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Esai Morales
Highest Rated: 100% More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story (2021)
Lowest Rated: 0% Imprisoned (2018)
Birthday: Oct 1, 1962
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York, USA
Handsome, charismatic and intense, actor Esai Morales' film debut as a brutal youth offender in "Bad Boys" (1983) was so chillingly convincing that he struggled against being confined to similar roles throughout the remainder of his career. After his near battle to the death against Sean Penn in "Bad Boys," Morales landed what would be his biggest cinematic success with the role of Richie Valens' mercurial older brother in the rock-n-roll box office hit "La Bamba" (1987). He stretched himself as an actor with admirable turns in films such as "Rapa-Nui" (1994), before finding his comfort zone as a member of generational ensemble pieces like the drama "Mi Familia" ("My Family") (1995), co-starring Edward James Olmos and Jimmy Smits. Morales helped break new ground with the Latino-centric series "Resurrection Blvd" (Showtime, 2000-03) and "American Family" (PBS, 2001-04), in addition to gaining wider visibility as a cast member on "NYPD Blue" (ABC, 1993-2005) during the same period. His opportunity to lead a high-profile series failed to take off, however, when the science-fiction soap opera "Caprica" (SyFy, 2009-2010) lasted for less than a season. Despite the challenges of finding work in projects that allowed him to break free of preconceived notions and ethnic stereotypes, Morales continued to work steadily in film and on television in roles both familiar and surprising.
Photos
Filmography
Movies
Credit | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Mission: Impossible 8 | Gabriel (Character) | - | 2025 |
20% |
|
Crescent City | Luke Carson (Character) | - | 2024 |
96% |
|
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One | Gabriel (Character) | $172.0M | 2023 |
71% |
|
Master Gardener | Neruda (Character) | $666.8K | 2022 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Latin from Manhattan | Unknown (Character) | - | 2022 |
No Score Yet |
|
Art of Love |
Professor / |
- | 2021 |
21% |
|
Senior Moment | Diego Lozana (Character) | $41.6K | 2021 |
100% |
|
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story | Self | - | 2021 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Find Your Groove | Self | - | 2020 |
64% | No Score Yet | The Wall of Mexico | Henry Arista (Character) | - | 2019 |
0% |
|
Imprisoned | Governor Mandera (Character) | $12.1K | 2018 |
51% |
|
Superfly | Adalberto Gonzalez (Character) | $20.5M | 2018 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Halfway There | ian sanchez (Character) | - | 2018 |
No Score Yet |
|
Casa Vita | Rodrigo Vita (Character) | - | 2016 |
No Score Yet |
|
Never Back Down: No Surrender | Unknown (Character) | - | 2016 |
56% |
|
Spare Parts | Mr. Santillan (Character) | $3.6M | 2015 |
No Score Yet |
|
Jarhead 2: Field of Fire | Capt.Jones (Character) | - | 2014 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Playin' for Love | Principle Jose Marti (Character) | - | 2013 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Saving Westbrook High |
Manny (Character), Executive Producer |
- | 2013 |
No Score Yet |
|
Seattle Superstorm | Tom Reynolds (Character) | - | 2012 |
4% |
|
Atlas Shrugged: Part 2 | Francisco d'Anconia (Character) | $3.3M | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | We Have Your Husband | Eduardo (Character) | - | 2011 |
65% |
|
Gun Hill Road | Enrique (Character) | $149.0K | 2011 |
64% |
|
Cherry | Wes (Character) | $11.1K | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
King of the Avenue | Natas (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Panic Nation | Unknown (Character) | - | 2010 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Line | Pelon (Character) | - | 2008 |
No Score Yet |
|
Kill Kill Faster Faster | Markie (Character) | - | 2008 |
49% |
|
Fast Food Nation | Tony (Character) | $1.0M | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Virgin of Juarez | Father Herrera (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet |
|
How to Go Out on a Date in Queens | Frankie (Character) | - | 2006 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Heartless |
Rick Benes/ |
- | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
American Fusion | Jose (Character) | - | 2005 |
No Score Yet |
|
Once Upon a Wedding | Pineda (Character) | - | 2005 |
53% |
|
Paid in Full | Lulu (Character) | $3.0M | 2002 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Adventures of Tom Thumb & Thumbelina | Vargas Mouse (Voice) | - | 2002 |
29% |
|
American Virgin | Jim the Director (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Elián González Story | Juan Miguel Gonzalez (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Doomsday Man | Mike (Character) | - | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Southern Cross | Philip Solano (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Atomic Train | Noris MacKenzie (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet |
