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
Dracula
North and South
Babylon
American Me
Beauty and the Beast
Lethal Weapon
The Unit
Magnum, P.I.
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
CHiPs
The Italian Job
Dallas
Peppermint
Fast & Furious
The Longest Yard
Mr. & Mrs. Smith
Renegade
The Mask of Zorro
Smokin' Aces
Hot Shots! Part Deux
Savages
The A-Team
Mars Attacks!
Last Man Standing
Internal Affairs
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
The Replacement Killers
Vampires
Tall Tale
Fugitive Nights: Danger in the Desert
Predator 2
Hooper
K-9
Extreme Prejudice