Esai Morales
Encyclopedia
Esai Manuel Morales is an American
actor
. He is well known for his role as Bob Morales in the 1987 biopic
La Bamba
. He also appeared in the PBS
drama American Family
and in the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd.
. However, he is best known for his roles as Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue
and Joseph Adama in the science fiction
television series Caprica
.
descent and was born in Brooklyn
, New York to parents Iris Margarita (née
Declet), a union activist involved with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
, and Esai Morales, Sr., a welder. Morales began his pursuit of an acting career by attending the School of Performing Arts in Manhattan
.Has a sister named Monica who worked for an insurance company.
. He is also interested in environmental issues and was a founding board member of E.C.O. (Earth Communications Office).
In the February 28th, 2007 all-star benefit
reading of "The Gift of Peace" at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, he portrays a hopeful member of a struggling immigrant
family, and plays alongside actors Ed Asner
, Barbara Bain
, Amy Brenneman
, George Coe
, Wendie Malick
, and James Pickens, Jr.
. The play is an open appeal and fundraiser for passage of U.S. House
Resolution
808, which seeks to establish a Cabinet
-level "Department of Peace" in the U.S. government, to be funded by a two percent diversion of the Pentagon
's annual budget.
Morales is a vegetarian. He and girlfriend Elvimar Silva welcomed a little girl, Mariana Oiveira, in September 2010.
, about teenagers in prison—was released in 1983. He played the ex-convict and biker half-brother of 1950s rock and roll
singer Ritchie Valens
in the 1987 movie La Bamba
. Some of his other roles have reflected his socio-political interests, such as The Burning Season
in 1994, My Family/Mi Familia
in 1995, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
in 1997, and Southern Cross in 1999. In the last three films, as well as in a few others such as Bloodhounds of Broadway
in 1989 and Rapa Nui
in 1994, Morales was increased amounts of screen time. He portrayed a police officer with the film Dogwatch in 1996. He played Father Herrera in The Virgin of Juarez. Morales appeared on television in the mid-1980s, on Fame
. He co-starred with Burt Lancaster
in the NBC-TV miniseries
, On Wings of Eagles
, playing the Iranian Rashid, the hero of this true story about Ross Perot
. Morales has also appeared in Miami Vice
, The Equalizer
, and 24
.
In the 1990s, he guest-starred on episodes of The Outer Limits
, Tales from the Crypt
, and two shorter-lived series, L.A. Doctors
and The Hunger. He was a featured TV actor, seen in a two-part episode of Family Law
in 2000. His tenure on NYPD Blue
as the head of the 15th precinct detective squad began in mid-season 2001 and continued until 2004 when he decided to cancel his contract. In 1994 he was in the Pauly Shore film In The Army Now
. Paid in Full
was scheduled for release in October 2002. It marked a return to a criminal character such as those in his previous roles - in this case he played a drug dealer named Lulu.
In 2005, he (along with Mercedes Ruehl
) received the Rita Moreno
HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
(HOLA). That same year, he contributed his voice acting to the video game True Crime: New York City
, playing Sgt. Victor Navarro.
He was also cast in the film American Fusion, and on June 19, 2006, he joined the cast of Fox's series Vanished
, as FBI agent Michael Tyner alongside actors Gale Harold
and Ming-Na
. The series was later canceled. In 2007, he completed filming for Kill Kill Faster Faster
, a contemporary film noir
inspired by the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Joel Rose
. In 2007, Morales appeared in an episode of the USA Network
comedy-drama
series "Burn Notice
" as a Cuban shopkeeper being shaken down for "protection" money by local criminals. In early 2008, Morales had a role in the CBS
drama Jericho
as Major Edward Beck. He appeared in all seven episodes of the shortened second season.
On May 7, 2008, it was announced that Morales would play the role of Joseph Adama in the science fiction
television series Caprica
– Syfy
's prequel to the series Battlestar Galactica
. The series premiered on January 22, 2010.
In August, 2011, he starred in the drama
film Gun Hill Road
, as Enrique. He is currently starring in the web drama Los Americans airing on PIC.tv.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. He is well known for his role as Bob Morales in the 1987 biopic
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
La Bamba
La Bamba (film)
La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez. The picture features Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano...
