Edward James Olmos

Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist.[2] 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 biker gang members in the FX series Mayans MC.

Edward James Olmos
Born
Edward Huizar Olmos[1]

(1947-02-24) February 24, 1947
Los Angeles, California, U.S.
NationalityAmerican
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • producer
  • activist
Years active1974–present
Spouse(s)
    Kaija Keel
    ​
    (
    m. 1971; div. 1992)
      ​
      (
      m. 1994; div. 2002)
        ​
        (
        m. 2002;
        separated 
        2013)
        Children6, including Bodie Olmos

        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.

        Early life

        Olmos was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, the son of Eleanor (née Huizar) and Pedro Olmos, who was a welder and mail carrier.[3] His father was a Mexican immigrant who moved to California in 1945 and his mother was Mexican American.[1][4] His parents split up when he was seven years old, and he was primarily raised by his great-grandparents as his parents worked.[1] He grew up wanting to be a professional baseball player, and at age 13 joined the Los Angeles Dodgers' farm system, playing as a catcher. He left baseball at age 15 to join a rock and roll band, which caused a rift with his father, who was hurt by the decision.[1][5]

        He graduated from Montebello High School in 1964. While at Montebello High School, he lost a race for Student Body President to future California Democratic Party Chair Art Torres. In his teen years, he was the lead singer for a band he named Pacific Ocean, so called because it was to be "the biggest thing on the West Coast".[6] For several years, Pacific Ocean performed at various clubs in and around Los Angeles, and released their only record, Purgatory, in 1968. At the same time, he attended classes at East Los Angeles College, including courses in acting.[7]

        Career

        Theater

        In the late 1960s and the early 1970s, Olmos branched out from music into acting, appearing in many small productions, until his big break portraying the narrator, called "El Pachuco," in the play Zoot Suit, which dramatized the World War II-era rioting in California brought about by the tensions between Mexican-Americans and local police. (See Zoot Suit Riots.) The play moved to Broadway, and Olmos earned a Tony Award nomination. He subsequently took the role to the filmed version in 1981, and appeared in many other films including Wolfen, Blade Runner and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez.

        Film and television
        Olmos in March 2008

        In 1980, Olmos was cast in the post-apocalyptic science fiction film Virus (復活の日 Fukkatsu no Hi), directed by Kinji Fukasaku and based on a novel written by Sakyo Komatsu. His role required him to play a piano while singing a Spanish ballad during the later part of the film. Although not a box office success, Virus was notable for being the most expensive Japanese film ever made at the time.

        From 1984 to 1989, he starred in his biggest role up to that date as the taciturn police Lieutenant Martin Castillo in the television series Miami Vice, opposite Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas, for which he was awarded a Golden Globe and an Emmy in 1985. At this time, Olmos also starred in a short training video for the United States Postal Service entitled Was it Worth It?, a video about theft in the workplace. He was contacted about playing the captain of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) on Star Trek: The Next Generation when it was in pre-production in 1986, but declined.[8]

        Olmos at the Guadalajara International Film Festival, 2010

        Returning to film, Olmos became the first American-born Hispanic to receive an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor, in Stand and Deliver, for his portrayal of real-life math teacher, Jaime Escalante. He directed and starred in American Me in 1992, and also starred in My Family/Mi Familia, a multi-generational story of a Chicano family. He had a slight appearance in the video of the American rock band Toto, "I Will Remember" (1995), where he can be seen with actor Miguel Ferrer. In 1997, he starred alongside Jennifer Lopez in the film Selena. Olmos played Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Leónidas Trujillo in the 2001 movie In the Time of the Butterflies. He also had a recurring role as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Roberto Mendoza in the NBC drama The West Wing. From 2002 to 2004, he starred as a recently widowed father of a Hispanic L.A.-family in the PBS drama American Family: Journey of Dreams.

        From 2003 to 2009, he starred as Commander William Adama in the Sci-Fi Channel's reimagined Battlestar Galactica miniseries, and in the television series that followed. He directed four episodes of the show, "Tigh Me Up, Tigh Me Down" (1.9), "Taking a Break from All Your Worries" (3.13), "Escape Velocity" (4.4), and "Islanded in a Stream of Stars" (4.18). He also directed a television movie based upon the show, The Plan. Regarding his work on the show, he told CraveOnline, "I'm very grateful for the work that I've been able to do in my life, but I can honestly tell you, this is the best usage of television I've ever been a part of to date."[9]

        In 2006, he co-produced, directed, and played the bit part of Julian Nava in the HBO movie about the 1968 Chicano Blowouts, Walkout.[10] He also appeared in Snoop Dogg's music video "Vato". In the series finale of the ABC sitcom George Lopez, titled "George Decides to Sta-Local Where It's Familia"; he guest-starred as the plant's new multi-millionaire owner. More recently, he has been a spokesperson for Farmers Insurance Group, starring in their Spanish language commercials.

