Edward James Olmos was born on February 24, 1947 in East Los Angeles, California, USA. He is an Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated American actor and director.

Olmos got his first big break in the stage production of Zoot Suit in 1978. He later reprised his role in the 1981 film version. His film career steadily grew with supporting roles in a number of films, including Blade Runner (1982).

In 1988, Olmos starred in the inspirational film Stand and Deliver, which follows the real-life story of teacher Jaime Escalante.

He also appeared in Roosters (1993), Disturbing the Peace (1996), Caught (1996) and Jack and Marilyn (2002).

He directed, produced, and starred in American Me (1992), a film that looked at gangs and prison life. Olmos also directed Walkout (2006).

Olmos has returned to acting on television in recent years, playing Admiral William Adama on the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica (2004-2007).

In 1971, Olmos married Kaija Keel but they divorcing in 1992. He married actress Lorraine Bracco in 1994, but they divorced in January 2002. He is currently married to Puerto Rican actress Lymari Nadal.

Filmography

• Four Fags in a Fabulous Car (2009)
• Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008) (voice)
• "Battlestar Galactica" (54 episodes, 2004-2008)
• Battlestar Galactica: Razor (2007) (TV)
• "George Lopez" (1 episode, 2007)
• Splinter (2006)
• Walkout (2006) (TV)
• Cerca, La (2005)
• "The Batman" (1 episode, 2004)
• Battlestar Galactica (2003) (TV)
• "Greetings from Tucson" (1 episode, 2003)
• "American Family" (17 episodes, 2002)
• Jack and Marilyn (2002)
• In the Time of the Butterflies (2001) (TV)
• The Judge (2001) (TV)
• The Princess & the Barrio Boy (2000) (TV)
• "Great Writers, Great Cities" (1 episode, 2000)
• Gossip (2000)
• The Road to El Dorado (2000) (voice)
• "The West Wing" (2 episodes, 1999-2000)
• Bonanno: A Godfather's Story (1999) (TV)
• The Wall (1998) (TV)
• "Touched by an Angel" (2 episodes, 1997-1998)
• The Taking of Pelham One Two Three (1998) (TV)
• The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit (1998)
• 12 Angry Men (1997) (TV)
• Prophecies of the Millennium (1997) (TV)
• The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997)
• "Gun" (1 episode, 1997)
• Hollywood Confidential (1997) (TV)
• Selena (1997)
• "Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child" (1 episode, 1997)
• Selena Remembered (1997) (V)
• The Limbic Region (1996) (TV)
• "Dead Man's Walk" (1996) (mini) TV mini-series
• Caught (1996)
• Disturbing the Peace (1996)
• Slave of Dreams (1995) (TV)
• "The Magic School Bus" (1 episode, 1995)
• 15th Annual Tejano Music Awards (1995) (V)
• My Family (1995)
• "500 Nations" (1995) (mini) TV mini-series (voice)
• Mirage (1995)
• The Burning Season (1994) (TV)
• Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills (1994) (TV)
• A Million to Juan (1994)
• "Babylon 5" (1 episode, 1994)
• Roosters (1993)
• Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993)
• American Me (1992)
• Talent for the Game (1991)
• Triumph of the Spirit (1989)
• "Miami Vice" (104 episodes, 1984-1989)
• "The Fortunate Pilgrim" (1988) (mini) TV mini-series
• Stand and Deliver (1988)
• Saving Grace (1985)
• Kaze no tani no Naushika (1984)
• "Hill Street Blues" (3 episodes, 1982-1984)
• "Faerie Tale Theatre" (1 episode, 1983)
• The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez (1982) (TV)
• Blade Runner (1982)
• "American Playhouse" (1 episode, 1982)
• Zoot Suit (1981)
• Wolfen (1981)
• Three Hundred Miles for Stephanie (1981) (TV)
• Fukkatsu no hi (1980) Evening in Byzantium (1978) (TV)
• "CHiPs" (1 episode, 1978)
• Alambrista! (1977) Man
• "Visions" (1 episode, 1977)
• "Hawaii Five-O" (1 episode, 1977)
• "Starsky and Hutch" (1 episode, 1977)
• "Police Woman" (1 episode, 1976)
• "The Blue Knight" (1 episode, 1976)
• "Kojak" (1 episode, 1975)
• Aloha, Bobby and Rose (1975)
• "Cannon" (1 episode, 1974)

Awards

• Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Series "The Burning Season" 1994
• Independent Spirit Award Best Actor "Stand and Deliver" 1988
• Golden Globe Award Best Supporting Actor in a Series, Mini-Series or Made-For-Television Movie "Miami Vice" 1985
• Emmy Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series "Miami Vice" 1984 - 1985
• Theatre World Award "Zoot Suit" 1979
• Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award "Zoot Suit" 1978