300 million in revenue.
Jessica was part of Garry Marshall's all-star ensemble romantic comedy, Valentine's Day (2010), which broke box-office records with the largest opening on a four-day President's Day weekend in history. She starred opposite Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson in director Michael Winterbottom's controversial screen adaptation of The Killer Inside Me (2010), based on Jim Thompson's novel, as well as Robert Rodriquez's Machete (2010). She co-starred in the third installment of the hit "Meet the Parents" franchise Little Fockers (2010), as well as the 4D family adventure Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011), marking her third of five collaborations with Robert Rodriguez. Jessica was part of an all-star voice cast for The Weinstein Company's animated adventure, Escape from Planet Earth (2012), also featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser and James Gandolfini.
She appeared in the comedy A.C.O.D. (2013), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and starred Adam Scott, Jane Lynch and Amy Poehler. She made a cameo appearance in Machete Kills (2013) and co-starred in Robert Rodriquez's highly-anticipated, star-studded sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). That year she had a full slate of acting projects, including the period drama Dear Eleanor (2016), The Englishman opposite Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek; the IFC parody mini-series The Spoils of Babylon (2014), produced by Funny or Die, with a stellar cast including Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Tobey Maguire, Michael Sheen and Tim Robbins; and Stretch (2014), co-starring Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ray Liotta, Ed Helms and Brooklyn Decker.
Jessica has received Golden Globe and People's Choice Award nominations, was voted TV Guide readers' Breakout Star of the Year, and won Favorite TV Actress at the 2001 Teen Choice Awards for "Dark Angel." She won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Female Actress for her performance in "Fantastic Four" and an MTV Movie Award for Sexiest Performance in "Sin City." She received another Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress in a Horror/Thriller for The Eye (2008) and was honored by the Young Hollywood Awards as Superstar of Tomorrow in 2005. She has received ALMA Awards for her performances in "Dark Angel" and "Machete," as well as a Fashion Icon in 2009.- Actor
- Producer
- Director
An acting chameleon who can easily lose himself in the life of his film and television characters, Clifton Collins Jr. is a native Angeleno who grew up destined to become a part of the Latino entertainment industry. His great-grandparents on his mother's side were a Mexican trumpet player and Spanish dancer who formed a traveling family act, and his grandfather was well-known character actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, most famous for his humorous sidekick roles in 1950s/1960s John Wayne westerns (he played the excitable hotel keeper in Rio Bravo (1959)) and in sitcoms. His uncle and aunt dabbled in the business at one point as well. While his famous grandfather was unable to break out of the old unflattering Latino stereotypes, Collins Jr. has done Pedro proud in the new millennium. Playing everything from policemen to boxers to serial killers, he has managed to transcend the typical racial trappings of his grandfather's era and play flesh-and-blood, three-dimensional characters. It was not always that way.
Born short, lean and mean on June 16, 1970, he started his career in 1988 using his real name of Collins, but two years later began billing himself as "Clifton Gonzales-Gonzales" as a tribute to his aged grandfather and his early accomplishments. Pedro, who died in 2006, lived long enough to witness his grandson's achievements. Toiling in typical "barrio" roles at the beginning of his career, Collins Jr. found himself stuck in bit parts either as a struggling blue-collar worker or urban thug. In the mid-1990s, he began to search out and wing standout roles that enabled him to break the confines of the Latino stereotype. He slowly moved up in billing, even in mediocre material such as the futuristic prison film Fortress (1992) and the mindless 1970s rock-era comedy The Stöned Age (1994). His breakout role as Cesar, the vicious student and gangbanger in One Eight Seven (1997) opposite Los Angeles substitute teacher Samuel L. Jackson, set him on the right path. This led to a mesmerizing collection of other portrayals, both good-guy and bad-guy, in such films as The Replacement Killers (1998), The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998) and Tigerland (2000). His versatility finally tested, he played everything from a gay Mexican hitman in the critically acclaimed Traffic (2000) to a psychological profiler for the FBI in the mainstream actioner Mindhunters (2004). A number of top guest appearances came his way on such series as NYPD Blue (1993) and The Twilight Zone (2002) and he had recurring roles on Resurrection Blvd. (2000) and Alias (2001).
A monumental shift forward in his career happened recently with his hypnotic portrayal of killer Perry Smith, the object of writer Truman Capote's obsession, in the art-house favorite Capote (2005). Decades ago, Robert Blake played the same part in the gripping Capote book-to-film In Cold Blood (1967). This heralded achievement has enabled Collins to move into the co-producer's chair of late, notably for Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders (2006), in which he inhabits the role of serial killer Kenneth Bianchi. Obviously, there is plenty more in the works for this major talent.
More recent millennium work includes potent performances in Road Dogz (2002); Tom Cool (2009), which he produced; Dirty (2005); For Your Own Good (1996), which he co-produced; Star Trek (2009); Freeloaders (2012); The Vault (2017); and the Oscar-winning Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019).- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Uma Karuna Thurman was born in Boston, Massachusetts, into a highly unorthodox and internationally-minded family. She is the daughter of Nena Thurman (née Birgitte Caroline von Schlebrügge), a fashion model and socialite who now runs a mountain retreat, and of Robert Thurman (Robert Alexander Farrar Thurman), a professor and academic who is one of the nation's foremost Buddhist scholars. Uma's mother was born in Mexico City, Mexico, to a German father and a Swedish mother (who herself was of Swedish, Danish, and German descent). Uma's father, a New Yorker, has English, Scots-Irish, Scottish, and German ancestry. Uma grew up in Amherst, Massachusetts, where her father worked at Amherst College.
She and her siblings all have names deriving from Buddhist mythology; and Middle American behavior was little understood, much less pursued. And so it was that the young Thurman confronted childhood with an odd name and eccentric home life -- and nature seemingly conspired against her as well. She is six feet tall, and from an early age towered over everyone else in class. Her famously large feet would soon sprout to size 11 -- and even beyond that -- and although they would eventually be lovingly filmed by director Quentin Tarantino, as a child she generally wore the biggest shoes in class, which only provided another subject of ridicule. Even her long nose moved one of her mother's friends to helpfully suggest rhinoplasty -- to the ten-year-old Thurman. To make matters worse yet, the family constantly relocated, making the gangly, socially inept Thurman perpetually the new kid in class. The result was an exceptionally awkward, self-conscious, lonely and alienated childhood.