. He also appeared in the PBS
Public Broadcasting Service
The Public Broadcasting Service is an American non-profit public broadcasting television network with 354 member TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership. Its headquarters is in Arlington, Virginia....
drama American Family
American Family: Journey of Dreams
American Family: Journey of Dreams is a PBS series created by Gregory Nava that follows the lives of a Latino family in Los Angeles.This was the first broadcast television drama series featuring a predominantly Latino cast...
and in the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd.
Resurrection Blvd.
Resurrection Blvd. is an American dramatic series which aired on Showtime for three seasons from 2000 to 2002.-Plot:In East Los Angeles, California, the Santiago family has had three generations of boxers within the family. They continue their battle to become boxing champions while struggling with...
. However, he is best known for his roles as Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
and Joseph Adama in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Caprica
Caprica (TV series)
Caprica is a science fiction drama television series. It is a spin-off prequel of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, taking place about 58 years prior to the events of Battlestar Galactica. Caprica shows how humanity first created the robotic Cylons who would later plot to destroy humans in...
.
Early life
Morales is of Puerto RicanPuerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
descent and was born in Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, New York to parents Iris Margarita (née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Declet), a union activist involved with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor unions in the United States, one of the first U.S. unions to have a primarily female membership, and a key player in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s...
, and Esai Morales, Sr., a welder. Morales began his pursuit of an acting career by attending the School of Performing Arts in Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
.Has a sister named Monica who worked for an insurance company.
Personal life
Morales has described himself as an "actorvist", primarily as one of the founders of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, taking inspiration from his mother, who was an organizer for the International Ladies' Garment Workers' UnionInternational Ladies' Garment Workers' Union
The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union was once one of the largest labor unions in the United States, one of the first U.S. unions to have a primarily female membership, and a key player in the labor history of the 1920s and 1930s...
. He is also interested in environmental issues and was a founding board member of E.C.O. (Earth Communications Office).
In the February 28th, 2007 all-star benefit
Benefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
reading of "The Gift of Peace" at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, he portrays a hopeful member of a struggling immigrant
Immigration
Immigration is the act of foreigners passing or coming into a country for the purpose of permanent residence...
family, and plays alongside actors Ed Asner
Ed Asner
Edward Asner , commonly known as Ed Asner, is an American film, television, stage, and voice actor and former president of the Screen Actors Guild, primarily known for his Emmy Award-winning role as Lou Grant on both The Mary Tyler Moore Show and its spin-off series, Lou Grant...
, Barbara Bain
Barbara Bain
Millicent Fogel , known professionally as Barbara Bain, is an American actress.-Early life:Bain was born in Chicago. She graduated from the University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in sociology. She moved to New York City, where she was a dancer and high fashion model. Bain studied with...
, Amy Brenneman
Amy Brenneman
Amy Frederica Brenneman is an American actress, perhaps best known for her roles in the television series NYPD Blue, Judging Amy and Private Practice...
, George Coe
George Coe
George Coe is an American film, stage, and television actor. He is best known for having been a cast member on the first three episodes of Saturday Night Live, as well as for his work on various television shows.-Career:...
, Wendie Malick
Wendie Malick
Wendie Malick is an American actress and former fashion model, known for her roles as Judith Tupper Stone on the HBO series Dream On , Nina Van Horn on the NBC sitcom Just Shoot Me! , Ronee Lawrence on the NBC sitcom Frasier and Victoria Chase on the TV Land sitcom Hot in Cleveland .-Early...
, and James Pickens, Jr.
James Pickens, Jr.
James Pickens, Jr. is an American actor. He is best known for his starring role as Dr. Richard Webber on the ABC drama television series Grey's Anatomy, and for his supporting role as Deputy Director Alvin Kersh on later seasons of the Fox Network science fiction series The X-Files.- Early life...
. The play is an open appeal and fundraiser for passage of U.S. House
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Resolution
Resolution (law)
A resolution is a written motion adopted by a deliberative body. The substance of the resolution can be anything that can normally be proposed as a motion. For long or important motions, though, it is often better to have them written out so that discussion is easier or so that it can be...
