
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 Award — Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film · 1986
- Primetime Emmy Award — Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series · 1985
- Theatre World Award · 1979
Show all 10 awards →
- Mary Pickford Award
- Saturn Award — Best Actor on Television
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Academy Award — Best Actor · 1989 · nominated
- Tony Award — Best Featured Actor in a Play · 1979 · nominated
Filmography50+ titles

Maria's Story

M.I.A.

The West Wing

Coco

Dexter

Battlestar Galactica

Battlestar Galactica

Mayans M.C.

The Batman

The Simpsons

La Californie !

Blade Runner

Blue Bloods

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner

LA 92

Eureka

Selena

12 Angry Men

The Magic School Bus

Stand and Deliver

Blade Runner 2049

Hill Street Blues

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later

Unity

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

George Lopez

Miami Vice

A Dog's Way Home

My Family

American Me

The Road to El Dorado

Starsky & Hutch

Touched by an Angel

Kojak

Hawaii Five-O

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

Talent for the Game

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

Police Story

The Real History of Science Fiction

Portlandia

CHiPs

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

The Wall

One Fast Move

Triumph of the Spirit

Office Romance

2 Guns