Unsurprisingly, the young Thurman enjoyed making believe she was someone other than herself, and so thrived at acting in school plays -- her sole successful extracurricular activity. This interest, and her lanky frame, perfect for modeling, led the 15-year-old Thurman to New York City for high school and modeling work (including a layout in Glamour Magazine) as she sought acting roles. The roles soon came, starting with a few formulaic and forgettable Hollywood products, but immediately followed by Terry Gilliam's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988) and Stephen Frears' Dangerous Liaisons (1988), both of which brought much attention to her unorthodox sensuality and performances that intriguingly combined innocence and worldliness. The weird, gangly girl became a sex symbol virtually overnight.
Thurman continued to be offered good roles in Hollywood pictures into the early '90s, the least commercially successful but probably best-known of which was her smoldering, astonishingly-adult performance as June, Henry Miller's wife, in Henry & June (1990), the first movie to actually receive the dreaded NC-17 rating in the USA. After a celebrated start, Thurman's career stalled in the early '90s with movies such as the mediocre Mad Dog and Glory (1993). Worse, her first starring role was in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993), which had endured a tortured journey from cult-favorite book to big-budget movie, and was a critical and financial debacle. Fortunately, Uma bounced back with a brilliant performance as Mia Wallace, that most unorthodox of all gangster's molls, in Tarantino's lauded, hugely successful Pulp Fiction (1994), a role for which Thurman received an Academy Award nomination.
Since then, Thurman has had periods of flirting with roles in arty independents such as A Month by the Lake (1995), and supporting roles in which she has lent some glamorous presence to a mixed batch of movies, such as Beautiful Girls (1996) and The Truth About Cats & Dogs (1996). Thurman returned to smaller films after playing the villainess Poison Ivy in the reviled Joel Schumacher effort Batman & Robin (1997) and Emma Peel in a remake of The Avengers (1998). She worked with Woody Allen and Sean Penn on Sweet and Lowdown (1999), and starred in Richard Linklater's drama Tape (2001) opposite Hawke. Thurman also won a Golden Globe award for her turn in the made-for-television film Hysterical Blindness (2002), directed by Mira Nair.
A return to the mainstream spotlight came when Thurman re-teamed with Quentin Tarantino for Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003), a revenge flick the two had dreamed up on the set of Pulp Fiction (1994). She also turned up in the John Woo cautioner Paycheck (2003) that same year. The renewed attention was not altogether welcome because Thurman was dealing with the break-up of her marriage with Hawke at about this time. Thurman handled the situation with grace, however, and took her surging popularity in stride. She garnered critical acclaim for her work in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004) and was hailed as Tarantino's muse. Thurman reunited with Pulp Fiction (1994) dance partner John Travolta for the Get Shorty (1995) sequel Be Cool (2005) and played Ulla in The Producers (2005).
Thurman had been briefly married to Gary Oldman, from 1990 to 1992. In 1998, she married Ethan Hawke, her co-star in the offbeat futuristic thriller Gattaca (1997). The couple had two children, Levon and Maya. Hawke and Thurman filed for divorce in 2004.- Actor
- Writer
- Producer
Friendly as all get-out, Latino stand-up comic Paul Rodriguez was born in Mexico but raised in East Los Angeles. After finishing his military service, he went to college on the GI bill with the idea of becoming an attorney, but developed an interest in comedy while taking elective courses.
Paul honed his stand-up act at L.A.'s famous The Comedy Store while working as a doorman there, and got his break as an opening act for others at various concerts and universities and as a warm-up comic on Norman Lear's short-lived sitcom Gloria (1982) starring Sally Struthers.
Lear was so impressed that he wrote and developed a sitcom specifically for Paul entitled a.k.a. Pablo (1984), which caught the public's eye only briefly. Other comedy series followed, however, including Trial and Error (1988) and Grand Slam (1990), and a few movies also came his way with D.C. Cab (1983) and Born in East L.A. (1987). Sticking to his Latino roots as the basis for his comedy, he has made an appealing crossover hit.
The comedian broke through the talk show venue with "El Show de Paul Rodriguez", which had a four-year run, and branched out into directing with the film A Million to Juan (1994), which he also co-wrote and starred in. More recently, he appeared with Paul Hogan in Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles (2001) and had an atypical role in director Clint Eastwood's Blood Work (2002) as an arrogant, smarmy police detective. More recently, he has been visible (good or bad) in A Cinderella Story (2004), The World's Fastest Indian (2005) and Cloud 9 (2006).
He also executive-produced and starred in the comedy concert film The Original Latin Kings of Comedy (2002). He has been seen everywhere on cable comedy showcases, including Paul Rodriguez: Behind Bars (1991), Crossing White Lines (1999), Paul Rodriguez Live!: I Need the Couch (1987), Paul Rodriguez: Live in San Quentin (1995), Paul Rodriguez & Friends: Comedy Rehab (2009) and Paul Rodriguez: The Here & Wow (2018)., all of which solidified his reputation as one of the country's best known Hispanic comics in the U.S.
Other millennium film credits include a wide variety of roles, including those in Tortilla Soup (2001), Ali (2001), Time Changer (2002), Baadasssss! (2003), Back by Midnight (2004), Lonely Street (2008), I'm Not Like That No More (2010), Mission Air (2014), Pray for Rain (2017), Cholo Zombies (2024). He also provided voices for the animated features Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008), Porndogs: The Adventures of Sadie (2009) and Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (2010). On TV, he was a regular on the Spanish-speaking comedy Componiendo a Paco (2012) and played the title role in the English-speaking sitcom Fixing Paco (2012).
Paul has been recognized for his tireless charity work, which includes strong, avid support for the National Hispanic Scholarship Fund, Farm Aid, Leukemia Telethon, Project Literacy, and Housing Now, among many others.- Actor
- Producer
- Composer
Efren Ramirez has been working as a professional actor for many years. Initially, his career consisted of guest star appearances on television, as he appeared in diverse roles on "E.R.", "AMERICAN DAD", "JUDGING AMY", "THE DISTRICT", "MAD TV", and "SCRUBS."