808, which seeks to establish a Cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
-level "Department of Peace" in the U.S. government, to be funded by a two percent diversion of the Pentagon
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
's annual budget.
Morales is a vegetarian. He and girlfriend Elvimar Silva welcomed a little girl, Mariana Oiveira, in September 2010.
Career
His first professional performances were in theater and television in New York, and his first film—Bad BoysBad Boys (1983 film)
Bad Boys is a 1983 American crime drama film primarily set in a juvenile detention center, starring Sean Penn, Esai Morales, and Ally Sheedy in her film debut. The film is directed by Rick Rosenthal. The original music score was composed by Bill Conti....
, about teenagers in prison—was released in 1983. He played the ex-convict and biker half-brother of 1950s rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
singer Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens
Ritchie Valens was a Mexican-American singer, songwriter and guitarist....
in the 1987 movie La Bamba
La Bamba (film)
La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez. The picture features Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano...
. Some of his other roles have reflected his socio-political interests, such as The Burning Season
The Burning Season (1994 film)
The Burning Season is a 1994 television movie directed by John Frankenheimer. The film chronicled Chico Mendes's fight to protect the rainforest.-Plot:...
in 1994, My Family/Mi Familia
My Family (film)
My Family is an American drama film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The motion picture stars Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, and others. It also features Jennifer Lopez in her second film role....
in 1995, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca is a 1997 film based on a book by Ian Gibson about the life and murder of Federico García Lorca. It stars Andy García as Lorca and Esai Morales as Ricardo, a journalist who investigates Lorca's disappearance during the early years of the Spanish Civil War...
in 1997, and Southern Cross in 1999. In the last three films, as well as in a few others such as Bloodhounds of Broadway
Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989 film)
Bloodhounds of Broadway is a 1989 film based on four Damon Runyon stories. It was directed by Howard Brookner and starred Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey, Anita Morris, Julie Hagerty, Rutger Hauer, Madonna, Esai Morales and Randy Quaid....
in 1989 and Rapa Nui
Rapa Nui (film)
Rapa Nui is a 1994 film directed by Kevin Reynolds. It was produced by Kevin Costner and Barrie M. Osborne, among others. The plot is based on Rapanui legends of Easter Island, Chile, in particular the race for the Sooty Tern's egg in the Birdman Cult....
in 1994, Morales was increased amounts of screen time. He portrayed a police officer with the film Dogwatch in 1996. He played Father Herrera in The Virgin of Juarez. Morales appeared on television in the mid-1980s, on Fame
Fame (1982 TV series)
Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although...
. He co-starred with Burt Lancaster
Burt Lancaster
Burton Stephen "Burt" Lancaster was an American film actor noted for his athletic physique and distinctive smile...
in the NBC-TV miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
, On Wings of Eagles
On Wings of Eagles
On Wings of Eagles is a 1983 thriller novel written by British author Ken Follett. Set against the background of the Iranian revolution, it tells the story of the rescue of Paul Chiapparone and Bill Gaylord from prison in Tehran by a team of Electronic Data Systems executives led by retired Col....
, playing the Iranian Rashid, the hero of this true story about Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
. Morales has also appeared in Miami Vice
Miami Vice
Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989...
, The Equalizer
The Equalizer
The Equalizer is an American television series that ran for four seasons, initially on CBS, between 1985 and 1989. It starred Edward Woodward as an aging New York vigilante with a mysterious past...
, and 24
24 (TV series)
24 is an American television series produced for the Fox Network and syndicated worldwide, starring Kiefer Sutherland as Counter Terrorist Unit agent Jack Bauer. Each 24-episode season covers 24 hours in the life of Bauer, using the real time method of narration...
.
In the 1990s, he guest-starred on episodes of The Outer Limits
The Outer Limits (1995 TV series)
The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002...
, Tales from the Crypt
Tales from the Crypt (TV series)
Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO...