        Olmos joined the cast of the television series Dexter for its sixth season, as a "brilliant, charismatic professor of religious studies".[11]

        Olmos starred in the second season of Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. as Robert Gonzales, the leader of a rival faction of S.H.I.E.L.D., for five episodes.

        Social activism
        Olmos in 2009

        Olmos has often been involved in social activism, especially that affecting the U.S. Hispanic community. During the 1992 Rodney King Riots in Los Angeles, Olmos went out with a broom[12] and worked to get communities cleaned up and rebuilt.[13][14][15] He also attended an Oprah episode relating to the L.A. riots as an audience member. In 1997, he co-founded the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival[16] with Marlene Dermer, George Hernandez and Kirk Whisler. That same year, he co-founded with Kirk Whisler the non-profit organization, Latino Literacy Now, that has produced Latino Book & Festivals[17] around the US, attended by over 700,000 people.

        Westlake Theatre building, side wall mural of Jaime Escalante and Edward James Olmos.

        In 1998, he founded Latino Public Broadcasting and currently serves as its chairman. Latino Public Broadcasting funds public television programming that focuses on issues affecting Hispanics and advocates for diverse perspectives in public television. That same year, he starred in The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, a comedy that sought to break Hispanic stereotypes and transcend the normal stigmas of most Hispanic-oriented movies. In 1999, Olmos was one of the driving forces that created Americanos: Latino Life in the U.S., a book project featuring over 30 award-winning photographers, later turned into a Smithsonian traveling exhibition, music CD and HBO special.

        He also makes frequent appearances at juvenile halls and detention centers to speak to at-risk teenagers. He has also been an international ambassador for UNICEF. In 2001, he was arrested and spent 20 days in jail for taking part in the Navy-Vieques protests against United States Navy target practice bombings of the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico. On January 5, 2007, he blamed the United States government for not cleaning Vieques after the U.S. Navy stopped using the island for bombing practice.[18]

        Olmos narrated the 1999 documentary film Zapatista, in support of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation, a revolutionary group that has abstained from using their weapons since 1994. He also gave $2,300 to New Mexico governor Bill Richardson for his presidential campaign (the maximum amount for the primaries).[19]

        He is also a supporter of SENS Research Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to treating and curing diseases of aging by repairing the underlying damage caused by aging. A series of animations explaining the concept of SENS has been narrated by him.[20]

        Personal life

        From 1979 to 1987, Olmos lived in West New York, New Jersey.[21] In 1971, he married Kaija Keel, the daughter of actor Howard Keel. They had two children, Bodie and Mico, before divorcing in 1992. Olmos has four adopted children: Daniela, Michael, Brandon, and Tamiko. He married actress Lorraine Bracco in 1994. She filed for divorce in January 2002 after five years of separation.[6] Olmos also had a long term relationship with actress Lymari Nadal. They married in 2002,[22] and separated in 2013.[23]

        In 1993, Olmos was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) degree from Whittier College.[24]

        In 1996, he was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts from California State University, Fresno. In 2007, after a seven-year process, he obtained Mexican nationality.[25] Asteroid 5608 Olmos is named in his honor.

        #MeToo Sexual Assault Accusations

        In 1992, a 14-year-old girl accused Olmos of twice touching her in a sexual manner while they watched TV together.[26] Olmos paid the family a cash settlement of $150,000 in response to the allegations, but denied that they were true. He claimed that the settlement was in fact meant to protect his son, Bodie Olmos, not him.[27]

        In 1997, a woman accused Olmos of sexually assaulting her in a South Carolina hotel room.[28][29]

