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Edward James Olmos Biography and Full Filmography - MovieWise

Quick Facts

Born:
1947-02-24

Birthplace:
Los Angeles, California, USA

Credits:
145 Total Roles

Edward James Olmos

Acting

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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

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

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