Rubén Blades
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1948-07-16 (76 years old)
Place of Birth
Panama City, Panama
Rubén Blades
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland). He is an icon in Panama and is much admired throughout Latin America, and managed to attract 18% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. He holds a law degree from the University of Panama and a master's in international law from Harvard University. He is married to singer Luba Mason.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Rubén Blades, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Acting
(2025)
Salsa Lives
as Ruben Blades
(2024)
Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple
as Self
(2024)
Stay Homas. The Band That Shouldn’t Exist
as Self - Singer
(2021)
Red Pill
as Rocky
(2021)
Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York
as Self (archive footage)
(2019)
(2018)
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name
as Self
(2018)
(2016)
Hands of Stone
as Carlos Eleta
(2014)
(2014)
Invasion
as Self
(2013)
The Counselor
as Jefe
(2012)
Safe House
as Carlos Villar
(2012)
Outlaws - For Greater Glory
as Président Calles
(2011)
(2011)
(2011)
(2011)
The Next Season
as Benito
(2009)
Spoken Word
as Cruz-Sr.
(2008)
(2007)
(2005)
The Hunters and the Hunted: The Making of 'Predator 2'
as Self (archive footage)
(2004)
Secuestro Express
as Carla's Father
(2004)
En mi país
as Rubén Blades
(2003)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
as Jorge, Retired FBI Agent
(2003)
Assassination Tango
as Miguel
(2003)
The Maldonado Miracle
as Cruz
(2003)
Imagining Argentina
as Silvio Ayala
(2003)
Spin
as Ernesto
(2002)
(2000)
All the Pretty Horses
as Rocha
(1999)
Cradle Will Rock
as Diego Rivera
(1998)
(1998)
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Live In Venezuela
as Rubén Blades
(1997)
The Devil's Own
as Edwin Diaz
(1997)
Chinese Box
as Jim
(1997)
(1996)
Scorpion Spring
as Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
(1996)
(1995)
Somos un solo pueblo
as Self
(1994)
Color of Night
as Hector
(1994)
A Million to Juan
as Bartender
(1993)
Miracle on Interstate 880
as Pastor Beruman
(1991)
The Super
as Marlon
(1991)
The Josephine Baker Story
as Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
(1991)
Crazy From the Heart
as Ernesto Ontiveros
(1991)
One Man’s War
as Perrone
(1991)
Rabbit Ears - Joseph and His Brothers
as Narrator (voice)
(1990)
Predator 2
as Danny Archuleta
(1990)
The Two Jakes
as Mickey Nice
(1990)
Mo' Better Blues
as Petey
(1990)
(1989)
Disorganized Crime
as Carlos Barrios
(1989)
The Lemon Sisters
as C.W.
(1989)
Dead Man Out
as Ben
(1988)
The Milagro Beanfield War
as Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
(1988)
Homeboy
as Doctor
(1987)
Fatal Beauty
as Carl Jimenez
(1987)
Critical Condition
as Louis
(1985)
The Making of Sun City
as Self
(1985)
Crossover Dreams
as Rudy Veloz
(1985)
The Return of Rubén Blades
as himself
(1983)
The Last Fight
as Andy "Kid" Clave
(1979)
Beats of the Heart: Salsa
as Self
Crew
(2019)
Operation Just Cause
Music
(2002)
Empire
Original Music Composer
(1990)
Q & A
Original Music Composer
(1988)
The Story of Fausta
Music
(1988)
(1988)
Oliver & Company
Songs
(1984)
(1984)
Peter Knife
Songs
(1983)
Ligia Elena
Music
(1983)
When the Mountains Tremble
Original Music Composer