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Actor
Edward James Olmos
Edward James Olmos’s screen credits include Gaff in Blade Runner and Jaime A. Escalante in Stand and Deliver.
Born February 24, 1947 Los Angeles, California, USA2 movies on MoviHero
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THE PERSON BEHIND THE ROLES
About Edward James Olmos
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. …
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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.
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MOVIHERO CREDITS
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Explore 2 movie guides, credited roles and upcoming releases.
Movies on MoviHero 2
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More film credits 98 additional titles
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- 2026American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis ValdezNarrator – El Pachuco (voice)
- 2026Office RomanceCaptain Jack Cruz
- 2026Mami Está AquíMr. Jimenez
- 2026Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywoodself
- 2024Say a Little PrayerProducer
- 2024One Fast MoveAbel
- 2024Outlaw PosseOssie
- 2021Chasing WondersLuis
- 2021The Blade Runner PhenomenonSelf - Actor (Gaff)
- 2021Walking with HerbJoe Amable-Amo
- 2020The Disney Family Singalong - Volume IISelf
- 2020Space Songs: Through the DistanceSelf
- 2019Raúl Juliá: The World’s a StageSelf
- 2019ImprisonedHospicio
- 2019The Devil Has a NameDirector · Producer · Santiago
- 2019Carlos Almaraz: Playing with FireSelf
- 2019Windows on the WorldBalthazar
- 2019A Dog's Way HomeAxel
- 2018The Eyes of Martin CastilloMartin Castillo (archive footage)
- 2018Every Night's a Saturday NightSelf
- 2017CocoChicharrón (voice)
- 2017Blade Runner 2049Gaff
- 2017Blade Runner: Black Out 2022Gaff (voice)
- 2017LA 92Self (archive footage)
- 2017L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years LaterSelf
- 2016Monday Nights at SevenCharlie
- 2016AmericanoGayo (voice)
- 2015UnityNarrator (voice)
- 2014Exile Nation: The Plastic PeopleNarrator (voice)
- 2014The Journey of a Female ComicActor
- 2014Agave is LifeNarrator (voice)
- 2013Go for SistersProducer · Freddy Suárez
- 20132 GunsPapi Greco
- 2013Filly BrownProducer · Leandro
- 2013A Bridge Apart(Voice)
- 2011AmericaMr. Irving
- 2011The Green HornetMichael Axford
- 2010I'm Still HereEdward James Olmos
- 2009Battlestar Galactica: The PlanDirector · Commander William Adama
- 2009A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights StoryNarrator
- 2008Beverly Hills ChihuahuaDiablo (voice)
- 2007Dangerous Days: Making Blade RunnerSelf
- 2007Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick DeckardSelf
- 2007Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and StylingSelf
- 2007Battlestar Galactica: RazorAdmiral William Adama
- 2006SplinterCaptain garcia
- 2006WalkoutDirector · Julian Nava
- 2006Recycled LifeSelf - Narrator (voice)
- 2005La CercaNarrator / Old Niño
- 2002The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American CinemaActor
- 2001In the Time of the ButterfliesRafael Leónidas Trujillo
- 2001The JudgeJudge Armando Acosta
- 2000The Princess and the Barrio BoyNestor Garcia
- 2000GossipDetective Curtis
- 2000The Road to El DoradoChief (voice)
- 1999The Unfinished JourneyNarrator (voice)
- 1999ZapatistaNarrator (voice)
- 1999Bonanno: A Godfather's StorySalvatore Maranzano
- 1998The WallCol. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
- 1998The Taking of Pelham One Two ThreeDet. Anthony Piscotti
- 1998The Wonderful Ice Cream SuitVamanos
- 1997Manu: Peru's Hidden Rain ForestNarrator
- 199712 Angry MenJuror 11
- 1997Prophecies of the MillenniumHost
- 1997Hollywood ConfidentialStan Navarro, Sr.
- 1997Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen AmerikaSelf - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist
- 1997Selena RememberedProducer · Narrator (voice)
- 1997SelenaAbraham Quintanilla
- 1996Death in GranadaRoberto Lozano
- 1996The Limbic RegionLucca
- 1996CaughtJoe
- 1995Slave of DreamsPotiphar
- 1995MirageMatteo Juarez
- 1995My FamilyPaco
- 1994The Burning SeasonWilson Pinheiro
- 1994Menendez: A Killing in Beverly HillsJose Menendez
- 1994A Million to JuanThe Angel
- 1994Even Cowgirls Get the BluesMusician at Barbecue (uncredited)
- 1994Lives in Hazardself
- 1993Learning Not to HurtSelf
- 1993RoostersGallo Morales
- 1992American MeDirector · Producer · Montoya Santana
- 1991Talent for the GameVirgil Sweet
- 1991Maria's StoryJosé Serrano (voice)
- 1990The Earth Day SpecialHospital Director
- 1989Triumph of the SpiritGypsy
- 1989Miami Vice: FreefallLt. Martin Castillo
- 1986Blue Collar & BuddhaNarrator
- 1986Saving GraceCiolino
- 1983The Ballad of Gregorio CortezProducer · Gregorio Cortez
- 1983The NightingalePrime Minister
- 1982SeguinGen. Santa Anna
- 1981Zoot SuitEl Pachuco
- 1981WolfenEddie Holt
- 1981300 Miles for StephanieArt Vela
- 1980VirusCaptain Lopez
- 1979Dead AngleActor
- 1977Alambrista!1st Drunk
CHARACTER GUIDES
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Gaff
Blade Runner
Open character guideJaime A. Escalante
Stand and Deliver
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Shared credits
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Actor
Adelaida Alvarez
1 shared film on MoviHeroActor
Andy Garcia
1 shared film on MoviHeroActor
Bodie Olmos
1 shared film on MoviHeroActor