Known for Acting
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. Smits is perhaps best known for his roles as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s legal drama L.A. Law, as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s police drama NYPD Blue, and as U.S. Congressman Matt Santos on The West Wing. He is also notable for his portrayal of Bail Organa in the Star Wars franchise, and Miguel Prado in Dexter. Beginning in 1986, Smits played Victor Sifuentes in the first five seasons of the NBC television Steven Bochco legal drama L.A. Law, for which he was nominated for six Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, winning in 1990. In 1999, Smits received the HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA). He appeared in films including Switch (1991), My Family (1995), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007). Smits appeared as Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), in which the character becomes Princess Leia's adoptive father. He reappeared as Bail Organa in the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008) and the spinoff movie Rogue One (2016). He later reprised the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). Smits played the role of Congressman Matt Santos of Houston, Texas, in the final two seasons of the NBC television drama The West Wing. In Dexter season 3, he played the role of Miguel Prado, an assistant district attorney who befriends the title character. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series for the role. He portrayed the character Alex Vega in the CBS TV series Cane, which aired from September 25, 2007, to December 18, 2007, and was subsequently canceled by the network due to the 2007 Screen Writer's Guild strike. In the fall of 2010, he starred in NBC's short-lived series Outlaw, about a U.S. Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to return to practicing law. From 2012 to 2014, he joined the main cast of Sons of Anarchy as Nero Padilla. He also portrayed Elijah Strait in the short-lived NBC drama series Bluff City Law. He starred in The Get Down, a musical drama television series which debuted in 2016 on Netflix. In 2021, He played Kevin Rosario in the musical film In the Heights. He stars as Chief John Suarez on the CBS police drama East New York.
Born
July 9, 1955 (age 71)
Birthplace
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Filmography
45 films, 46 shows


Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
2022 · 10m
country: United States
Celebrate Disney+ Day with a special look at the Star Wars original series Andor.


In the Heights
2021 · 2h 23m
country: United States
The story of Usnavi, a bodega owner who has mixed feelings about closing his store and retiring to the Dominican Republic or staying in Washington Heights.


The Tax Collector
2020 · 1h 35m
country: United States
David Cuevas is an Indigenous Latino American family man who works as a gangland tax collector for high ranking Los Angeles gang members. He makes collections across the city with his partner Creeper making sure people pay up or will see retaliation. An old threat returns to Los Angeles that puts everything David loves in harm’s way.


Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
2019 · 1h 30m
country: United States
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage is a warm and revealing portrait of the charismatic, groundbreaking actor’s journey from his native Puerto Rico to the creative hotbed of 1960s New York City, to prominence on Broadway and in Hollywood. Filled with passion, determination and joy, Juliá’s brilliant and daring career was tragically cut short by his untimely death at age 54.


Who We Are Now
2018 · 1h 41m
country: Canada
Recently released from prison, Beth is working with her public defender to get her son back from her sister, who was awarded legal custody while Beth was incarcerated for ten years. Soon after, Beth forms an unlikely alliance with Jess, an idealistic young protégé of the public defense team, who decides to take on Beth's cause whether she likes it or not.


Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016 · 2h 13m
country: United States
A rogue band of resistance fighters unite for a mission to steal the Death Star plans and bring a new hope to the galaxy.


Mother and Child
2009 · 2h 5m
country: Spain
The lives of three women have a commonality: adoption. Karen is a physical therapist who regrets that, as a teenager, she gave up her daughter for adoption. Elizabeth was an adopted child and is now a successful lawyer, but her personal life lacks warmth. Lucy and her husband have failed to conceive and now hope to adopt a baby to make their family complete.


Backyard
2009 · 2h 2m
country: Mexico
Officer Blanca Bravo arrives in Juarez, Mexico — a grim nexus of corporate colonialism and sexual tourism — to investigate a rash of killings targeting female migrant workers. But with no help from the locals, bringing the responsible parties to justice becomes a frustrating exercise. As Bravo rails against indifference and local corruption, she finds herself on a collision course with Mickey Santos, a Mexican mogul with a taste for young prostitutes.


Roberto Clemente
2008 · 52m
country: Unknown
Roberto Clemente is an in-depth look at an exceptional baseball player and committed humanitarian who challenged racial discrimination to become baseball's first Latino superstar. Featuring interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning authors David Maraniss and George F. Will; Clemente's wife Vera; Baseball Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda; and former teammates, the documentary presents an intimate and revealing portrait of a man whose passion and grace made him a legend.


The Jane Austen Book Club
2007 · 1h 46m
country: United States
Six Californians start a club to discuss the works of Jane Austen. As they delve into Austen's literature, the club members find themselves dealing with life experiences that parallel the themes of the books they are reading.


¡Yo soy Boricua, pa' que tú lo sepas!
2006 · 1h 26m
country: United States
Actress Rosie Perez makes a stunning directorial debut in this heartfelt tribute to Puerto Rican pride. She takes an in-depth look at the complex and often controversial history of Puerto Rican-U.S. relations. By turns shocking and celebratory, this wide-ranging documentary examines such rich themes of the Puerto Rican experience as family, language, and racism, all with careful consideration of historical context.


Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
2005 · 1h
country: United States
A one-hour, commercial-free benefit concert television special that aired simulcast worldwide on September 9, 2005, at 8 pm ET/CT live.


Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005 · 2h 20m
country: United States
When the sinister Sith unveil a thousand-year-old plot to rule the galaxy, the Republic crumbles and from its ashes rises the evil Galactic Empire. Jedi hero Anakin Skywalker must choose a side.


Lackawanna Blues
2005 · 1h 35m
country: United States
In a story fueled by rhythm and blues, a young boy's life is shaped by love and the stories of a cast of characters in the boarding house where he lives in 1960s Lackawanna, New York.


The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002 · 1h 30m
country: United States
Documentary about the presence of Latin American culture and actors in American movies.


Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
2002 · 2h 22m
country: United States
Following an assassination attempt on Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi investigate a mysterious plot into the heart of the Separatist movement and the beginning of the Clone Wars.


America | A Tribute to Heroes
2001 · 2h
country: United States
A benefit concert and telethon organized by George Clooney and broadcast uninterrupted and commercial-free by the four major television networks just 10 days after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and The Pentagon to raise money for the victims and their families,


Bless the Child
2000 · 1h 47m
country: United States
When Maggie's sister Jenna saddles her with an autistic newborn named Cody she touches Maggie's heart and becomes the daughter she has always longed for. But six years later Jenna suddenly re-enters her life and, with her mysterious new husband, Eric Stark, abducts Cody. Despite the fact that Maggie has no legal rights to Cody, FBI agent John Travis takes up her cause when he realizes that Cody shares the same birth date as several other recently murdered children.


Price of Glory
2000 · 1h 58m
country: United States
An ex-boxer, living with the knowledge that his fight career was cut short by a crooked manager, channels his bitter disappointment in a single-minded quest for boxing championships for his three sons. We see them in pee-wee Silver Glove matches with dad constantly pushing them. Ten years later, they're young men, with dad as both father and manager. A professional promoter, Nick Everson, wants to sign the boys, but dad rejects those offers. Then, in expressions of their varied relationships with their father, each son makes his own decisions. Can dad ever step aside, and can the family hold together?


Adventures in Wild California
2000 · 41m
country: Unknown
A visit to many of the places and people that give California its reputation as a place of extremes. Among the major segments: Sky surfing in the San Diego area; the movies, including a trip down the Oscar ceremony red carpet, the shooting of a stagecoach ride, and some memories of Walt Disney, including a roller coaster ride in Disneyland; some snowboarding and skiing stunts; a trip to the top, and then deep inside, some giant sequoias; biologists working with otters and bald eagle hatchlings; and a trip to the top of the Golden Gate bridge with the ironworkers who maintain it


The Million Dollar Hotel
2000 · 2h 2m
country: Germany
A federal agent searches for a potential killer among the bizarre residents of a dilapidated Los Angeles hotel.


Lesser Prophets
1997 · 1h 32m
country: United States
The police have three bookies under surveillance, but they escape and set up shop elsewhere. By chance, one of the police finds them; instead of turning them in, he demands money that his brother, now a suicide, had lost to them


Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special
1997 · 34m
country: Unknown
Whoopi Goldberg is the voice of Mother Goose in this all-star, all-rhyming tale set in multi-ethnic nursery-rhyme land.


Murder in Mind
1997 · 1h 28m
country: United Kingdom
The L.A. police find two bodies in a fancy house and suspect the wife of one victim. Dr. Ellis, a hypnotherapist, takes her back in time; with the police listening, a pattern of spousal abuse emerges. When each trance ends, however, the woman, Carolyn Walker, wonders if those repressed memories are true. Dr. Ellis guides her through her trial, testifies himself, and continues treatment after the verdict is in. Carolyn's memory and well-being get worse after the trial, not better. She misses some therapy sessions, and Dr. Ellis comes to see her at home. Snatches of memory come and go. Can he help her remember what really happened? Are the cops satisfied justice has been done?


Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
1997 · 1h 34m
country: United States
Interviews and film clips re-create the glorious history of the American western.


Marshal Law
1996 · 1h 36m
country: United States
A former cop in Texas comes into action when a gang threatens his family.


Animal Charm: Golden Digest
1996 · 1h 26m
country: United States
Animal Charm makes videos from other people's videos. By compositing TV and reducing it to a kind of tic-ridden babble, they force television to not make sense. While this disruption is playful, it also reveals an overall 'essence' of mass culture that would not be apprehended otherwise. Videos such as Stuffing, Ashley, and Lightfoot Fever upset the hypnotic spectacle of TV viewing, revealing how advertising creates anxiety, how culture constructs "nature" and how conventional morality is dictated through seemingly neutral images. By forcing television to convulse like a raving lunatic, we might finally hear what it is actually saying.


