Nook NotesPick a film
Edward James Olmos

Actor

Edward James Olmos

Born February 24, 1947 in Los Angeles, California, USA68 films

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.

Read more

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.

Start here

The best way into Edward James Olmos's work
Coco posterFirst watchCoco20178.2as Chicharrón (voice)Despite his family’s baffling generations-old ban on music, Miguel dreams of becoming an accomplished musician like his idol, Ernesto de la Cruz.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
Blade Runner poster7.9Blade Runner1982Blade Runner 2049 poster7.6Blade Runner 20492017The Road to El Dorado poster7.3The Road to El Dorado2000Selena poster7.7Selena19972 Guns poster6.52 Guns2013A Dog's Way Home poster7.4A Dog's Way Home2019Stand and Deliver poster7.8Stand and Deliver198812 Angry Men poster7.712 Angry Men1997

Filmography

68 films as actor
  1. 2026Office RomanceCaptain Jack Cruz
  2. 2026Mami Está AquíMr. Jimenez
  3. 2024One Fast MoveAbel
  4. 2024Outlaw PosseOssie
  5. 2021Chasing WondersLuis
  6. 2021Walking with HerbJoe Amable-Amo
  7. 2019ImprisonedHospicio
  8. 2019The Devil Has a NameSantiago
  9. 2019Windows on the WorldBalthazar
  10. 2019A Dog's Way HomeAxel
  11. 2017CocoChicharrón (voice)
  12. 2017Blade Runner 2049Gaff
  13. 2017Blade Runner: Black Out 2022Gaff (voice)
  14. 2016Monday Nights at SevenCharlie
  15. 2016AmericanoGayo (voice)
  16. 2013Go for SistersFreddy Suárez
  17. 20132 GunsPapi Greco
  18. 2013Filly BrownLeandro
  19. 2011AmericaMr. Irving
  20. 2011The Green HornetMichael Axford
  21. 2010I'm Still HereEdward James Olmos
  22. 2009Battlestar Galactica: The PlanCommander William Adama
  23. 2008Beverly Hills ChihuahuaDiablo (voice)
  24. 2007Battlestar Galactica: RazorAdmiral William Adama
  25. 2006SplinterCaptain garcia
  26. 2006WalkoutJulian Nava
  27. 2005La CercaNarrator / Old Niño
  28. 2001In the Time of the ButterfliesRafael Leónidas Trujillo
  29. 2001The JudgeJudge Armando Acosta
  30. 2000The Princess and the Barrio BoyNestor Garcia
  31. 2000GossipDetective Curtis
  32. 2000The Road to El DoradoChief (voice)
  33. 1999Bonanno: A Godfather's StorySalvatore Maranzano
  34. 1998The WallCol. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
  35. 1998The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeDet. Anthony Piscotti
  36. 1998The Wonderful Ice Cream SuitVamanos
  37. 199712 Angry MenJuror 11
  38. 1997Prophecies of the MillenniumHost
  39. 1997Hollywood ConfidentialStan Navarro, Sr.
  40. 1997SelenaAbraham Quintanilla
  41. 1996Death in GranadaRoberto Lozano
  42. 1996The Limbic RegionLucca
  43. 1996CaughtJoe
  44. 1995Slave of DreamsPotiphar
  45. 1995MirageMatteo Juarez
  46. 1995My FamilyPaco
  47. 1994The Burning SeasonWilson Pinheiro
  48. 1994Menendez: A Killing in Beverly HillsJose Menendez
  49. 1994A Million to JuanThe Angel
  50. 1994Even Cowgirls Get the BluesMusician at Barbecue (uncredited)
  51. 1993RoostersGallo Morales
  52. 1992American MeMontoya Santana
  53. 1991Talent for the GameVirgil Sweet
  54. 1989Triumph of the SpiritGypsy
  55. 1989Miami Vice: FreefallLt. Martin Castillo
  56. 1988Stand and DeliverJaime A. Escalante
  57. 1986Saving GraceCiolino
  58. 1983The Ballad of Gregorio CortezGregorio Cortez
  59. 1983The NightingalePrime Minister
  60. 1982Blade RunnerGaff
  61. 1982SeguinGen. Santa Anna
  62. 1981Zoot SuitEl Pachuco
  63. 1981WolfenEddie Holt
  64. 1981300 Miles for StephanieArt Vela
  65. 1980VirusCaptain Lopez
  66. 1979Dead Angle
  67. 1977Alambrista!1st Drunk
  68. 1975Aloha Bobby and RoseChicano #1