, and two shorter-lived series, L.A. Doctors
L.A. Doctors
L.A. Doctors was an American medical drama television series set in a Los Angeles practice. It ran on CBS during the 1998-99 season.-Premise:...
and The Hunger. He was a featured TV actor, seen in a two-part episode of Family Law
Family Law (TV series)
Family Law is a television drama starring Kathleen Quinlan as divorced lawyer Lynn Holt, who attempted to start her own law firm after her lawyer husband took all their old clients...
in 2000. His tenure on NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue
NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan...
as the head of the 15th precinct detective squad began in mid-season 2001 and continued until 2004 when he decided to cancel his contract. In 1994 he was in the Pauly Shore film In The Army Now
In The Army Now
In the Army Now is a 1994 war comedy, directed by Daniel Petrie, Jr. and starring Pauly Shore, Andy Dick, David Alan Grier, Esai Morales, and Lori Petty...
. Paid in Full
Paid in Full (film)
Paid in Full is a 2002 American criminal drama film that was produced by Roc-A-Fella Films and directed by Charles Stone III. It takes place in Harlem just before the Crack Epidemic that hit during the 1980s. The title of the film is taken from the 1987 album by Eric B. and Rakim."Paid in Full" is...
was scheduled for release in October 2002. It marked a return to a criminal character such as those in his previous roles - in this case he played a drug dealer named Lulu.
In 2005, he (along with Mercedes Ruehl
Mercedes Ruehl
Mercedes J. Ruehl is an American theater, television and film actor.-Personal life:Ruehl was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City, the daughter of Mercedes J., a school teacher, and Vincent Ruehl, an FBI agent. She was raised Catholic. Her father was of German and Irish descent and her...
) received the Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno is a Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress. She is the only Hispanic and one of the few performers who have won an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar, and a Tony, and was the second Puerto Rican to win an Academy Award....
HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors
The Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors is an active arts service and advocacy organization. It is in the United States and dedicated to Hispanic artists and actors....
(HOLA). That same year, he contributed his voice acting to the video game True Crime: New York City
True Crime: New York City
True Crime: New York City is an urban sandbox-style action-adventure videogame published by Activision and developed by Luxoflux for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube consoles and Windows based computers. It is the second game of the True Crime series, released after True Crime: Streets of LA...
, playing Sgt. Victor Navarro.
He was also cast in the film American Fusion, and on June 19, 2006, he joined the cast of Fox's series Vanished
Vanished
Vanished is an American serial drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox. The series premiered on August 21, 2006 on Fox and its last episode aired on November 10, 2006. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the series begins with the sudden disappearance of the wife of a Georgia senator, which is...
, as FBI agent Michael Tyner alongside actors Gale Harold
Gale Harold
Gale Morgan Harold III is an American actor widely known for his roles on Queer as Folk, Desperate Housewives and Hellcats.-Early life:...
and Ming-Na
Ming-Na
Ming-Na is a Macanese-born American actress. She has been credited with and without her family name, but most credits since the late 1990s have been without it...
. The series was later canceled. In 2007, he completed filming for Kill Kill Faster Faster
Kill Kill Faster Faster
Kill Kill Faster Faster is a 2008 thriller film directed by Gareth Maxwell Roberts, with the screenplay an adaptation by Gareth Maxwell Roberts and Joel Rose of Rose's novel of the same name. The film stars Gil Bellows, Lisa Ray, Esai Morales, and Shaun Parkes, and premiered April 16, 2008 at the...
, a contemporary film noir
Film noir
Film noir is a cinematic term used primarily to describe stylish Hollywood crime dramas, particularly those that emphasize cynical attitudes and sexual motivations. Hollywood's classic film noir period is generally regarded as extending from the early 1940s to the late 1950s...
inspired by the critically acclaimed novel of the same name by Joel Rose
Joel Rose
Joel Rose is an American novelist.Rose has co-authored and edited graphic novels for DC Comics. His journalism has appeared in the New York Times, New York Magazine, New York Newsday, Marie Claire, Paper, Details, Bomb, Los Angeles Times, and Black Book, among others. He has written for several...
. In 2007, Morales appeared in an episode of the USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
comedy-drama
Comedy-drama
Comedy-drama is a genre of theatre, film and television programs which combines humorous and serious content.-Theatre:Traditional western theatre, beginning with the ancient Greeks, was divided into comedy and tragedy...
series "Burn Notice
Burn notice
A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons...
