Edward James Olmos
Personal Info
Known for
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
1947-02-24 (78 years old)
Place of Birth
Los Angeles, California, USA
Edward James Olmos
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.
Acting
Office Romance
as Captain Jack Cruz
(2024)
One Fast Move
as Abel
(2024)
Outlaw Posse
as Ossie
(2021)
Chasing Wonders
as Luis
(2021)
Walking with Herb
as Joe Amable-Amo
(2021)
The Blade Runner Phenomenon
as Self - Actor (Gaff)
(2020)
(2020)
(2019)
The Devil Has a Name
as Santiago
(2019)
A Dog's Way Home
as Axel
(2019)
Imprisoned
as Hospicio
(2019)
Windows on the World
as Balthazar
(2019)
(2019)
(2018)
(2018)
The Eyes of Martin Castillo
as Martin Castillo (archive footage)
(2017)
Coco
as Chicharrón (voice)
(2017)
Blade Runner 2049
as Gaff
(2017)
L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later
as Himself
(2017)
Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
as Gaff (voice)
(2017)
LA 92
as Self (archive footage)
(2016)
Americano
as Gayo (voice)
(2016)
Monday Nights at Seven
as Charlie
(2015)
Unity
as Narrator (voice)
(2014)
Agave is Life
as Narrator (voice)
(2014)
(2014)
Exile Nation: The Plastic People
as Narrator (voice)
(2013)
2 Guns
as Papi Greco
(2013)
Filly Brown
as Leandro
(2013)
Go for Sisters
as Freddy Suárez
(2013)
A Bridge Apart
as (Voice)
(2011)
The Green Hornet
as Michael Axford
(2011)
America
as Mr. Irving
(2010)
I'm Still Here
as Edward James Olmos
(2009)
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
as Commander William Adama
(2009)
(2008)
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
as Diablo (voice)
(2007)
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
as Admiral William Adama
(2007)
(2007)
(2007)
(2006)
Walkout
as Julian Nava
(2006)
Splinter
as Captain garcia
(2006)
Recycled Life
as Narrator
(2005)
La Cerca
as Narrator / Old Niño
(2002)
(2001)
In the Time of the Butterflies
as Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
(2001)
The Judge
as Judge Armando Acosta
(2000)
The Road to El Dorado
as Chief (voice)
(2000)
Gossip
as Detective Curtis
(2000)
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
as Nestor Garcia
(1999)
Bonanno: A Godfather's Story
as Gaspar DiGregario (Young)
(1999)
The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
(1999)
Zapatista
as Narrator (voice)
(1998)
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
as Det. Anthony Piscotti
(1998)
The Wall
as Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
(1998)
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
as Vamanos
(1997)
Selena
as Abraham Quintanilla
(1997)
12 Angry Men
as Juror 11
(1997)
Selena Remembered
as Narrator (voice)
(1997)
Hollywood Confidential
as Stan Navarro, Sr.
(1997)
Gun
as Father Santos
(1997)
Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika
as Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist
(1997)
Prophecies of the Millennium
as Host
(1996)
Caught
as Joe
(1996)
Death in Granada
as Roberto Lozano
(1996)
The Limbic Region
as Lucca
(1995)
(1995)
My Family
as Paco
(1995)
Mirage
as Matteo Juarez
(1994)
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
as Jose Menendez
(1994)
A Million to Juan
as The Angel
(1994)
Lives in Hazard
as self
(1994)
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
as Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)
(1994)
The Burning Season
as Wilson Pinheiro
(1993)
Roosters
as Gallo Morales
(1993)
Learning Not To Hurt
as Self
(1992)
American Me
as Montoya Santana
(1991)
Talent for the Game
as Virgil Sweet
(1991)
Maria's Story
as José Serrano (voice)
(1990)
The Earth Day Special
as Hospital Director
(1989)
Triumph of the Spirit
as Gypsy
(1988)
Stand and Deliver
as Jaime A. Escalante
(1986)
Saving Grace
as Ciolino
(1986)
Blue Collar & Buddha
as Narrator
(1983)
The Nightingale
as Prime Minister
(1983)
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
as Gregorio Cortez
(1982)
Blade Runner
as Gaff
(1982)
Seguin
as Gen. Santa Anna
(1981)
300 Miles for Stephanie
as Art Vela
(1981)
Wolfen
as Eddie Holt
(1981)
Zoot Suit
as El Pachuco
(1980)
Virus
as Captain Lopez
(1979)
(1978)
Evening in Byzantium
as Angelo
(1977)
Alambrista!
as 1st Drunk
(1975)
Aloha, Bobby and Rose
as Chicano #1
Crew
(2024)
Say a Little Prayer
Executive Producer
(2019)
The Devil Has a Name
Director, Producer
(2013)
Go for Sisters
Producer
(2013)
Filly Brown
Executive Producer
(2009)
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Director
(2006)
Walkout
Director
(1997)
Selena Remembered
Producer
(1992)
American Me
Director, Producer
(1983)
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Original Music Composer, Associate Producer