Luis Guzman is a Puerto Rican born American entertainer who has aced his roles in genres varying from comedy to action and crime. He is a favourite among fans and directors for his humble nature and extraordinary acting skills.
Don't Miss: Judge Maybelline
Personal Life
On 1956 August 28, Guzman was born to Rosa who was a teenager at that time, his birthplace is Cayey in Puerto Rico. When he was an infant the family moved to Lower East Side, New York. His mother then worked in a hospital and stepfather repaired TVs. He completed his graduation from City College, New York. Guzman is known for his ardent love for community hence he followed his passion and took up the job of a social worker in New York, working with young people and organizing functions within the neighbourhood.
He walked into the field of acting by initially doing roles in local theatres and a few independent films. Guzman and his wife Angelita Galarza –Guzman married in 1985 and are parents to five children Cemi, Yoruba, Yemaya, Luna, and Margarita Guzman, they live in Vermont. He continues his work as an activist and social worker mainly working with the youth of the community.
Career
Guzman’s resume holds an experience of 40 years in the film industry, it was in 1985 on Miami Vice that he had his first significant role.This was followed by roles in Carlito’s Way, Welcome to Collinwood, The Salton Sea, The Limey and many more. Directors Steven Soderbergh and Paul Thomas Anderson have cast him numerous times in their movies. In his early years, he generally played the roles of a villain or a gang member.
He has also acted in a number of television series including the famous Hunter, Law & Order, Frasier, and Oz. He was also a cast member of the comedy-drama series How to Make it in America. The current craze of this generation, the crime drama Narcos, and medical drama Code Black has shown him in prominent roles. Guzman has also lent his voice to the part of Ricardo Diaz in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
Being the talented entertainer that he is, he had become a part of VH1 shows I Love Toys, I love the ‘70s and I Love the ‘80’s. In 2002 he played as a prisoner in the music video ‘Undisputed’ and in 2015 as a zoo owner in ‘Gorilla’ and since then in a few others. Performed in an advertisement for Cabot Cheese as a friendly farmer who himself lives in Cabot.
In his long career, the nominations that followed him include, the Independent Spirit Award and three Screen Actor Guild Awards in the years 1999, 1997 and 2000 for his supporting roles in movies, unfortunately, he hasn’t won any of those awards.In spite of his versatile acting, it was only recently that he was bestowed upon with A Latino Legacy Award by the NALIP.
Last Modified: Mar 7, 2020
Related Biographies