However, it was his memorable portrayal of "PEDRO" in the feature film "NAPOLEON DYNAMITE" that dramatically launched what has become a hugely prolific acting career with an unusually diverse series of performances in Film, Television, Drama, Comedy...every imaginable medium and genre.
In the years since that film was released, Efren Ramirez has appeared in scores of films and television shows, including leading roles in the HBO film "WALKOUT"; with Edward James Olmos, "EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH"; opposite Dane Cook and Dax Shepard, "CRANK" and CRANK HIGH VOLTAGE; opposite Jason Statham, (playing his own twin brother in the sequel.) He also appeared in "GAMER" with Gerard Butler, "WHEN IN ROME" with Kristen Bell, "CROSSING THE HEART" opposite Kris Kristofferson, "HOUSE OF MY FATHER" opposite Will Ferrell, and HBO's EASTBOUND AND DOWN" with Danny McBride.
Most recently, you can expect to see him in FOX's Television hit "THE GRINDER" with Rob Lowe and the animated series "BORDERTOWN" with Hank Azaria and Alex Bernstein, HULU's "DEADBEAT" with Tyler Labine, and the film "MIDDLESCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE" based on the James Patterson best seller.
Efren Ramirez currently resides in Los Angeles and New York. When he isn't filming, he is spinning records as a guest D.J. in clubs all across the country. He has published his first book DIRECT YOUR OWN LIFE. Efren recently returned from a USO TOUR visiting our troops in Bahrain, UAE, Dubai, and Africa. He frequently speaks to students at high schools and universities and is very involved with charitable organizations.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Music Department
Actress and singer Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992 in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is the daughter of Mandy Teefey and Ricardo Gomez. Her mother is of part Italian ancestry, and her father is of Mexican descent. She was named after Tejano singer Selena, who died in 1995.
Her first acting role was as "Gianna" in the popular '90s children's television show Barney & Friends (1992), alongside Demi Lovato from 2002-2004. Gomez also had roles in Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003), Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005), and House Broken (2006).
Gomez moved to Los Angeles, California when she booked the lead role of "Alex Russo" and rose to fame in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007). She then starred in Another Cinderella Story (2008) on ABC Family, had her first voice-role in the animated film Horton Hears a Who! (2008), and co-starred with childhood friend, Demi Lovato, in Princess Protection Program (2009).
In 2009, Gomez released her first album with her band called "Selena Gomez & the Scene," which ranked #9 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Gomez later released two other albums with her band and starred in Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Hotel Transylvania (2012).
In 2013, she released her first solo album "Stars Dance" and the lead single "Come & Get It" from the album, became Gomez's first top ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100 list. She starred in Getaway (2013), Rudderless (2014), and Behaving Badly (2014).
In 2015, she released her second solo album "Revival," which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 list, and starred in Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016), In Dubious Battle (2016), and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016). She made her third solo album "Rare" in 2020.- Actor
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Michael Peña was born and raised in Chicago, to Nicolasa, a social worker, and Eleuterio Peña, who worked at a button factory. His parents were originally from Mexico. After graduating from high school, he went to an open casting call for the Peter Bogdanovich feature To Sir, with Love II (1996), and to his surprise, beat out hundreds of other young men for a role. After relocating to Los Angeles Peña quickly booked a succession of roles in features including Star Maps, My Fellow Americans (1996) (opposite Jack Lemmon and James Garner), La Cucaracha (1998) (winner of the Best Picture in the Austin Film Festival), Bellyfruit (1999), and the Disney/Jerry Bruckheimer feature Gone in 60 Seconds (2000). Michael resides in Los Angeles, where he plays bass guitar with his band, plays golf, and boxes for relaxation.- Producer
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Robert Anthony Rodriguez was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, USA, to Rebecca (Villegas), a nurse, and Cecilio G. Rodríguez, a salesman. His family is of Mexican descent.
Of all the people to be amazed by the images of John Carpenter's 1981 sci-fi parable, Escape from New York (1981), none were as captivated as the 12-year-old Rodriguez, who sat with his friends in a crowded cinema. Many people watch films and arrogantly proclaim "I can do that." This young man said something different: "I WILL do that. I'm gonna make movies." That day was the catalyst of his dream career. Born and raised in Texas, Robert was the middle child of a family that would include 10 children. While many a child would easily succumb to a Jan Brady sense of being lost in the shuffle, Robert always stood out as a very creative and very active young man. An artist by nature, he was very rarely seen sans pencil-in-hand doodling some abstract (yet astounding) dramatic feature on a piece of paper. His mother, not a fan of the "dreary" cinema of the 1970s, instills a sense of cinema in her children by taking them on weekly trips to San Antonio's famed Olmos Theatre movie house and treats them to a healthy dose of Hollywood's "Golden Age" wonders, from Sergio Leone to the silent classic of Charles Chaplin and Buster Keaton.
In a short amount of time, young Robert finds the family's old Super-8 film camera and makes his first films. The genres are unlimited: action, sci-fi, horror, drama, stop-motion animation. He uses props from around the house, settings from around town, and makes use of the largest cast and crew at his disposal: his family. At the end of the decade, his father, a salesman, brings home the latest home-made technological wonder: a VCR, and with it (as a gift from the manufacturer) a video camera. With this new equipment at his disposal, he makes movies his entire life. He screens the movies for friends, all of whom desperately want to star in the next one. He gains a reputation in the neighborhood as "the kid who makes movies". Rather than handing in term papers, he is allowed to hand in "term movies" because, as he himself explains, "[the teachers] knew I'd put more effort into a movie than I ever would into an essay." He starts his own comic strip, "Los Hooligans". His movies win every local film competition and festival. When low academic grades threaten to keep him out of UT Austin's renowned film department, he proves his worth the only way he knows how: he makes a movie. Three, in fact: trilogy of short movies called "Austin Stories" starring his siblings. It beats the entries of the school's top students and allows Robert to enter the program. After being accepted into the film department, Robert takes $400 of his own money to make his "biggest" film yet: a 16mm short comedy/fantasy called Bedhead (1991).
