Edward James Olmos
85 movies · 41 TV shows
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- Feb 24, 1947 (age 79)
- Place of birth
- 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.
Read the full biography
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
Edward James Olmos: movies and TV shows
Acting (124)
- Upcoming
- 2026 American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
as Narrator – El Pachuco (voice)
- 2026 Office Romance
as Captain Jack Cruz
- 2026 Mami Está Aquí
as Mr. Jimenez
- 2026
- 2024 One Fast Move
as Abel
- 2024 Outlaw Posse
as Ossie
- 2023
- 2021 Chasing Wonders
as Luis
- 2021 Walking with Herb
as Joe Amable-Amo
- 2019 Imprisoned
as Hospicio
- 2019 The Devil Has a Name
as Santiago
- 2019 Windows on the World
as Balthazar
- 2019
- 2019 A Dog's Way Home
as Axel
- 2018
- 2018 The Eyes of Martin Castillo
as Martin Castillo (archive footage)
- 2017 Coco
as Chicharrón (voice)
- 2017 Blade Runner 2049
as Gaff
- 2017 Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
as Gaff (voice)
- 2016 Monday Nights at Seven
as Charlie
- 2016 Americano
as Gayo (voice)
- 2015 Unity
as Narrator (voice)
- 2014 Exile Nation: The Plastic People
as Narrator (voice)
- 2014
- 2014 Agave is Life
as Narrator (voice)
- 2013 Go for Sisters
as Freddy Suárez
- 2013
- 2013 2 Guns
as Papi Greco
- 2013 Filly Brown
as Leandro
- 2013 A Bridge Apart
as (Voice)
- 2011 America
as Mr. Irving
- 2011
- 2011 The Green Hornet
as Michael Axford
- 2010
- 2010 I'm Still Here
as Edward James Olmos
- 2009 Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
as Commander William Adama
- 2009
- 2008 Beverly Hills Chihuahua
as Diablo (voice)
- 2007 Battlestar Galactica: Razor
as Admiral William Adama
- 2006
- 2006 Splinter
as Captain garcia
- 2006
- 2006 Walkout
as Julian Nava
- 2005 La Cerca
as Narrator / Old Niño
- 2004
- 2004
- 2003
- 2002
- 2002
- 2002
- 2002
- 2001 In the Time of the Butterflies
as Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
- 2001 The Judge
as Judge Armando Acosta
- 2001
- 2000 The Princess and the Barrio Boy
as Nestor Garcia
- 2000 Gossip
as Detective Curtis
- 2000 The Road to El Dorado
as Chief (voice)
- 1999 The Unfinished Journey
as Narrator (voice)
- 1999 Zapatista
as Narrator (voice)
- 1999
- 1999 Bonanno: A Godfather's Story
as Salvatore Maranzano
- 1998 The Wall
as Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
- 1998 The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
as Det. Anthony Piscotti
- 1998 The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
as Vamanos
- 1997 Manu: Peru's Hidden Rain Forest
as Narrator
- 1997 12 Angry Men
as Juror 11
- 1997 Hollywood Confidential
as Stan Navarro, Sr.
- 1997
- 1997 Selena Remembered
as Narrator (voice)
- 1997 Selena
as Abraham Quintanilla
- 1996 Death in Granada
as Roberto Lozano
- 1996
- 1996 The Limbic Region
as Lucca
- 1996
- 1996 Caught
as Joe
- 1995 Slave of Dreams
as Potiphar
- 1995 Mirage
as Matteo Juarez
- 1995 My Family
as Paco
- 1995
- 1995 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child · TV
as Rey Emiliano (voice) / El Murcielago (voice) / Jimenez (voice) · 3 episodes
- 1994
- 1994 The Burning Season
as Wilson Pinheiro
- 1994
- 1994 Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
as Jose Menendez
- 1994 A Million to Juan
as The Angel
- 1994 Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
as Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)
- 1993 Roosters
as Gallo Morales
- 1992 American Me
as Montoya Santana
- 1991 Talent for the Game
as Virgil Sweet
- 1991 Maria's Story
as José Serrano (voice)
- 1990 The Earth Day Special
as Hospital Director
- 1989
- 1989 Triumph of the Spirit
as Gypsy
- 1989 Miami Vice: Freefall
as Lt. Martin Castillo
- 1988
- 1988 Stand and Deliver
as Jaime A. Escalante
- 1986 Blue Collar & Buddha
as Narrator
- 1986 Saving Grace
as Ciolino
- 1984
- 1983 The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
as Gregorio Cortez
- 1983 The Nightingale
as Prime Minister
- 1982
- 1982 Blade Runner
as Gaff
- 1982 Seguin
as Gen. Santa Anna
- 1982
- 1981 Zoot Suit
as El Pachuco
- 1981 Wolfen
as Eddie Holt
- 1981
- 1981 300 Miles for Stephanie
as Art Vela
- 1980 Virus
as Captain Lopez
- 1979
- 1978
- 1977 Alambrista!
as 1st Drunk
- 1977
- 1977
- 1975
- 1975
- 1975 Aloha Bobby and Rose
as Chicano #1
- 1974
- 1973
- 1973
- 1971
- 1969
Behind the camera (13)
- 2024 Say a Little Prayer
Executive Producer
- 2020
- 2019 The Devil Has a Name
Director, Producer
- 2013 Go for Sisters
Producer
- 2013 Filly Brown
Executive Producer
- 2009 Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Director
- 2006 Walkout
Director
- 2004
- 1997 Selena Remembered
Producer
- 1992 American Me
Director, Producer
- 1984
- 1983 The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Original Music Composer, Associate Producer
- 1982
Talk shows and appearances (22)
- 2026
- 2023 La Californie !
3 episodes
- 2023 100 Years of Warner Bros.
2 episodes
- 2021
- 2020
- 2020
- 2019
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2017
- 2014 The Real History of Science Fiction
2 episodes
- 2007
- 2007
- 2007
- 2007 Dave Navarro's Spread
1 episode
- 2006
- 1997
- 1997
- 1996 The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1 episode
- 1994
- 1993