" as a Cuban shopkeeper being shaken down for "protection" money by local criminals. In early 2008, Morales had a role in the CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
drama Jericho
Jericho (TV series)
Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States...
as Major Edward Beck. He appeared in all seven episodes of the shortened second season.
On May 7, 2008, it was announced that Morales would play the role of Joseph Adama in the science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
television series Caprica
Caprica (TV series)
Caprica is a science fiction drama television series. It is a spin-off prequel of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, taking place about 58 years prior to the events of Battlestar Galactica. Caprica shows how humanity first created the robotic Cylons who would later plot to destroy humans in...
– Syfy
Syfy
Syfy , formerly known as the Sci-Fi Channel and SCI FI, is an American cable television channel featuring science fiction, supernatural, fantasy, reality, paranormal, wrestling, and horror programming. Launched on September 24, 1992, it is part of the entertainment conglomerate NBCUniversal, a...
's prequel to the series Battlestar Galactica
Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)
Battlestar Galactica is an American military science fiction television series, and part of the Battlestar Galactica franchise. The show was developed by Ronald D. Moore as a re-imagining of the 1978 Battlestar Galactica television series created by Glen A. Larson...
. The series premiered on January 22, 2010.
In August, 2011, he starred in the drama
Drama
Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance. The term comes from a Greek word meaning "action" , which is derived from "to do","to act" . The enactment of drama in theatre, performed by actors on a stage before an audience, presupposes collaborative modes of production and a...
film Gun Hill Road
Gun Hill Road (film)
Gun Hill Road is a 2011 drama film starring Esai Morales. The title of the film derives from the Bronx neighborhood of the same name.-Plot:Ex-con Enrique returns home after a stint in prison...
, as Enrique. He is currently starring in the web drama Los Americans airing on PIC.tv.
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Forty Deuce Forty Deuce Forty Deuce is a 1982 American drama film directed by Paul Morrissey. It was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1982 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Orson Bean - Mr... |
Mitchell | |
| 1983 | Bad Boys Bad Boys (1983 film) Bad Boys is a 1983 American crime drama film primarily set in a juvenile detention center, starring Sean Penn, Esai Morales, and Ally Sheedy in her film debut. The film is directed by Rick Rosenthal. The original music score was composed by Bill Conti.... |
Paco Moreno | |
| 1986 | Rainy Day Friends | Neekos Valdez | |
| 1987 | La Bamba La Bamba (film) La Bamba is a 1987 American biographical film written and directed by Luis Valdez. The picture features Lou Diamond Phillips, Esai Morales, Rosanna DeSoto, Elizabeth Peña, Danielle von Zerneck, and Joe Pantoliano... |
Bob Morales | |
| 1987 | The Principal The Principal The Principal is a 1987 action film, starring James Belushi and Louis Gossett, Jr. It was written by Frank Deese and directed by Christopher Cain, and filmed in Oakland, California.-Plot:... |
Raymi Rojas | |
| 1989 | Bloodhounds of Broadway Bloodhounds of Broadway (1989 film) Bloodhounds of Broadway is a 1989 film based on four Damon Runyon stories. It was directed by Howard Brookner and starred Matt Dillon, Jennifer Grey, Anita Morris, Julie Hagerty, Rutger Hauer, Madonna, Esai Morales and Randy Quaid.... |
Handsome Jack | |
| 1990 | Naked Tango Naked Tango Naked Tango is a 1991 film written and directed by Leonard Schrader. It starred Vincent D'Onofrio, Mathilda May, Esai Morales and Fernando Rey.-Plot summary:... |
Zico Borenstein | |
| 1992 | Ultraviolet | Nicholas Walker | |
| 1992 | Freejack Freejack Freejack is a 1992 science fiction film directed by Geoff Murphy, starring Emilio Estevez, Mick Jagger, Rene Russo, Jonathan Banks, Grand L. Bush and Anthony Hopkins. Upon its release in the United States, the film received mostly negative reviews. The story was adapted from Immortality, Inc., a... |