Pouring every idea and camera trick he knew into the short, it went on to win multiple awards. After meeting and marrying fellow Austin resident Elizabeth Avellan, Robert comes up with a crazy idea: he will sell his body to science in order to finance his first feature-length picture (a Mexican action adventure about a guitarist with no name looking for work but getting caught up in a shoot-'em-up adventure) that he will sell to the Spanish video market and use as an entry point to a lucrative Hollywood career. With his "guinea pig" money he raises a mere $7,000 and creates El Mariachi (1992). But rather than lingering in obscurity, the film finds its way to the Sundance film festival where it becomes an instant favorite, wins Robert a distribution deal with Columbia Pictures and turns him into an icon among would-be film-makers the world over. Not one to rest on his laurels, he immediately helms the straight-to-cable movie Roadracers (1994) and contributes a segment to the anthology comedy Four Rooms (1995) (his will be the most lauded segment).
His first "genuine" studio effort would soon have people referring to him as "John Woo from south-of-the-border". It is the "Mariachi" remake/sequel Desperado (1995). More lavish and action-packed than its own predecessor, the movie--while not a blockbuster hit--does decent business and launches the American film careers of Antonio Banderas as the guitarist-turned-gunslinger and Salma Hayek as his love interest (the two would star in several of his movies from then on). It also furthers the director's reputation of working on low budgets to create big results. In the year when movies like Batman Forever (1995) and GoldenEye (1995) were pushing budgets past the $100 million mark, Rodriguez brought in "Desperado" for just under $7 million. The film also featured a cameo by fellow indie film wunderkind, Quentin Tarantino. It would be the beginning of a long friendship between the two sprinkled with numerous collaborations. Most notable the Tarantino-penned vampire schlock-fest From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). The kitschy flick (about a pair of criminal brothers on the run from the Texas Rangers, only to find themselves in a vamp-infested Mexican bar) became an instant cult favorite and launched the lucrative film career of ER (1994) star George Clooney.
After a two-year break from directing (primarily to spend with his family, but also developing story ideas and declining Hollywood offers) he returned to "Dusk till Dawn" territory with the teen sci-fi/horror movie The Faculty (1998), written by Scream (1996) writer, Kevin Williamson. Although it's developed a small following of its own, it would prove to be Robert's least-successful film. Critics and fans alike took issue with the pedestrian script, the off-kilter casting and the flick's blatant over-commercialization (due to a marketing deal with clothing designer Tommy Hilfiger). After another three-year break, Rodriguez returned to make his most successful (and most unexpected) movie yet, based on his own segment from Four Rooms (1995). After a string of bloody, adult-oriented action fare, no one anticipated him to write and direct the colorful and creative Spy Kids (2001), a movie about a pair of prepubescent Latino sibs who discover that their lame parents (Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino) are actually two of the world's greatest secret agents. The film was hit among both audiences and critics alike.
After quitting the Writers' Guild of America and being introduced to digital filmmaking by George Lucas, Robert immediately applied the creative, flexible (and cost-effective) technology to every one of his movies from then on, starting with an immediate sequel to his family friendly hit: Spy Kids 2: Island of Lost Dreams (2002) which was THEN immediately followed by the trilogy-capper Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003). The latter would prove to be the most financially-lucrative of the series and employ the long-banished movie gimmick of 3-D with eye-popping results. Later the same year Rodriguez career came full circle when he completed the final entry of the story that made brought him to prominence: "El Mariachi". The last chapter, Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), would be his most direct homage to the Sergio Leone westerns he grew up on. With a cast boasting Antonio Banderas (returning as the gunslinging guitarist), Johnny Depp (as a corrupt CIA agent attempting to manipulate him), Salma Hayek, Mickey Rourke, Willem Dafoe and Eva Mendes, the film delivered even more of the Mexican shoot-'em-up spectacle than both of the previous films combined.
Now given his choice of movies to do next, Robert sought out famed comic book writer/artist Frank Miller, a man who had been very vocal of never letting his works be adapted for the screen. Even so, he was wholeheartedly convinced and elated when Rodriguez presented him with a plan to turn Miller's signature work into the film Sin City (2005). A collection of noir-ish tales set in a fictional, crime-ridden slum, the movie boasted the largest cast Rodriguez had worked with to that date. Saying he didn't want to mere "adapt" Miller's comics but "translate" them, Rodriguez' insistence that Miller co-direct the movie lead to Robert's resignation from the Director's Guild of America (and his subsequent dismissal from the film John Carter (2012) as a result). Many critics cited that Sin City was created as a pure film noir piece to adapt Miller's comics onto the screen. Co-directing with Frank Miller and bringing in Quentin Tarantino to guest-direct a scene allowed Rodriguez to again shock Hollywood with his talent.
In late 2007, Rodriguez again teamed up with his friend Tarantino to create the double feature Grindhouse (2007). Rodriguez's offering, Planet Terror (2007), was a film made to be "hardcore, extreme, sex-fueled, action-packed." Rodriguez flirts with his passion to make a showy film exploiting all of his experience to make an extremely entertaining thrill ride. The film is encompassed around Cherry (Rose McGowan), a reluctant go-go dancer who is found wanting when she meets her ex-lover El Wray (played by Freddy Rodríguez) who turns up at a local BBQ grill. They then, after a turn of events, find themselves fending off brain-eating zombies whilst trying to flee to Mexico (here we go off to Mexico again). Apart from directing, Rodriguez also involves himself in camera work, editing and composing music for his movies' sound tracks (he composed Planet Terror's main theme). He also shoots a lot of his own action scenes to get a direct idea from his eye as the director into the film. In El Mariachi (1992), Rodriguez spent hours in front of a pay-to-use, computer editing his film. This allowed him to capture the ideal footage exactly as he wanted it. Away from the filming aspect of Hollywood, Rodriguez is an expert chef who cooks gourmet meals for the cast and crew. Rodriguez is also known for his ability to turn a low-budgeted film with a small crew into an example of film mastery. El mariachi was "the movie made on seven grand" and still managed to rank as one of Rodriguez' best films (receiving a rating of 92% on the Rotten Tomatoes film review site).
