Paul Calderon
Born
January 25, 1952 (73 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Puerto Rico
He was born in Puerto Rico 1959. Calderon moved to New York with his family at the age of six, where he grew up on the streets of the Lower East Side and Spanish Harlem. Following some time in college, he enlisted in the United States Army and served overseas as an infantryman. Returning to the States, Calderon set his sights on an acting career. Starting out on the New York stage, he won an Obie Award for his performance in Blade to the Heat at the Public Theatre. His most notable Broadway role was opposite Robert De Niro in Cuba and His Teddy Bear. Calderon also appeared off-Broadway in such plays as Requiem For A Heavyweight and Divine Horsemen, and played Achilles in the New York Shakespeare Festival’s production of Troilus and Cressida in Central Park. He is a founding member of the Touchstone Theatre, the American Folk Theatre and the Labyrinth Theatre Company.
Calderon was originally slated to portray the role of Jules Winnfield in Pulp Fiction; Samuel L. Jackson was subsequently given the role.
Correction Samuel Jackson told Tarantino he had messed up by not casting him in Reservoir Dogs. Tarantino agreed and told him he was writing a script and had a character that he had written specifically with Jackson in mind. Calderon had a better initial reading than Jackson and Tarantino gave serious consideration to casting him as Jules Winnfield.
Calderon portrays Paul the bartender in dialogue scene between Butch Coolidge and Marsellus Wallace.
Calderon also co-wrote Abel Ferrara's 1992 crime drama Bad Lieutenant, starring Harvey Keitel.
Calderon acted in The Last Castle and the critically acclaimed independent feature Girlfight. His more than three dozen film credits also include Out of Sight, Cop Land, Four Rooms, Pulp Fiction, Bad Lieutenant, The Firm, The Addiction, Q & A, Sea of Love, Clockers and King of New York. In addition, he has made numerous guest appearances on television series, including recurring roles on Dream Street, Law & Order and Miami Vice.
In 2010, Calderon is set to star as The Businessman in Sanzhar Sultanov's crime drama - The Story.
Known For
Ironheart
CEO of Artworks · (2 episodes)
2025
Staging Anna
Director
2024
Justified: City Primeval
Raymond Cruz · (1 episode)
2023
East New York
Father Frank Suarez · (2 episodes)
2022
Bosch: Legacy
Det. Santiago 'Jimmy' Robertson · (10 episodes)
2022
Quentin Tarantino: From a Movie Buff to a Hollywood Legend
Self (archive footage)
2021
FBI
Fernando Perez · (1 episode)
2018
This Is Us
Older Risto Rivas · (1 episode)
2016
The Strike
Walt Whitman
2016
Blindspot
Drill Instructor · (1 episode)
2015
Fear the Walking Dead
Alejandro Núñez · (6 episodes)
2015
Bosch
Det. Santiago 'Jimmy' Robertson · (30 episodes)
2015
West End
Robert Mackey
2014
Madam Secretary
Foreign Minister Albert Rojas · (1 episode)
2014
Welcome to New York
Pierre
2014
Biodegradable
Profesor Lopez
2013
Bolaetrapo
Cuenta
2013
The Blacklist
Manuel Esteban · (1 episode)
2013
Elementary
Zuniga · (1 episode)
2012
Burning Daylight
Hughie Luke
2010
Blue Bloods
Lieutenant Perez · (1 episode)
2010
Gun
Detective Jenkins
2010
Down This Road
Father
2010
La Soga
2009
A Kiss of Chaos
Oscar Perez
2009
The Hungry Ghosts
Carl
2009
Lie to Me
Manny Trillo · (1 episode)
2009
Pistol Whipped
Blue
2008
The Black Donnellys
Detective at Prison · (1 episode)
2007
The Sentinel
Deputy Director Cortes
2006
Law & Order: Trial by Jury
Detective · (1 episode)
2005
21 Grams
Brown
2003
Kill the Poor
Carlos DeJesus
2003
The Last Castle
Dellwo
2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Marcus Feingold · (1 episode)
2001
Law & Order: Criminal Intent
Jojo Rios · (1 episode)
2001
The Education of Max Bickford
Danny Martinez · (1 episode)
2001
3 A.M.
Ralph
2001
The Atlantis Conspiracy
Guy
2001
Once in the Life
Manny Rivera
2000
Bait
Cop (uncredited)
2000
Girlfight
Sandro Guzman
2000
Oxygen
Jesse
1999
Third Watch
Bobby's father · (1 episode)
1999
Dellaventura
Detective Rosario · (1 episode)
1997
Penn & Teller Get Killed
Juan
1989
Sticky Fingers
Speed
1988
Prick
President
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Eric Molina · (1 episode)
1999
One Tough Cop
Sgt. Diaz
1998
Out of Sight
Raymond Cruz
1998
All Revved Up
Carl
1998
Montana
Boulez
1998
Cop Land
Hector - Medic
1997
Dark Angel
Vance Pickett
1996
Four Rooms
Norman
1995
Condition Red
Angel Delgado
1995
The Addiction
Professor
1995
Clockers
Jesus at Hambones
1995
Sweet Nothing
Ray
1995
Hand Gun
Landwick
1994
Pulp Fiction
Paul
1994
New York Undercover
Emilio Vasquez · (1 episode)
1994
The Firm
Thomas Richie
1993
Bad Lieutenant
Cop #1
1992
CrissCross
Blacky
1992
The Keys
Garcia
1992
Law & Order
Father Torres · (1 episode)
1990
Law & Order
Rodriguez · (1 episode)
1990
Law & Order
Jesse Castillo · (1 episode)
1990
Law & Order
Defense Attorney Palmieri · (1 episode)
1990
Law & Order
Kenneth Silva · (1 episode)
1990
King of New York
Joey Dalesio
1990
Q & A
Roger Montalvo
1990
Sea of Love
Serafino
1989
The Chair
Pizza
1988
Band of the Hand
Tito
1986
Doubletake
Bitong
1985
Miami Vice: The Prodigal Son
Gabriel
1985
Tenement
Hector
1985
The Equalizer
Rat Heart · (1 episode)
1985
The Equalizer
Chacon · (1 episode)
1985
Community Plot
1984
Miami Vice
Nicky · (1 episode)
1984
Miami Vice
Don Gallego · (1 episode)
1984