About
Edward James Olmos
Overview
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
Acting |
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2024 | One Fast Move | Actor | Abel | 60 Fair |
2024 | Outlaw Posse | Actor | Ossie | 59 Average |
2023 | La Californie ! | Actor | Self - Actor | 70 Good |
2021 | Chasing Wonders | Actor | 58 Average |
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2021 | The Blade Runner Phenomenon | Actor | Self - Actor (Gaff) | 59 Average |
2021 | Walking with Herb | Actor | Joe Amable-Amo | 59 Average |
2020 | The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2020 | Space Songs: Through the Distance | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2019 | Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2019 | Imprisoned | Actor | Hospicio | 59 Average |
2019 | The Devil Has a Name | Actor | Santiago | 58 Average |
2019 | Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire | Actor | Self | 58 Average |
2019 | Windows on the World | Actor | Balthazar | 58 Average |
2019 | A Dog's Way Home | Actor | Axel | 69 Fair |
2018 | Mayans M.C. | Actor | Felipe Reyes | 79 Good |
2018 | The Eyes of Martin Castillo | Actor | Martin Castillo (archive footage) | N/A N/A |
2018 | Every Night's a Saturday Night | Actor | Self | 59 Average |
2017 | Coco | Actor | Chicharrón (voice) | 81 Very good |
2017 | Blade Runner 2049 | Actor | Gaff | 75 Good |
2017 | Blade Runner: Black Out 2022 | Actor | Gaff (voice) | 64 Fair |
2017 | LA 92 | Actor | Himself (archive footage) | 62 Fair |
2017 | L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later | Actor | Himself | 59 Average |
2016 | Monday Nights at Seven | Actor | Charlie | N/A N/A |
2016 | Americano | Actor | Gayo (voice) | 58 Average |
2015 | Unity | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 60 Fair |
2014 | Exile Nation: The Plastic People | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 59 Average |
2014 | Journey of a Female Comic | Actor | 59 Average |
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2014 | Agave is Life | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 59 Average |
2013 | Go for Sisters | Actor | Freddy Suárez | 59 Average |
2013 | 2 Guns | Actor | Papi Greco | 64 Fair |
2013 | Filly Brown | Actor | Leandro | 59 Average |
2013 | A Bridge Apart | Actor | (Voice) | N/A N/A |
2011 | America | Actor | Mr. Irving | 58 Average |
2011 | The Green Hornet | Actor | Michael Axford | 56 Average |
2010 | I'm Still Here | Actor | Edward James Olmos | 59 Average |
2009 | Battlestar Galactica: The Plan | Actor | Commander William Adama | 62 Fair |
2009 | Battlestar Galactica: The Last Frakkin' Special | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2009 | A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story | Actor | Narrator | N/A N/A |
2008 | Beverly Hills Chihuahua | Actor | Diablo (voice) | 55 Average |
2007 | Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner | Actor | Self | 61 Fair |
2007 | Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2007 | Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard | Actor | Self | N/A N/A |
2007 | Battlestar Galactica: Razor | Actor | Admiral William Adama | 64 Fair |
2006 | Splinter | Actor | Captain garcia | 58 Average |
2006 | Walkout | Actor | Julian Nava | 58 Average |
2006 | Recycled Life | Actor | Narrator | 59 Average |
2005 | La Cerca | Actor | Narrator / Old Niño | N/A N/A |
2004 | Battlestar Galactica | Actor | William Adama | 81 Very good |
2003 | Battlestar Galactica | Actor | Commander Adama | 81 Very good |
2002 | American Family | Actor | Jess Gonzalez | N/A N/A |
2001 | In the Time of the Butterflies | Actor | Rafael Leónidas Trujillo | 59 Average |
2001 | The Judge | Actor | Judge Armando Acosta | 59 Average |
2001 | The Judge | Actor | Judge Armando Acosti | 69 Fair |
2000 | The Princess and the Barrio Boy | Actor | Nestor Garcia | 59 Average |
2000 | Gossip | Actor | Detective Curtis | 58 Average |
2000 | The Road to El Dorado | Actor | Chief (voice) | 71 Good |
1999 | The Unfinished Journey | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 58 Average |
1999 | Bonanno: A Godfather's Story | Actor | Gaspar DiGregario (Young) | 58 Average |
1999 | Zapatista | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 59 Average |
1998 | The Wall | Actor | Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder") | 58 Average |
1998 | The Taking of Pelham One Two Three | Actor | Det. Anthony Piscotti | 58 Average |