Because Rodriguez is involved so deeply in his films, he is able to capture what he wants first time, which saves both time and money. Rodriguez's films share some similar threads and ideas, whilst also having differences. In El Mariachi (1992), he uses a hand-held camera. He made this decision for several reasons. First, he couldn't afford a tripod and secondly, he wanted to make the audience more aware of the action. In the action sequences he is given more mobility with a hand-held camera and also allows for distortion of the unprofessional action sequences (because the cost of all special effects in the film totaled $600). However, in Sin City (2005) and Planet Terror (2007), the budget was much greater, and Rodriguez could afford to spend more on special affects (especially since both films were filmed predominately with green screen) and, thus, there was no need to cover for error.
Playing by his own rules or not at all, Robert Rodriguez has redefined what a filmmaker can or cannot do. Shunning Hollywood's ridiculously high budgets, multi-picture deals and the two most powerful unions for the sake of maintaining creative freedom are decisions that would (and have) cost many directors their careers. Rodriguez has turned these into his strengths, creating some of the most imaginative works the big-screen has ever seen.- Producer
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George Lopez was born on April 23, 1961, in Mission Hills, Los Angeles, California, the son of Frieda and Anatasio Lopez, a migrant worker. He is of Mestizo Mexican descent. He was deserted by his father when he was two months old and by his mother when he was 10 years old, but was raised by his maternal grandmother, Benita Gutierrez, a factory worker, and step-grandfather, Refugio Gutierrez, a construction worker. Lopez attended San Fernando High School, graduating in 1979. He is known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom George Lopez. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican American culture. Lopez has received several honors for his work and contributions to the Latino community, including the 2003 Imagen Vision Award, the 2003 Latino Spirit Award for Excellence in Television and the National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Award. He was also named one of "The Top 25 Hispanics in America" by Time magazine in 2005. In 1993, Lopez married Ann Serrano. The couple has a daughter, Mayan, born in 1996. On September 27, 2010, Lopez announced that he and his wife had decided to end their marriage. Serrano filed for divorce on November 23, 2010, citing "irreconcilable differences. The divorce was finalized on July 1, 2011.- Marisa attended an all-girl private school in East Los Angeles. Her career started when a Polaroid picture of the 13-year-old girl made its way into the hands of a Los Angeles modeling agency. By the age of 15, Marisa began to work as a print model and as a commercial actress. It wasn't long before demand became global, offering her opportunities to work in Singapore, Australia, South Africa, Hong Kong and Italy.
Despite her success in modeling, it was acting classes that helped Marisa overcome her life-long shyness. After several guest appearances on Days of our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful, Ramirez finally got her big break in July 2000, when she was cast in the contract role of supermodel Gia Campbell on General Hospital. She left this role in December 2002 to star in the short-lived ABC drama, Miracles. During her time on GH, she was nominated for ALMA and NAACP Awards.
In April 2006, she joined the cast of The Young and the Restless as Jabot Cosmetics public relations consultant Carmen Mesta for five months. The character of Carmen was killed off. Ramirez briefly returned to the show in early 2007 as Carmen's cousin, Ines Vargas. Shortly after, she moved to Colombia to film the FOX summer series Mental, opposite Chris Vance and Annabella Sciorra.
In 2011, she was a series regular on Lifetime's "Against the Wall," playing Detective Lina Flores. Despite respectable ratings, the series was not renewed for a second season. Immediately prior to landing that role, Ramirez starred as Melitta on "Spartacus: Gods of the Arena" which filmed in New Zealand. - Actor
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Cheech Marin was born on 13 July 1946 in Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an actor and writer, known for Born in East L.A. (1987), Tin Cup (1996) and Up in Smoke (1978). He has been married to Natasha Rubin since 8 August 2009. He was previously married to Rikki Marin and Patti Heid.- Actress
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Sara Ramirez was born in Mazatlán, Mexico, on August 31, 1975, and moved to the United States at 7 after their parents' divorce. Sara is a graduate of The Juillard School (1997). Ramirez made their Broadway debut in the Paul Simon musical The Capeman (1998) before winning a Tony Award for their portrayal of the Lady of the Lake in the 2005 production of Spamalot.
Ramirez appeared as Dr. Callie Torres in 239 episodes of the ABC hit Grey's Anatomy, and has gained acclaim for their role as Che Diaz in the Sex and the City reboot, "And Just Like That..."
In addition to their acting career, Sara is a singer/songwriter and activist in support of LGBT rights. They are a member of the True Colors United board of directors and the San Diego, New York, and San Francisco LGBT Centers. In 2015, they were awarded the Ally for Equality Award by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.- Actress
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Madison Pettis got her big break at 8 years old with her very first film, playing the daughter of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson in Disney's hit family comedy, "The Game Plan". Now all grown up, Madison has an extensive list of acting credits and over 20 million followers on social media. Soon she can be seen starring in upcoming projects, "Margaux", a horror-thriller, and coming-of-age-film "Deltopia". Recently she starred in two Netflix films, "He's All That" and "American Pie: Girls' Rules". Madison also starred in the Kerry Washington/Jon Avnet-produced "Five Points" for Facebook Watch. She also guest-starred on "Law & Order: SVU", "Parenthood", "The Real O'Neals", and had a recurring role on "The Fosters" among others. Inspiring millennials to register and vote, Madison served as a celebrity ambassador for Rock the Vote. In her first tv series, Madison was Disney Channel's youngest star in the role of Sophie the President's daughter on "Cory in the House". In a crossover episode, she guest starred on "Hannah Montana", which led to the producers offering her a starring role in her second series, "Life With Boys" for Teen Nickelodeon which aired in 86 countries worldwide. Madison has worked with many notable names in the business, including Will Smith in "Seven Pounds", Mahershala Ali in USA's "The 4400", and many more. Her talents also include numerous voiceover animation roles. She starred in nearly 100 episodes as the voice of "Izzy" in Disney's "Jake and the Never Land Pirates". Other credits include a recurring role on "Fancy Nancy" produced by Tina Fey, as well as "Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 & 3" and more. Madison has the honor of being the youngest entertainer invited to tour for the USO and has traveled around the world to support our troops and their families.- Actor
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James David Rodríguez was born on April 4, 1976. He is the son of Jim Rodríguez and Deborah Collins. Roday was born in San Antonio. He attended Taft High School. He studied theater at New York University's Experimental Theatre Wing, where he earned a bachelor's degree in fine arts. He has acted in several theatrical productions, which include "The Three Sisters," "Twelfth Night," "A Respectable Wedding," and "Severity's Mistress." He starred in the film Rolling Kansas (2003) and appeared in the 2005 film The Dukes of Hazzard (2005) as Billy Prickett, and in the 2006 film Beerfest (2006). Roday and writing partners Todd Harthan and James DeMonaco wrote the screenplay for the film Skinwalkers (2006). Roday's portrayal of Shawn Spencer on the television series Psych (2006) launched him into the public spotlight, and gave rise to numerous fan clubs.- Actress
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Kimberly Alexis Bledel was born in Houston, Texas, to Nanette (Dozier) and Martin Bledel. Her parents are both Spanish-speakers (her mother was born in Arizona and raised in Mexico, and her father was born in Argentina), and Alexis's ancestry includes Danish, Welsh, English, Scottish, Irish, and French.