Ripper | |
| 1993 | The Waiter | Julius | |
| 1993 | Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun | Kenny | Direct-to-video |
| 1994 | Rapa Nui Rapa Nui (film) Rapa Nui is a 1994 film directed by Kevin Reynolds. It was produced by Kevin Costner and Barrie M. Osborne, among others. The plot is based on Rapanui legends of Easter Island, Chile, in particular the race for the Sooty Tern's egg in the Birdman Cult.... |
Make | |
| 1994 | Don't Do It | Charles | |
| 1994 | In the Army Now | Sgt. Stern | |
| 1995 | My Family My Family (film) My Family is an American drama film directed by Gregory Nava and written by Nava and Anna Thomas. The motion picture stars Jimmy Smits, Edward James Olmos, Esai Morales, and others. It also features Jennifer Lopez in her second film role.... |
Chucho | |
| 1996 | Livers Ain't Cheap | Collin | |
| 1996 | Dog Watch | Murrow | Direct-to-video |
| 1996 | Scorpion Spring | Astor | |
| 1997 | The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca is a 1997 film based on a book by Ian Gibson about the life and murder of Federico García Lorca. It stars Andy García as Lorca and Esai Morales as Ricardo, a journalist who investigates Lorca's disappearance during the early years of the Spanish Civil War... |
Ricardo | |
| 1998 | The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit is a 1998 film set in East Los Angeles directed by Stuart Gordon, written by Ray Bradbury and starring Edward James Olmos, Joe Mantegna, Esai Morales, Clifton Collins Jr. , Sid Caesar, Howard Morris and Gregory Sierra... |
Dominguez | |
| 1999 | Southern Cross | Philip Solano | |
| 2000 | American Virgin | Jim the Director | |
| 2000 | Spin Cycle | Nickens | |
| 2000 | Doomsday Man | Mike | second unit director |
| 2002 | The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina | Vergas Mouse (voice) | Direct-to-video |
| 2002 | Paid in Full Paid in Full (film) Paid in Full is a 2002 American criminal drama film that was produced by Roc-A-Fella Films and directed by Charles Stone III. It takes place in Harlem just before the Crack Epidemic that hit during the 1980s. The title of the film is taken from the 1987 album by Eric B. and Rakim."Paid in Full" is... |
Lulu | |
| 2005 | Once Upon a Wedding | Pineda | |
| 2005 | American Fusion | Jose | |
| 2006 | The Virgin of Juarez | Father Herrera | |
| 2006 | Fast Food Nation Fast Food Nation (film) Fast Food Nation is a 2006 American/British drama film directed by Richard Linklater. The screenplay was written by Linklater and Eric Schlosser, loosely based on the latter's bestselling 2001 non-fiction book of the same name... |
Tony | |
| 2006 | How to Go Out on a Date in Queens | Frankie | |
| 2008 | Kill Kill Faster Faster Kill Kill Faster Faster Kill Kill Faster Faster is a 2008 thriller film directed by Gareth Maxwell Roberts, with the screenplay an adaptation by Gareth Maxwell Roberts and Joel Rose of Rose's novel of the same name. The film stars Gil Bellows, Lisa Ray, Esai Morales, and Shaun Parkes, and premiered April 16, 2008 at the... |
Markie | |
| 2008 | La Linea La Linea (film) La Linea is a 2008 action-crime-thriller film directed by James Cotten. La Linea features an ensemble cast that includes Ray Liotta, Armand Assante, Valerie Cruz, Esai Morales, and Andy García.-Plot summary:... |
Pelon | |
| 2010 | Cherry | Wes | |
| 2010 | King of the Avenue | Natas | |
| 2011 | Gun Hill Road Gun Hill Road (film) Gun Hill Road is a 2011 drama film starring Esai Morales. The title of the film derives from the Bronx neighborhood of the same name.-Plot:Ex-con Enrique returns home after a stint in prison... |
Enrique | |
| 2011 | Lives of the Saints | n/a | in production |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1984 | ABC Afterschool Special ABC Afterschool Special The ABC Afterschool Special is an American television anthology series that aired on ABC from 1972 to 1996, usually in the late afternoon on week days. Most of the episodes were dramatic presentations of situations, often controversial, of interest to children and teenagers. Several episodes were... |
Miguel Rados | Episode: "The Great Love Experiment" |
