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Edward James Olmos

Born: 1947

Biography

Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), actor in and director of American Me (1992), William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982), and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017). In 2018, he played the father of two members of an outlaw motorcycle club in the FX series Mayans MC. For his work in Miami Vice, Olmos won the 1985 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. For his performance in Stand and Deliver, Olmos was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role. He is also known for his roles as patriarch Abraham Quintanilla in the film Selena, narrator El Pachuco in both the stage and film versions of Zoot Suit, and the voice of Chicharrón in Coco. Over the course of his career, Olmos has been a pioneer for more diversified roles and images of Hispanics in the U.S. media. His notable direction, production, and starring roles for films, made-for-TV movies, and TV shows include Wolfen, Triumph of the Spirit, Talent for the Game, American Me, The Burning Season, My Family/Mi Familia, Caught, 12 Angry Men, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, Walkout, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, American Family, and Dexter. Description above from the Wikipedia article Edward James Olmos, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Known For Acting
Gender Male
Place of Birth Los Angeles, California, USA

Resources

Movies

Blade Runner

Gaff in Blade Runner

In the Time of the Butterflies

Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in In the Time of the Butterflies

I'm Still Here

Edward James Olmos in I'm Still Here

Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard

Self in Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard

Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling

Self in Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling

12 Angry Men

Juror 11 in 12 Angry Men

American Me

Montoya Santana in American Me

Evening in Byzantium

Angelo in Evening in Byzantium

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

Musician at Barbecue (uncredited) in Even Cowgirls Get the Blues

The Green Hornet

Michael Axford in The Green Hornet

Talent for the Game

Virgil Sweet in Talent for the Game

Stand and Deliver

Jaime A. Escalante in Stand and Deliver

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Diablo (voice) in Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Virus

Captain Lopez in Virus

Blue Collar & Buddha

in Blue Collar & Buddha

Selena

Abraham Quintanilla in Selena

Splinter

Captain garcia in Splinter

My Family

Paco in My Family

Caught

Joe in Caught

Gossip

Detective Curtis in Gossip

Battlestar Galactica: Razor

Admiral William Adama in Battlestar Galactica: Razor

Filly Brown

Leandro in Filly Brown

Selena Remembered

Narrator (voice) in Selena Remembered

Zoot Suit

El Pachuco in Zoot Suit

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

Self in Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

Recycled Life

Narrator in Recycled Life

Hollywood Confidential

Stan Navarro, Sr. in Hollywood Confidential

Alambrista!

1st Drunk in Alambrista!

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

Vamanos in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

Outlaw Posse

Ossie in Outlaw Posse

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Commander William Adama in Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Blue Collar & Buddha

Narrator in Blue Collar & Buddha

Zapatista

Narrator (voice) in Zapatista

Exile Nation: The Plastic People

Narrator (voice) in Exile Nation: The Plastic People

2 Guns

Papi Greco in 2 Guns

The Judge

Judge Armando Acosta in The Judge

Go for Sisters

Freddy Suárez in Go for Sisters

The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca

Roberto Lozano in The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca

Mirage

Matteo Juarez in Mirage

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

Gregorio Cortez in The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

Slave of Dreams

in Slave of Dreams

Journey of a Female Comic

in Journey of a Female Comic

Americano

Gayo (voice) in Americano

Dead Angle

in Dead Angle

Bonanno: A Godfather's Story

Gaspar DiGregario (Young) in Bonanno: A Godfather's Story

A Million to Juan

The Angel in A Million to Juan

Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills

Jose Menendez in Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills

Roosters

Gallo Morales in Roosters

La Cerca

Narrator / Old Niño in La Cerca

Seguin

Gen. Santa Anna in Seguin

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Det. Anthony Piscotti in The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

Triumph of the Spirit

Gypsy in Triumph of the Spirit

The Wall

Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder") in The Wall

Lives in Hazard

self in Lives in Hazard

Unity

Narrator (voice) in Unity

America

Mr. Irving in America

The Limbic Region

Lucca in The Limbic Region

One Fast Move

Abel in One Fast Move

Maria's Story

José Serrano (voice) in Maria's Story

Aloha, Bobby and Rose

Chicano #1 in Aloha, Bobby and Rose

The Earth Day Special

Hospital Director in The Earth Day Special

Death in Granada

in Death in Granada

Walkout

Julian Nava in Walkout

A Bridge Apart

(Voice) in A Bridge Apart

The Road to El Dorado

Chief (voice) in The Road to El Dorado

The Nightingale

Prime Minister in The Nightingale

The Princess and the Barrio Boy

Nestor Garcia in The Princess and the Barrio Boy

Blade Runner 2049

Gaff in Blade Runner 2049

LA 92

Himself (archive footage) in LA 92

Coco

Chicharrón (voice) in Coco

Saving Grace

Ciolino in Saving Grace

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

Himself in L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022

Gaff (voice) in Blade Runner: Black Out 2022

The Devil Has a Name

Santiago in The Devil Has a Name

A Dog's Way Home

Axel in A Dog's Way Home

A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story

Narrator in A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story

The Eyes of Martin Castillo

Martin Castillo (archive footage) in The Eyes of Martin Castillo

Windows on the World

Balthazar in Windows on the World

300 Miles for Stephanie

Art Vela in 300 Miles for Stephanie

The Burning Season

Wilson Pinheiro in The Burning Season

Every Night's a Saturday Night

Self in Every Night's a Saturday Night

Chasing Wonders

in Chasing Wonders

Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage

Self in Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage

Imprisoned

Hospicio in Imprisoned

Wolfen

Eddie Holt in Wolfen

Agave is Life

Narrator (voice) in Agave is Life

Space Songs: Through the Distance

Self in Space Songs: Through the Distance

The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II

Self in The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II

Monday Nights at Seven

Charlie in Monday Nights at Seven

Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire

Self in Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire

The Unfinished Journey

Narrator (voice) in The Unfinished Journey

Walking with Herb

Joe Amable-Amo in Walking with Herb

The Blade Runner Phenomenon

Self - Actor (Gaff) in The Blade Runner Phenomenon

Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika

Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist in Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika

Miami Vice: Freefall

Lieutenant Martin Castillo in Miami Vice: Freefall

TV Shows