Alexis made her television debut in Gilmore Girls (2000), after spending years in front of the camera as a model. Bledel's parents encouraged her to try community theater in Houston when she was 8 years old, hoping it would help their daughter overcome her shyness. She went on to perform in productions of Our Town, The Wizard of Oz and Aladdin, and later was scouted in a local mall to model. She began her modeling career while still in high school, traveling all over to locations like Tokyo, Milan, New York and Los Angeles. After graduating, she enrolled at NYU as a film major. In the Spring of 2000, Bledel landed a manager through her modeling agency and headed to Los Angeles for her first pilot season, where she quickly landed the coveted role of Rory on Gilmore Girls (2000).
When she's not working, Bledel enjoys writing, reading, shooting photography, going to the movies and spending time with her family. She was married to actor Vincent Kartheiser, with whom she has a son.- Actor
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Born in Dayton, Ohio, Damian (who's of Mexican, Italian, Irish and Native American descent) grew up as the second eldest of 5 children; 2 brothers and 2 sisters. His father,Rico Chapa, owned a bar across the street, in Columbus, OH, from a go-go bar, owned by someone he knew; Larry Flynt, who'd soon go on to publish Hustler Magazine.
As a teen, Damian sold aluminum siding, and ran a go-go joint when he wast 17, for his Uncle Johnny. Johnny was shot several times, and was considered a "gangster". Chapa's other uncle, Enrique was a 'hired hit man' in Texas.
In his early 20's, Chapa developed a serious alcohol and substance abuse problem due to his difficult childhood. One day, he decided; 'enough was enough', and built up the courage and strength to seek help through meetings. Chapa denied to take the artistic path instead of the troubled path in front of him. Chapa has since been successfully sober for over 25 years.
Damian served in the U.S. Navy for 3 years, traveling the world on 3 different ships Including the U.S.S. Henry B. Wilson Guided missile destroyer.
After serving in the military, Damian decided to follow in the footsteps of his favorite actor, Montgomery Cliff, and began a career in acting.
Chapa who left for New York at a very early age to Brooklyn decided to stay in the Big Apple to follow his dream of acting: He had his first. acting job in New York as a stand-in for Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach" music video. This was his first step, and soon shot 2 films. His first starring role was In Blood In, Blood Out (1993), as Miklo Velka (for which he achieved worldwide notice and legions of fans, particularly within the Latino community, As well as having gone on to become the highest-grossing Latin film in history), followed by Undersiege with Tommy Lee Jones and Steven Seagull (1992). Chapa Followed up starring along side Chris Tucker in Money talks and then Playing the lead as Lyle Menendez in Menendez A killing in Beverly Hills with Beverly D'Angelo and Edward James Olmos.
Damian attended the 18th Street Theater in New York for many years, and was coached by master director Robert Easton at one time. Robert Easton said that (at the time) Chapa was one of the best young actors of our time.
Damian has also worked behind the camera. Damian opened a production company, and named it in honor of his eldest brother, Rico ('Rico Films'), who tragically had died of cancer at the age of 30, He later changed the name to New York International Pictures.
In 1995, both Damian Chapa and Leonardo DiCaprio were in the running to do competing James Dean biopics. The James Dean Foundation, who held rights for the project, endorsed Chapa over DiCaprio.
Unfortunately, the project came to a screeching halt, when all its producers were murdered at a street light in Culver City, California, as outlined in the book Once Upon a Time in Hollywood by Rod Lurie
In 2011, whilst filming a scene for his film, Brando Unauthorized, Damian was involved in a motorcycle accident, which nearly killed him. He suffered several injuries,including a broken hand and facial bruising. As a result, the production was temporarily delayed, however, after 8 hours he got back on his feet and resumed filming. A clip of the accident can be seen in the film, during the acid trip scene.
Damian subsequently won Best Director and Best Feature awards at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival for his film Brando Unauthorized (2011).
Damian had 4 children. His eldest son - Ricco Chapa - is also an actor, and he gave another son - Luke Chapa - the middle name "Scorsese" after his favorite film director, Martin Scorsese. Damian's youngest son Gabriel Chapa is also starting a very young acting career.
Amongst the actors Damian's,directed are Stacy Keach and Rachel Hunter in 4 films, Robert Wagner and Joe Estevez in 3 films, and Faye Dunaway, David Carradine, Brad Dourif and Gary Busey in 2 films. Robert Davi and Danny Trejo more recent.
Last year Damian's starred in a film he directed; Streets of East LA. The film features, Angus Macfadyen, and Damian Chapa.