|
Atomic Train | Unknown (Character) | - | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Circle of Deceit | Jeff Silva (Character) | - | 1998 |
83% |
|
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit | Dominguez (Character) | - | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dog Watch | Murrow (Character) | - | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story | Federico Pena (Character) | - | 1996 |
29% |
|
The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca | Ricardo (Character) | $226.4K | 1996 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Scorpion Spring | Astor (Character) | - | 1995 |
79% |
|
My Family/Mi Familia | Chucho (Character) | $11.1M | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Deadlock 2 | Tony Archer (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Livers Ain't Cheap | Collin (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Deadlocked: Escape From Zone 14 | Tony Archer (Character) | - | 1995 |
No Score Yet |
|
Rapa Nui | Make (Character) | $286.6K | 1994 |
12% |
|
In the Army Now | Sgt. Stern (Character) | $28.9M | 1994 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Don't Do It! | Charles (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
The Burning Season | Jair (Character) | - | 1994 |
No Score Yet |
|
Ultraviolet | Nicholas Walker (Character) | - | 1992 |
25% |
|
Freejack | Ripper (Character) | $15.8M | 1992 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Deadline | Jim Duran (Character) | - | 1992 |
No Score Yet |
|
Naked Tango | Zico Borenstein (Character) | $80.9K | 1991 |
No Score Yet |
|
Bloodhounds of Broadway | Handsome Jack (Character) | $25.8K | 1989 |
44% |
|
The Principal | Raymi Rojas (Character) | $18.8M | 1987 |
83% |
|
La Bamba | Bob Morales (Character) | $52.7M | 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | L.A. Bad | Neekos Valdez (Character) | - | 1985 |
90% |
|
Bad Boys | Paco Moreno (Character) | - | 1983 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Forty Deuce | Mitchell (Character) | - | 1982 |
TV
Credit | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
88% | 85% | How to Get Away With Murder | Jorge Castillo (Guest Star) | 2020 |
89% | 67% | Titans | Deathstroke (Character) | 2019 |
No Score Yet | 63% | NCIS: Los Angeles | NCIS Deputy Director Louis Ochoa (Guest Star) | 2018-2019 |
82% | 85% | Ozark | Del (Character) | 2017-2018 |
No Score Yet | 89% | Chicago P.D. | Chief Lugo (Guest Star) | 2017 |
25% | 47% | Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders | Section Chief Mateo Cruz (Guest Star) | 2017 |
No Score Yet | 80% | Blue Bloods | Sgt. Trey Delgado (Guest Star) | 2015-2016 |
No Score Yet | 85% | From Dusk Till Dawn | Lord Amancio Malvado (Character) | 2015 |
55% | 84% | The Brink | Julian Navarro (Character) | 2015 |
No Score Yet | 83% | Criminal Minds | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2013-2015 |
No Score Yet | 78% | Major Crimes | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2013 |
65% | 72% | Magic City | Carlos Ruiz (Guest Star) | 2013 |
57% | 64% | Fairly Legal | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2012 |
78% | 83% | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Jimmy Vasquez (Guest Star) | 2012 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Talk | Guest | 2011 |
81% | 86% | Caprica | Joseph Adama (Character) | 2010-2011 |
No Score Yet | 65% | CSI: Miami | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Wendy Williams Show | Guest | 2010 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Dora the Explorer | Papi (Voice) | 2002 2009 |
54% | 84% | Jericho | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2008 |
88% | 95% | Burn Notice | Ernie Paseo (Guest Star) | 2007 |
62% | No Score Yet | Vanished |
Agent Michael Tyner (Character), Unknown (Guest Star) |
2006 |
6% | No Score Yet | Freddie | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2005 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | American Family | Esteban Gonzalez (Character) | 2002 2004 |
83% | 93% | NYPD Blue | Lt. Tony Rodriguez (Character) | 2001-2004 |
No Score Yet | 83% | George Lopez | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2002 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Family Law | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Resurrection Blvd. | Unknown (Guest Star) | 2000 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Daily Show | Guest | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | L.A. Doctors | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1999 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Hunger | Unknown (Character) | 1997 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Outer Limits | Frank Kelton (Character) | 1997 |
82% | 91% | Tales From the Crypt | Unknown (Character) | 1994 |
No Score Yet | 83% | The Twilight Zone | Unknown (Character) | 1989 |
71% | 88% | Miami Vice | Felipe Cruz (Guest Star) | 1985 1987 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | Fame | Unknown (Guest Star) | 1985 |
No Score Yet | No Score Yet | The Equalizer | Officer Miguel Canterra (Guest Star) | 1985 |