My Family
1995 · 2h 8m
country: United Kingdom
Traces over three generations an immigrant family's trials, tribulations, tragedies, and triumphs. Maria and Jose, the first generation, come to Los Angeles, meet, marry, face deportation all in the 1930s. They establish their family in East L.A., and their children Chucho, Paco, Memo, Irene, Toni, and Jimmy deal with youth culture and the L.A. police in the '50s. As the second generation become adults in the '60s, the focus shifts to Jimmy, his marriage to Isabel (a Salvadorian refugee), their son, and Jimmy's journey to becoming a responsible parent.


Solomon & Sheba
1995 · 1h 29m
country: United States
In the land of Israel, Solomon (Jimmy Smits) is trying to figure out a way to become the world’s supplier of frankincense. He sends an envoy to the tiny country of Sheba to announce his intentions. The Queen of Sheba, Nikaule (Halle Berry), is outraged by Solomon’s greedy plan.


The Cisco Kid
1994 · 1h 31m
country: United States
This update of the 1950 western TV series changes Cisco and Pancho from wandering heroes of the old west to somewhat anti-"gringo" Mexican revolutionaries.


Gross Misconduct
1993 · 1h 30m
country: Australia
Justin Thorne is a liberal arts professor. One of his college students is Jennifer Carter. She seduces Justin, then accuses him of rape. But it turns out that she has an unusual relationship with her father.


The Broken Cord
1992 · 1h 40m
country: United States
Fact-based story of an idealistic single dad who discovers that his beloved Native American adopted son is afflicted with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and complicates his life with the woman who becomes his wife.


Fires Within
1991 · 1h 26m
country: United States
A Cuban emigre, living in Miami and involved in an affair with the American seaman who rescued her and her daughter years earlier, must face her husband after he is unexpectedly released from a Cuban prison.


Switch
1991 · 1h 44m
country: United States
Steve Brooks, a sexist womanizer, is killed by a group of his angry former lovers. In heaven, he makes a bargain with God for redemption and agrees to return to Earth. Once there, he must have a sincere relationship with a female and make her fall in love with him. If not, Steve's soul will become the property of the devil. But the devil hedges his bet, and Steve is reincarnated as a woman named Amanda Brooks.


Vital Signs
1990 · 1h 42m
country: United States
As they enter their third year of medical school, a group of young students must prepare to decide what they intend to specialize in. Somehow, they must impress the Chief of Surgery while learning how to survive the life-and-death area of medicine and the complexity of their everyday lives.


Old Gringo
1989 · 2h
country: United States
A writer forms a triangle with a schoolmarm and a Mexican general on the run.


Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988 · 45m
country: United States
This film combines live action/original animation and library animation. Mickey steals a magic hat from a Sorcerer and is put under a spell by the angry magi so that no one will recognize him until he finds his own magic within. While Mickey is on his quest, network news teams around the country desperately try to find the famous, beloved mouse who has mysteriously disappeared. On his quest, Mickey pays a visit to the patrons of "Cheers", meets up with the Keatons from "Family Ties", and winds up on Disneyland's Main Street the night before his Birthday celebration is to take place. It is there that he finds he has all the magic inside him that he will ever need. The spell is broken and the Birthday bash commences as the whole World celebrates the beloved Mickey Mouse.


Glitz
1988 · 1h 38m
country: United States
Vincent Marra is a Miami cop on medical leave in Puerto Rico, where he's being stalked by a sex offender he testified against.


Stamp of a Killer
1987 · 1h 35m
country: United States
A pregnant mother and her young son become the target of a killer.


The Believers
1987 · 1h 54m
country: United States
Mourning the accidental death of his wife and having just moved to New York with his young son, laconic police psychologist Cal Jamison is reluctantly drawn into a series of grisly, ritualistic murders involving the immolation of two youths.


Hotshot
1987 · 1h 39m
country: United States
The story of an American soccer player trying to make it big who turns to Pele, the greatest soccer player of all time, for guidance.


L.A. Law: Pilot
1986 · 1h 37m
country: Unknown
Pilot episode for the TV series introduces the lawyers and employees of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak, a Los Angeles law firm, in dealing with their courtroom cases and personal matters out of the courthouse. While the entire office deals with the unexpected death of one of the founding senior partners, Norman Chaney, junior partner Michael Kuzak reluctantly takes on the defense of a wealthy and spoiled young man, accused with two friends, of raping a woman dying from leukemia. While intern Abby Perkins deals with her abusive alcoholic husband, divorce lawyer Arnie Becker takes advantage of his latest client caught up in her divorce. Public defender Victor Sifuentes is also offered to join the firm, while the ruthless managing partner, Douglas Brackman, deals with a surprising revelation from his new secretary.


Running Scared
1986 · 1h 47m
country: United States
Two street-wise Chicago cops have to shake off some rust after returning from a Key West vacation to pursue a drug dealer that nearly killed them in the past.


Rockabye
1986 · 2h
country: United States
A young woman, striking out on her own after having left her husband in California, has her young son snatched from her moments after getting off the bus in New York City on her way to Vermont, and reluctantly accepts the help of a hard-nosed reporter in tracking him down after being given the runaround from the police.


Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
1984 · 1h 32m
country: United States
Miami detective Sonny Crockett reluctantly teams with New York City cop Rico Tubbs when both of them end up pursuing a drug dealer who killed their respective partners.