Damian's manager is Chuck Binder whose long-time clients have included Sharon Stone and the late David Carradine. Chapa is also represented in Europe by Beatriz Oliete who landed Chapa a role in the New Woody Allen film.- Actress
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Scout Taylor-Compton began acting with a featured role in the A.F.I. film A.W.O.L (2006) starring David Morse. Since then, her performances in seven independent films, over fifteen student films, and three music videos formed a firm foundation that led to her leading role in MGM's Sleepover (2004). Joe Nussbaum the director of George Lucas in Love (1999) also directed the teenage adventure film, which also stars Alexa PenaVega and Mika Boorem.
Just prior to Sleepover, Scout completed a role in Jennifer Garner's film 13 Going on 30 (2004). She can also be seen in the Hallmark movie Audrey's Rain (2003), the film 7 Songs (2003) , with Chris Eigeman , and the Power Up Film Chicken Night (2001), in which Scout, displaying another facet of her talent, sings the theme song.
On the small screen, in 2003 Scout landed her first series pilot role in Class Actions (2004) the hour-long legal drama for Lifetime Television also starring Diane Venora, who plays Scout's mother in the series. In 2004 Scout booked a leading role in the new Bravo Series, Hidden Howie: The Private Life of a Public Nuisance (2005), starring Howie Mandel.
Currently she is awaiting the Network's decision on the pick-up of her most recent pilot booking, Disney's "That's So Raven Spin-Off," where she plays the series regular role of Lauren, big sister of Alyson Stoner.
Other television guest credits include recurring roles on Unfabulous (2004), The Guardian (2001), Charmed (1998), and Gilmore Girls (2000) plus appearances on Cold Case (2003), The Division (2001), The Lyon's Den (2003), ER (1994), Ally McBeal (1997), an upcoming episode of That's So Raven (2003) and several stints on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (1992). She was nominated in 2004 for a Young Artist Award for her work on "Gilmore Girls," and was again nominated in 2005 for her lead role in "Sleepover" and recurring role on CBS's "The Guardian."
Scout's voice-over credits include a recent looping for Disney's Sky High (2005) starring Kurt Russell and Kelly Preston. Other voice over credits include two films with Academy Award winning actors including The Core (2003), starring Hilary Swank, and I Am Sam (2001), starring Sean Penn, as well as work in the film The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement (2004). Scout was also the narrator for Chicken Night (2001). On stage she has played the title roles in the musicals Annie/Annie Warbucks and the drama Anne Frank.
Recently Scout flew to New Jersey where she filmed a leading role in the feature film titled Tomorrow Is Today (2006). Currently Scout is in the studio, avidly working on her first album, and in August will be shooting a film for with Allan Kayser, who played Bubba on Mama's Family (1983).
She continues her training in acting, dance, and voice with top coaches, currently recording her first rock album. She also participates in charity projects for disabled and disadvantaged children as a Celebrity Youth Member of Kids With a Cause. Her hobbies and interests include writing songs, playing drums, surfing, and hanging out with her friends. As if that were not enough to keep her busy, Scout hopes to soon acquire a monkey, and a Chihuahua.- Actor
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Born in San Diego, California, on October 10th, 1973, to Mario and Elvira, Mario Lopez's first professional role was on the series, a.k.a. Pablo (1984). Mario is probably best known to youngsters, however, as A.C. Slater from NBC's popular 1980s teen comedy series Saved by the Bell (1989). Among Mario's other credits are several other popular television series, such as Pacific Blue (1996) and the movies Colors (1988), Depraved (1996) and Eastside (1999). Mario has proven himself as a talented and prolific presenter, having hosted such series as Name Your Adventure (1992), The Other Half (2001) and Pet Star (2002).- Actor
- Producer
Jacob Vargas began his acting career when he was discovered breakdancing in a schoolyard at age 12. His introduction to acting came with a bit part as a breakdancer on the hit TV show Diff'rent Strokes (1978). In 1995 he won the very first ALMA Award (for Emerging Artist of the Year) for his work in both Allison Anders' My Crazy Life (1993) and Gregory Nava's My Family/Mi familia (1995). He later starred in films such as Selena (1997), Get Shorty (1995), American Me (1992), Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997) and the cult favorite Next Friday (2000) as Ice Cube's nemesis, Joker. He later shined as Tijuana cop Manolo, 'Benicio del Toro''s partner in Steven Soderbergh's Academy Award- winning film Traffic (2000), which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award and another ALMA Award. He then made us laugh as Sammy the chef in John Moore's Flight of the Phoenix (2004) and brought depth to Marine sniper Cortez in Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes' war drama Jarhead (2005). In 2006 he starred as a straight-arrow DEA agent opposite Laurence Fishburne and Paul Walker in the action drama _Death and Life of Bobby Z, The (2006)_ and joined an all-star cast as a politically charged busboy in Emilio Estevez's historical drama Bobby (2006) and played a psychologically tortured drone pilot in Alex Rivera's sci-fi political love story _Sleep Dealer, The (2006)_. Not satisfied with just being labeled as an actor, he has also been focusing his talents on writing and producing through his production company, Third Son Productions. In 2001 he executive produced and starred in the independent film Road Dogz (2002). He also co-produced and starred in the stage play "Latinologues", which ran on Broadway in 2005 and is available on DVD. Through Third Son Productions, he is currently developing several feature film and television projects.- Actress
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Lynda Jean Cordova Carter is an American actress, singer, and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss World USA 1972 and finished in the top 15 at the Miss World 1972 pageant. Carter is best known as the star of the live-action television series Wonder Woman, in the role of Diana Prince / Wonder Woman. The role was based on the DC comic book fictional superhero character of the same name, and aired on ABC and later on CBS from 1975 to 1979.- Actress
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Amara Zaragoza is an actress/writer/director who loves playing music, traveling and riding horses. She is a native of Kansas who moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting after being cast off the street for her first project. One of her first acting jobs was on the longtime WB hit Smallville. That quickly led to multiple television appearances including recurring roles on Gossip Girl and Dirty Sexy Money. Amara has also appeared in several films such as Perfect Stranger with Bruce Willis and Halle Berry and starred in the movie Rez Bomb which earned her a best actress award at the Red Nation Film Awards. She also got to realize her dreams of being an action star on the set of Echelon Conspiracy where she worked alongside Ving Rhames, Martin Sheen and Ed Byrnes. In recent years, Amara has made guest appearances on the CW's Switched At Birth as well as CSI: Crime Scene Investigation on CBS. This year she has been working a pivotal role on her second season of CBS All Access's Strange Angel where she plays Joan, the High Priestess of a sex cult.- Actress
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Christian Marie Serratos (born September 21, 1990) is an American actress who plays Rosita Espinosa in AMC's The Walking Dead TV series, based on the comic book of the same name. She is also known for playing Suzie Crabgrass in the Nickelodeon series Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide and Angela Weber in The Twilight Saga series.