1998 | The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit | Actor | Vamanos | 59 Average |
1997 | The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca | Actor | Roberto Lozano | N/A N/A |
1997 | 12 Angry Men | Actor | Juror 11 | 66 Fair |
1997 | Hollywood Confidential | Actor | Stan Navarro, Sr. | 58 Average |
1997 | Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika | Actor | Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist | N/A N/A |
1997 | Gun | Actor | Father Santos | 68 Fair |
1997 | Selena Remembered | Actor | Narrator (voice) | 58 Average |
1997 | Selena | Actor | Abraham Quintanilla | 71 Good |
1996 | Death in Granada | Actor | 58 Average |
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1996 | The Limbic Region | Actor | Lucca | 59 Average |
1996 | Dead Man's Walk | Actor | Captain Salazar | 68 Fair |
1996 | Caught | Actor | Joe | 58 Average |
1995 | Mirage | Actor | Matteo Juarez | 58 Average |
1995 | My Family | Actor | Paco | 61 Fair |
1995 | 500 Nations | Actor | 70 Good |
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1995 | Slave of Dreams | Actor | 58 Average |
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1994 | The Burning Season | Actor | Wilson Pinheiro | 59 Average |
1994 | Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills | Actor | Jose Menendez | 59 Average |
1994 | A Million to Juan | Actor | The Angel | 59 Average |
1994 | Even Cowgirls Get the Blues | Actor | Musician at Barbecue (uncredited) | 55 Average |
1994 | Lives in Hazard | Actor | self | 59 Average |
1993 | Roosters | Actor | Gallo Morales | 58 Average |
1992 | American Me | Actor | Montoya Santana | 65 Fair |
1991 | Talent for the Game | Actor | Virgil Sweet | 58 Average |
1990 | Maria's Story | Actor | José Serrano (voice) | N/A N/A |
1990 | The Earth Day Special | Actor | Hospital Director | 59 Average |
1989 | Triumph of the Spirit | Actor | Gypsy | 59 Average |
1989 | Miami Vice: Freefall | Actor | Lt. Martin Castillo | N/A N/A |
1988 | The Fortunate Pilgrim | Actor | Frank Corbo | 69 Fair |
1988 | Stand and Deliver | Actor | Jaime A. Escalante | 66 Fair |
1986 | Blue Collar & Buddha | Actor | Narrator | N/A N/A |
1986 | Saving Grace | Actor | Ciolino | 59 Average |
1985 | Miami Vice: The Prodigal Son | Actor | Lt. Martin Castillo | 60 Fair |
1984 | Miami Vice | Actor | Martin Castillo | 74 Good |
1983 | The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Actor | Gregorio Cortez | 59 Average |
1983 | The Nightingale | Actor | Prime Minister | 58 Average |
1982 | Blade Runner | Actor | Gaff | 78 Good |
1982 | Seguin | Actor | Santa Anna | N/A N/A |
1981 | Zoot Suit | Actor | El Pachuco | 59 Average |
1981 | Wolfen | Actor | Eddie Holt | 58 Average |
1981 | 300 Miles for Stephanie | Actor | Art Vela | N/A N/A |
1980 | Virus | Actor | Captain Lopez | 59 Average |
1979 | Dead Angle | Actor | 58 Average |
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1978 | Evening in Byzantium | Actor | Angelo | N/A N/A |
1977 | Alambrista! | Actor | 1st Drunk | 59 Average |
1975 | Aloha, Bobby and Rose | Actor | Chicano #1 | 58 Average |
Blue Collar & Buddha | Actor | N/A N/A |
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Miami vice: golden triangle | Actor | Martin Castillo | N/A N/A |
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Directing |
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2019 | The Devil Has a Name | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
2009 | Battlestar Galactica: The Plan | Directing | Director | 62 Fair |
2006 | Walkout | Directing | Director | 58 Average |
1992 | American Me | Directing | Director | 65 Fair |
Production |
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2024 | Say a Little Prayer | Production | Executive Producer | N/A N/A |
2019 | The Devil Has a Name | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
2013 | Go for Sisters | Production | Producer | 59 Average |
2013 | Filly Brown | Production | Executive Producer | 59 Average |
1997 | Selena Remembered | Production | Producer | 58 Average |
1992 | American Me | Production | Producer | 65 Fair |
1983 | The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Production | Associate Producer | 59 Average |
Sound |
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1983 | The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez | Sound | Original Music Composer | 59 Average |