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Edward James Olmos

Acting

Born February 24, 1947 · Los Angeles, California, USA

Also known as ادوراد جیمز اولموس

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.

Awards & recognition

  • Ohtli Award · 2012
  • Jane Fonda Humanitarian Award · 1989
  • Golden Globe AwardBest Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film · 1986
  • Primetime Emmy AwardOutstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series · 1985
  • Theatre World Award · 1979
Show all 10 awards →
  • Mary Pickford Award
  • Saturn AwardBest Actor on Television
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Academy AwardBest Actor · 1989 · nominated
  • Tony AwardBest Featured Actor in a Play · 1979 · nominated

Filmography50+ titles

Maria's Story

1991as José Serrano (voice)

M.I.A.

2026as Isaac Rojas

The West Wing

1999as Roberto Mendoza

Coco

2017as Chicharrón (voice)

Dexter

2006as Prof. James Gellar

Battlestar Galactica

2004as Commander William Adama

Battlestar Galactica

2003as Commander Adama

Mayans M.C.

2018as Felipe Reyes

The Batman

2004as Chief Rojas (voice)

The Simpsons

1989as Pit Master (voice)

La Californie !

as Self - Actor

Blade Runner

1982as Gaff

Blue Bloods

2010as Lorenzo Batista

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

2007as Self

LA 92

2017as Self (archive footage)

Eureka

2006as First sled dog

Selena

1997as Abraham Quintanilla

12 Angry Men

1997as Juror 11

The Magic School Bus

1994as Mr. Ramon (voice)

Stand and Deliver

1988as Jaime A. Escalante

Blade Runner 2049

2017as Gaff

Hill Street Blues

1981

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

2023as Molecule Man (voice)

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

2017as Himself

Unity

2015as Narrator (voice)

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

2013as Robert Gonzales

George Lopez

2002as Mr. Vega

Miami Vice

1984as Martin Castillo

A Dog's Way Home

2019as Axel

My Family

1995as Paco

American Me

1992as Montoya Santana

The Road to El Dorado

2000as Chief (voice)

Starsky & Hutch

1975as Julio Gutierez

Touched by an Angel

1994as Col. Victor Walls

Kojak

1973as Paco

Hawaii Five-O

1968as Dancer

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022

2017as Gaff (voice)

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

1998as Vamanos

Talent for the Game

1991as Virgil Sweet

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

1983as Gregorio Cortez

Police Story

1973

The Real History of Science Fiction

as Self

Portlandia

2011as Edward James Olmos

CHiPs

1977

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

2009as Commander William Adama

The Wall

1998as Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")

One Fast Move

2024as Abel

Triumph of the Spirit

1989as Gypsy

Office Romance

2026as Captain Jack Cruz

2 Guns

2013as Papi Greco