Quick Facts
Born:
1947-02-24
Birthplace:
Los Angeles, California, USA
Credits:
145 Total Roles
Edward James Olmos
Acting
The MovieWise Take
Refining cinematic analysis...
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.
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
Coco
Chicharrón (voice)
Blade Runner 2049
Gaff
Blade Runner
Gaff
The Simpsons
Pit Master (voice)
Dexter
James Gellar
Dexter
Prof. James Gellar
2 Guns
Papi Greco
The Road to El Dorado
Chief (voice)
Full Filmography
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez MOVIE | Narrator (voice) |
| 2024 | One Fast Move MOVIE | Abel |
| 2024 | Outlaw Posse MOVIE | Ossie |
| 2023 | La Californie ! TV | Self - Actor |
| 2023 | 100 Years of Warner Bros. TV | Self |
| 2023 | Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur TV | Molecule Man (voice) |
| 2021 | Chasing Wonders MOVIE | Luis |
| 2021 | The Blade Runner Phenomenon MOVIE | Self - Actor (Gaff) |
| 2021 | Walking with Herb MOVIE | Joe Amable-Amo |
| 2020 | The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II MOVIE | Self |