About

Known credits:
121
Birthday:
1947-02-24
Place of birth:
Los Angeles, California, USA
Website:

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

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
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
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
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
1995 Slave of Dreams Actor 58
Average
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
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
Miami vice: golden triangle Actor Martin Castillo N/A
N/A

Directing

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

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

1983 The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez Sound Original Music Composer 59
Average