Serratos was born in Pasadena, California and raised in Burbank, California. Her mother is a jewelry designer, and public relations and marketing agent at ACSPR and is of Mexican descent. Her father is a set construction worker of Italian descent. She began figure skating when she was 3 and continued competitively, saying, "My coaches were talking about the Olympics and it was really crazy. Now, I just do it for fun." At the age of 7, she signed with the Ford Modeling Agency.
Serratos played Suzie Crabgrass in the Nickelodeon series Ned's Declassified School Survival Guide, which debuted in 2004 and ended in 2007 after three seasons.
Serratos' role as Angela Weber in Twilight won her the "Young Supporting Actress" award in the Best Performance in a Feature Film category at the 30th Young Artist Awards. Serratos reprized the role in Twilight's sequels The Twilight Saga: New Moon and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. In 2011, she appeared in The Black Keys video for their song "Howlin' for You".
She played the recurring character of Rosita Espinosa in the fourth season of AMC's series The Walking Dead, making her first appearance at the end of the tenth episode, "Inmates". For her character Rosita, she was upped to series regular in the fifth season, and was added to the series' main credits in the seventh season.
She ranked at No. 65 on Maxim's "Hot 100" list for 2010. In the March 2015 issue of Playboy magazine, Serratos was featured in the "After Hours" section.
Serratos is an animal activist. She has posed for a number of PETA campaigns promoting a vegan lifestyle. In March 2017, Serratos revealed that she is expecting her first child with her longtime boyfriend, New Politics singer David Boyd. On Mother's Day 2017, Serratos announced that she'd welcomed her first child, a baby girl, whose name she later revealed to be Wolfgang Serratos Boyd.- Producer
- Actress
Katherine von Drachenberg was born on 8 March 1982 in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. She is a producer and actress, known for The Bleeding (2009), The Lincoln Lawyer (2022) and The Adventures of Señor Toro (2009). She has been married to Leafar Seyer since 21 February 2018. They have one child. She was previously married to Oliver Peck.- Actor
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Gabriel Iglesias is one of America's most successful stand-up comedians performing to sold-out concerts around the world. Iglesias was featured in The Hollywood Reporter's Top 40 Comedy Players of 2018 issue alongside comedy giants Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock and Lorne Michaels. Unlike many in the stand-up world, Iglesias' globally appealing comedy stays mostly clean and his non-controversial material appeals to audiences of all ages and walks of life. Iglesias has also had the distinct honor of being one of the few to headline and sell-out Madison Square Garden, Staples Center and The Sydney Opera House. He is also one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with nearly 1,000,000,000 views and has over 25 million followers across social media.
Iglesias starred in and was the executive producer of Netflix's multi-cam television series Mr. Iglesias. Iglesias plays a good-natured public high school teacher who works at his alma mater. He takes on teaching gifted but misfit kids to not only save them from being "counseled out" by a bully bureaucrat Assistant Principal, but also to help them unlock their full potential.
On the small screen, Iglesias was a recurring guest star on the ABC sitcom Cristela and guest starred in ABC's hit comedy Modern Family. Iglesias was also the star and creator of Fluffy's Food Adventures, a non-scripted comedic docu-follow series, that completed a 3 season run on Fuse TV. In addition, he hosted and starred in his hit series Stand-Up Revolution for 3 seasons on Comedy Central. Comedy Central also premiered Gabriel Iglesias: Aloha Fluffy in an unprecedented two-night comedy special to over 15 million viewers. The special was a follow-up to his previous DVD specials, Hot & Fluffy and I'm Not Fat...I'm Fluffy, which have sold millions of copies. In 2016, Iglesias released his 6th one-hour comedy special, I'm Sorry For What I Said When I Was Hungry on Netflix worldwide.
Feature film credits include co-starring roles in Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL and A Haunted House 2. His voice can also be heard in numerous animated films including the Academy Award winning Coco, Show Dogs, Ferdinand, The Star, Smurfs: The Lost Village, Norm of the North, The Book of Life, The Nut Job and Disney's Planes. Iglesias also starred in the motion picture comedy film, The Fluffy Movie.
Just recently in 2022, Iglesias made a comeback after COVID-19, selling out the Dodgers Stadium in Los Angeles. Roughly 56,000 people were watching him from the stands perform the biggest show of his career and one of the biggest show any comedian has done in the world.- Actor
- Additional Crew
- Producer
Tony Alva was born in 1957. He is an actor and producer, known for Lords of Dogtown (2005), Skate God and Thrashin' (1986).- Actress
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- Director
Sharisse Jackson was born on August 31, 1976 in Boston, Massachusetts and raised in Costa Mesa, California. Jackson is of African American and Cherokee descent on her mother's side and Puerto Rican and Mexican descent on her father's. Shar has been acting since she was three and enrolled in the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble. While she attended private school, Jackson began modeling with the Ubiquitous, John Robert Powers, and Barbizon agencies and studied acting with Bob Feldman; at 11 she decided to focus solely on acting. Through the Al Fann Theatrical Ensemble, she was quickly cast in several national commercials and landed guest-starring roles on such series as Roc (1991), My So-Called Life (1994), Hangin' with Mr. Cooper (1992), and The Steve Harvey Show (1996). On the big screen, she has been featured in Good Burger (1997), Boom Box (1990), Grand Avenue (1996), and CB4 (1993). However, she is best known for playing "Niecy Jackson" on Moesha (1996).