        Filmography
        Olmos at the 2013 Miami International Film Festival

        Film
        Year Title Role Notes
        1974 Black Fist Junkie in Bathroom Uncredited
        1975 Aloha Bobby and Rose Chicano #1 Credited as Eddie Olmos
        1977 Alambrista! Drunk
        1980 Fukkatsu no hi Capt. Lopez
        1981 Wolfen Eddie Holt
        Zoot Suit El Pachuco
        1982 Blade Runner Gaff
        The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Gregorio Cortez
        1985 Saving Grace Ciolino
        1988 Stand and Deliver Jaime Escalante
        1989 The Fortunate Pilgrim Frank Corbo
        Triumph of the Spirit Gypsy
        1991 Talent for the Game Virgil Sweet
        1992 American Me Montoya Santana Also director
        1993 Roosters Gallo Morales
        Even Cowgirls Get the Blues Musician at Barbecue
        1994 A Million to Juan Angel
        1995 Mirage Matteo Juarez
        My Family Paco
        1996 Dead Man's Walk Capt. Salazar
        Caught Joe
        1997 Selena Abraham Quintanilla, Jr.
        The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca Roberto Lozano
        Hollywood Confidential Stan Navarro, Sr.
        1998 The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit Vamanos
        2000 The Road to El Dorado Chief Tannabok Voice
        Gossip Detective Curtis
        2002 Jack and Marilyn Pasquel
        2005 Cerca, La Nino
        Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind Mito English dub
        2006 Splinter Capt. Garcia
        2008 Beverly Hills Chihuahua Diablo Voice
        2011 The Green Hornet Michael Axford
        America Mr. Irving
        2012 Filly Brown Leandro Also producer
        2013 Go for Sisters Freddy Suarez
        2 Guns Papa Greco
        2014 Unity Narrator Documentary
        2016 El Americano: The Movie[30] Gayo "El Jefe" Voice
        Also producer
        Monday Nights at Seven Charlie Also producer
        2017 Blade Runner Black Out 2022 Gaff[31] Voice
        Short film
        Blade Runner 2049 Gaff Cameo
        Coco Chicharrón Voice
        2019 A Dog's Way Home Axel
        Windows on the World Balthazar
        The Devil Has a Name Santiago Also director

        Television
        Olmos at the 2009 San Diego Comic Con International
        Olmos in September 2006
        Year Title Role Notes
        1974 Cannon Unnamed Character (Credited as Edward Olmos) Episode: "The Exchange"
        1975 Kojak Unnamed Bartender (Uncredited) Episode: "How Cruel the Frost, How Bright the Stars"
        1977 Hawaii Five-O Dancer Episode: "Ready, Aim..."
        1977 Starsky & Hutch Julio Guiterez Episode: "The Psychic"
        1978 CHiPs Henry Episode: "Flashback"
        Evening in Byzantium Angelo Television film
        1981 Three Hundred Miles for Stephanie Art Vela
        1982 Hill Street Blues Joe Bustamonte 2 episodes
        1984 Hill Street Blues Judge Cruz Episode: "Parting Is Such a Sweet Sorrow"
        1984–1990 Miami Vice Lt. Martin Castillo 106 episodes
        1988 The Fortunate Pilgrim Frank Corbo 3 episodes
        1990 The Earth Day Special Hospital Director
        1994 Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills Jose Menendez Television film
        The Burning Season Wilson Pinheiro
        1995 The Magic School Bus Mr. Ramon Episode: "Going Batty"
        1996 The Limbic Region Jon Lucca Television film
        Dead Man's Walk Captain Salazar Television miniseries
        1997 12 Angry Men Juror #11 Television film
        1998 Touched By An Angel Col. Victor Walls Episode: "God and Country"
        The Taking of Pelham One Two Three Det. Anthony Piscotti Television film
        1999 Bonanno: A Godfather's Story Salvatore Maranzano
        1999–2000 The West Wing Associate Justice Roberto Mendoza 2 episodes
        2000 The Princess & the Barrio Boy Nestor Garcia Television film
        2001 The Judge Judge Armando
        In the Time of the Butterflies Rafael Trujillo
        2002–2004 American Family Jess Gonzalez 17 episodes
        2003–2009 Battlestar Galactica William Adama 73 episodes
        2006 Walkout Julian Nava Television film; also director
        2007 George Lopez Mr. Vega Episode: "George Decides to Sta-Local Where It's Familia"
        2010 CSI: NY Luther Devarro Episode: "Sangre Por Sangre"
        2011 Dexter Professor Gellar 10 episodes
        Eureka Rudy Episode: "Do You See What I See?"
        2012 Portlandia Himself Episode: "One Moore Episode"
        2015 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Robert Gonzales 5 episodes
        The Simpsons Pit Master Voice
        Episode: "Cue Detective"
        2016 Urban Cowboy Al Robles Pilot
        2017 Narcos Chucho Peña 2 episodes
        2018–present Mayans M.C. Felipe Reyes Main role
        2018–2019 Elena of Avalor King Pescoro Voice
        3 episodes