| 1985 | The Equalizer The Equalizer The Equalizer is an American television series that ran for four seasons, initially on CBS, between 1985 and 1989. It starred Edward Woodward as an aging New York vigilante with a mysterious past... |
Officer Miguel Canterra | Episode: "Lady Cop" |
| 1985 | Fame Fame (1982 TV series) Fame is an American television series originally produced between 1982 and 1987. The show was based on the 1980 motion picture of the same name. Using a mixture of drama and music, it followed the lives of the students and faculty at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. Although... |
George | Episode: "Savage Streets" |
| 1985-1987 | Miami Vice Miami Vice Miami Vice is an American television series produced by Michael Mann for NBC. The series starred Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as two Metro-Dade Police Department detectives working undercover in Miami. It ran for five seasons on NBC from 1984–1989... |
Pete Romano/Felipe Cruz | Episodes: "The Home Invaders" "God's Work" |
| 1986 | On Wings of Eagles On Wings of Eagles (TV mini-series) ----On Wings of Eagles is a NBC TV mini-series, starring Burt Lancaster - Richard Crenna and directed by Andrew V. McLaglen----- Plot :... |
Rashid | TV mini-series |
| 1989 | The Twilight Zone | Jesse Cardiff | Episode: "A Game of Pool" |
| 1991-1992 | The Legend of Prince Valiant The Legend of Prince Valiant The Legend of Prince Valiant is an American animated television series based on the Prince Valiant comic strip created by Hal Foster. Set in the time of King Arthur, it's a family-oriented adventure show about an exiled prince who goes on a quest to become one of the Knights of the Round Table. He... |
n/a (voice) | Episodes: "The Visitor" "The Trap" |
| 1992 | Bay City Story | Jim Duran | TV movie |
| 1994 | The Burning Season The Burning Season (1994 film) The Burning Season is a 1994 television movie directed by John Frankenheimer. The film chronicled Chico Mendes's fight to protect the rainforest.-Plot:... |
Jair | TV movie |
| 1994 | Tales from the Crypt Tales from the Crypt (TV series) Tales from the Crypt, sometimes titled HBO's Tales from the Crypt, is an American horror anthology television series that ran from 1989 to 1996 on the premium cable channel HBO... |
Puck | Episode: "The Bribe" |
| 1995 | Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14 | Tony Archer | TV movie |
| 1996 | Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story | Federico Peña | TV movie |
| 1997 | The Outer Limits The Outer Limits (1995 TV series) The Outer Limits is an American television series that originally aired on Showtime,the Sci Fi Channel and in syndication between 1995 and 2002... |
Frank Kelton | Episode: "Heart's Desire" |
| 1997 | The Hunger | Tony | Episode: "I'm Dangerous Tonight" |
| 1998 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues Adventures from the Book of Virtues Adventures from the Book of Virtues is an animated television series which originally aired on PBS Kids in the United States for three seasons, beginning in 1996 and ending in 2000. There was a two-year gap in between the second and third seasons. In 2008 the series aired twice daily on qubo... |
Guillermo (voice) | Episode: "Charity" |
| 1998 | Circle of Deceit | Jeff Silva | TV movie |
| 1999 | L.A. Doctors L.A. Doctors L.A. Doctors was an American medical drama television series set in a Los Angeles practice. It ran on CBS during the 1998-99 season.-Premise:... |
Vince Duralde | Episode: "The Life Lost in Living" |
| 1999 | Atomic Train Atomic Train Atomic Train is a 1999 action-thriller film about an accidental nuclear explosion destroying the city of Denver. It was originally broadcast on NBC as a two-part miniseries.-Cast:*Rob Lowe as John Seger*Kristin Davis as Megan Seger... |
Noris MacKenzie | TV movie |
| 2000 | A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story | Juan Miguel Gonzalez | TV movie |
| 2000 | Family Law Family Law (TV series) Family Law is a television drama starring Kathleen Quinlan as divorced lawyer Lynn Holt, who attempted to start her own law firm after her lawyer husband took all their old clients... |
Mr. Santiago | Episode: "Telling Lies, Conclusion" |
