Jimmy Smits

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.

Known For

Birth Location Brooklyn, New York, USA
Born 1955-07-09

Movies

Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look as Bail Organa (archive footage) (uncredited)
2022
In the Heights as Kevin Rosario
2021
The Tax Collector as The Wizard
2020
Who We Are Now as Carl
2018
2016
2009
Backyard as Mickey Santos
2009
Roberto Clemente as Narrator
2008
2007
2005
Lackawanna Blues as Ruben Santiago Sr.
2005
2002
Bless the Child as Agent John Travis
2000
Price of Glory as Arturo Ortega
2000
2000
Lesser Prophets as Mike
1997
1997
Murder in Mind as Peter Walker
1997
Marshal Law as Jack Coleman
1996
Animal Charm: Golden Digest as Himself (Archival Footage)
1996
My Family as Jimmy
1995
Solomon & Sheba as King Solomon
1995
The Cisco Kid as Cisco Kid
1994
Gross Misconduct as Justin Thorne
1993
The Broken Cord as David Norwell
1992
Fires Within as Nestor
1991
Switch as Walter Stone
1991
Vital Signs as Dr. David Redding
1990
Old Gringo as Gen. Tomas Arroyo
1989
Mickey's 60th Birthday as Victor Sifuentes
1988
Glitz as Vincent Marra
1988
Stamp of a Killer as Richard Braden
1987
The Believers as Tom Lopez
1987
Hotshot as Stars Team Member
1987
L.A. Law: Pilot as Victor Sifuentes
1986
Running Scared as Julio Gonzales
1986
Rockabye as 2nd Policeman
1986
1984