Biography
He was born and raised in El Paso Texas. Miguel Ortega (father) was a cross country truck driver and Paulina Ortega (mother) a housewife. Began career doing summer stock theater for 2 years - El Paso Del Norte. Moved to Los Angeles in 1978. Shortly after arriving, he started to work as a stuntman on a picture by the name of Hooper (1978). His first acting job was in a guest starring role on a TV show by the name of CHiPs (1977). He has won a Stuntman's Award - Most Spectacular Sequence - "North & South" miniseries. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award - Outstanding Performance By Cast - Traffic (2000).
Filmography50+ titles
Star Trek: The Next Generation
American History X
Columbo
Westworld
Arrested Development
L.A. Confidential
Tombstone
North and South
American Me
Dracula
Beauty and the Beast
Babylon
Lethal Weapon
The Unit
Magnum, P.I.
Taxi
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
Walker
Traffic
Knox Goes Away
Just Like Heaven
Amistad
Strange Days
Sicario: Day of the Soldado
Hidalgo
Knots Landing
Dallas
The Italian Job
Renegade
CHiPs
Peppermint
Fast & Furious
The Longest Yard
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
The Mask of Zorro
Smokin' Aces
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Savages
The A-Team
Last Man Standing
Mars Attacks!
Internal Affairs
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Vampires
The Replacement Killers
Tall Tale
Predator 2
Extreme Prejudice
Hooper
A Man Apart