| 2000-2002 | Resurrection Blvd. Resurrection Blvd. Resurrection Blvd. is an American dramatic series which aired on Showtime for three seasons from 2000 to 2002.-Plot:In East Los Angeles, California, the Santiago family has had three generations of boxers within the family. They continue their battle to become boxing champions while struggling with... |
Paco Corrales | 7 episodes |
| 2001-2004 | NYPD Blue NYPD Blue NYPD Blue is an American television police drama set in New York City, exploring the internal and external struggles of the fictional 15th precinct of Manhattan... |
Lt. Tony Rodriguez | Series regular |
| 2002 | American Family American Family: Journey of Dreams American Family: Journey of Dreams is a PBS series created by Gregory Nava that follows the lives of a Latino family in Los Angeles.This was the first broadcast television drama series featuring a predominantly Latino cast... |
Esteban Gonzalez | 8 episodes |
| 2002 | George Lopez George Lopez (TV series) "The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez... |
Manny Lopez | Episode: "Who's Your Daddy?" |
| 2002-2003 | Dora the Explorer Dora the Explorer Dora the Explorer is an American animated television series created by Chris Gifford, Valerie Walsh, and Eric Weiner. Dora the Explorer became a regular series in 2000. The show is carried on the Nickelodeon cable television network, including the associated Nick Jr. channel. It aired on CBS until... |
Papi | Episodes: "El Dia De Las Madres" "A Present for Santa" "Super Map" "Click" "Egg Hunt" |
| 2004 | Sudbury | n/a | TV movie |
| 2005 | Heartless | Rick Benes/David Lopez | TV movie |
| 2005 | Freddie Freddie Freddie is a television sitcom created by, and starring, Freddie Prinze, Jr. that aired from October 5, 2005 to April 12, 2006. Freddie is inspired by Prinze Jr.'s real life, growing up in a house filled with women... |
Carlos | Episode: "The Courtship of Freddie's Father" |
| 2005 | Behind the Mask of Zorro | Narrator | TV documentary (co-producer) |
| 2006 | Company Town | Ray Dupre | TV movie |
| 2006 | Vanished Vanished Vanished is an American serial drama television series produced by 20th Century Fox. The series premiered on August 21, 2006 on Fox and its last episode aired on November 10, 2006. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, the series begins with the sudden disappearance of the wife of a Georgia senator, which is... |
Michael Tyner | 11 episodes |
| 2007 | The Cure | Jorge | TV movie |
| 2007 | 24: Day 6 Debrief | Agent Jorge Ramirez | Episodes: "9:00 p.m." "9:42 p.m." "10:31 p.m." "10:33 p.m." "10:37 p.m." |
| 2007 | Burn Notice Burn notice A burn notice is an official statement issued by one intelligence agency to other agencies. It states that an individual or a group is unreliable for one or more reasons... |
Ernie Paseo | Episode: "Broken Rules" |
| 2008 | Jericho Jericho (TV series) Jericho is an American action/drama series that centers on the residents of the fictional town of Jericho, Kansas, in the aftermath of nuclear attacks on 23 major cities in the contiguous United States... |
Major Edward Beck | 7 episodes |
| 2009-2010 | Caprica Caprica (TV series) Caprica is a science fiction drama television series. It is a spin-off prequel of the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, taking place about 58 years prior to the events of Battlestar Galactica. Caprica shows how humanity first created the robotic Cylons who would later plot to destroy humans in... |
Joseph Adama | Series regular |
| 2010 | CSI: Miami CSI: Miami CSI: Miami is an American police procedural television series, which premiered on September 23, 2002 on CBS. The series is a spin-off of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.... |
Stephen Madsen | Episode: "All Fall Down" |
| 2011 | Los Americans | Lee Valenzuela | 8 episodes (producer) |
| 2011 | Fairly Legal | D.A. Aaron Davidson | Episode: "Bo Me Once" |
| 2011 | Seattle Superstorm | Tom | TV movie |
Video games
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | True Crime: New York City True Crime: New York City True Crime: New York City is an urban sandbox-style action-adventure videogame published by Activision and developed by Luxoflux for the Xbox, PlayStation 2, and GameCube consoles and Windows based computers. It is the second game of the True Crime series, released after True Crime: Streets of LA... |
Captain Victor Navarro | voice |