        Awards and nominations
        Year Nominated work Award Results
        1985 Miami Vice Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won
        1985 Miami Vice Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Won
        1986 Miami Vice Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series Nominated
        1988 Stand and Deliver Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead Won
        1988 Stand and Deliver Academy Award for Best Actor Nominated
        1988 Stand and Deliver Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama Nominated
        1994 The Burning Season Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won
        1994 The Burning Season Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Nominated
        1997 Selena ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film Won
        1997 Hollywood Confidential ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
        2001 The Judge ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film Nominated
        2003 Battlestar Galactica ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series Won
        2005 Battlestar Galactica ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Series, Miniseries or Television Film Won
        2006 Battlestar Galactica ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor - Television Series, Mini-Series, or TV Movie (tied with Michael Peña) Won
        2007 Battlestar Galactica Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television Nominated
        2008 Battlestar Galactica Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television Won
        2009 Battlestar Galactica ALMA Award for Best Actor on Television Nominated
        2011 Dexter Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series Nominated
        2011 Dexter Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television Nominated
        2016 Himself Mary Pickford Award Won

        Music video
        Year Title Artist
        1995 "I Will Remember" Toto
        gollark: Ah, I see. Kind of outdated, but sure.
        gollark: Does Olivia use our packetized railguns?
        gollark: ε₀, mostly.
        gollark: W(oa|ao)h!
        gollark: The bees are only a fallback. During normal use, it uses modulated muon beams.

        References
        1. "Edward James Olmos Interview Part 1 of 3". Archive of American Television. YouTube. June 18, 2013. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
        2. Beale, Lewis. "Activism Shapes Edward James Olmos' Life and Career -- AARP VIVA". AARP. Retrieved November 24, 2018.
        3. "Edward James Olmos Biography (1946–2010)" filmreference.com, accessed 19 October 2009
        4. Velazquez, Gabriela (1 December 2003) "Edward James Olmos: fighting for justice and defying gangsters: on charity boards, UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, Oscar Nominee" Latino Leaders, accessed 19 October 2009
        5. "Baseball Discovered: Who's Who: Edward James Olmos". Major League Baseball. Retrieved January 10, 2017.
        6. Cast:William Adama, scifi.com, accessed 2 December 2006
        7. Bethel, Kari Francisco (2002) "Edward James Olmos" pp. 155-159 in Henderson, Ashyia N. (editor) (2002) Contemporary Hispanic Biography, Volume 1 Gale, Detroit, page 156, ISBN 0-7876-6538-X
        8. Boucher, By Geoff. "'Battlestar's' last roundup". Los Angeles Times.
        9. "Edward James Olmos: So say we all".
        10. Lloyd, Robert (March 18, 2006). "'Walkout' in step with 1968". Los Angeles Times.
        11. "Edward James Olmos joins Dexter".
        12. "The L.A. Riots at 20: Edward James Olmos Remembers 'All-Out War' in Hollywood".
        13. WILKINSON, TRACY (May 5, 1992). "Street Drama : Actor Edward James Olmos Plays Leading Role in Cleanup Effort" – via LA Times.
        14. "LA Riots: Olmos "Just Started Sweeping"".
        15. Foundas, Scott (May 9, 2007). "Edward James Olmos".
        16. Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival Archived 2009-01-30 at the Wayback Machine
        17. "Latino Book & Family Festivals". lbff.us.
        18. Edward James Olmos speaking on Vieques on YouTube
        19. "HuffPost - Breaking News, U.S. and World News".
        20. "Outreach". November 4, 2012.
        21. Cerbo, Toni-Ann (December 1, 2010). "Edward James Olmos has fond memories of living in West New York while he built stage career". The Jersey Journal. Retrieved June 12, 2012. Before Edward James Olmos was an award-winning actor, producer and social activist, he was a West New York resident. From 1979 to 1987, Olmos rented an apartment on Boulevard East after departing East L.A., he said.
        22. "10 Celebrity Couples With A Huge Age Difference". Latina. November 7, 2013.
        23. "Actores Lymari Nadal y Edward James Olmos siguen separados". Metro.pr (in Spanish). March 24, 2013.
        24. "Honorary Degrees | Whittier College". www.whittier.edu. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
        25. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on January 13, 2012. Retrieved August 29, 2011.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link).
        26. "Police Drop Olmos Sex Probe". E! Online. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
        27. "Scenes From a Bad Movie Marriage". NYMag.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
        28. "Edward James Olmos Accused of Sexual Assault". E! Online. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
        29. "Actor Edward James Olmos is accused of sexual assault". www.apnewsarchive.com. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
        30. Hopewell, John (May 20, 2014). "'El Americano 3D' Kicks Off Pre-Sales at Cannes (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety (magazine). Retrieved May 21, 2014.
        31. Trumbore, Dave (September 26, 2017). "'Blade Runner 2049' Anime Prequel Introduces New NEXUS 8 Replicants". Collider.com. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
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