Jimmy Smits
Born
July 9, 1955 (70 years old)
Known For
Acting
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York, USA
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
East New York
Chief John Suarez · (21 episodes)
2022
Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
Bail Organa (archive footage) (uncredited)
2022
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Senator Bail Organa · (3 episodes)
2022
In the Heights
Kevin Rosario
2021
The Tax Collector
The Wizard
2020
Bluff City Law
Elijah Strait · (10 episodes)
2019
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
Self
2019
Who We Are Now
Carl
2018
America's Untold Story
Self - Narrator · (4 episodes)
2017
24: Legacy
Senator John Donovan · (12 episodes)
2017
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
Bail Organa
2016
The Get Down
Francisco 'Papa Fuerte' Cruz · (11 episodes)
2016
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee
Dr. Fauci · (1 episode)
2016
The Late Late Show with James Corden
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
2015
How to Get Away with Murder
Isaac Roa · (13 episodes)
2014
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Victor Santiago · (2 episodes)
2013
Outlaw
Cyrus Garza · (8 episodes)
2010
Mother and Child
Paco
2009
Latin Music USA
Narrator · (4 episodes)
2009
Backyard
Mickey Santos
2009
Sons of Anarchy
Nero Padilla · (38 episodes)
2008
Roberto Clemente
Narrator
2008
Cane
Alex Vega · (13 episodes)
2007
The Jane Austen Book Club
Daniel
2007
Dexter
Miguel Prado · (12 episodes)
2006
¡Yo soy Boricua, pa' que tú lo sepas!
Himself
2006
Shelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
Self
2005
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
Senator Bail Organa
2005
Lackawanna Blues
Ruben Santiago Sr.
2005
The Tony Danza Show
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
2004
TV Revolution
(4 episodes)
2004
The Ellen DeGeneres Show
Self · (4 episodes)
2003
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
Senator Bail Organa
2002
America | A Tribute to Heroes
Self
2001
Latin Grammy Awards
Self · (3 episodes)
2000
Bless the Child
Agent John Travis
2000
Price of Glory
Arturo Ortega
2000
Adventures in Wild California
Narrator
2000
The Million Dollar Hotel
Geronimo
2000
The Early Show
Self · (1 episode)
1999
The West Wing
Matthew Santos · (35 episodes)
1999
ALMA Awards
(1 episode)
1998
Lesser Prophets
Mike
1997
Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special
Old King Cole (voice)
1997
The View
Self · (3 episodes)
1997
Murder in Mind
Peter Walker
1997
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
Self
1997
The West
Self · (9 episodes)
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self - Guest · (1 episode)
1996
Marshal Law
Jack Coleman
1996
Animal Charm: Golden Digest
Himself (Archival Footage)
1996
My Family
Jimmy
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Prince Felipe (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Old King Cole (voice) · (1 episode)
1995
Solomon & Sheba
King Solomon
1995
The Cisco Kid
Cisco Kid
1994
NYPD Blue
Bobby Simone · (110 episodes)
1993
Gross Misconduct
Justin Thorne
1993
The Tommyknockers
Jim 'Gard' Gardner · (2 episodes)
1993
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
(1 episode)
1992
The Broken Cord
David Norwell
1992
Fires Within
Nestor
1991
Switch
Walter Stone
1991
Cop Rock
Victor Sifuentes (uncredited) · (1 episode)
1990
Vital Signs
Dr. David Redding
1990
Old Gringo
Gen. Tomas Arroyo
1989
Mickey's 60th Birthday
Victor Sifuentes
1988
Glitz
Vincent Marra
1988
LIVE with Kelly and Mark
Self - Guest · (2 episodes)
1988
Stamp of a Killer
Richard Braden
1987
The Highwayman
Bo Ziker · (1 episode)
1987
The Believers
Tom Lopez
1987
Hotshot
Stars Team Member
1987
L.A. Law: Pilot
Victor Sifuentes
1986
L.A. Law
Victor Sifuentes · (105 episodes)
1986
Running Scared
Julio Gonzales
1986
Rockabye
2nd Policeman
1986
Spenser: For Hire
(1 episode)
1985
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
Eddie Rivera
1984
Miami Vice
Eddie Rivera · (1 episode)
1984
A Capitol Fourth
Self · (44 episodes)
1980
Saturday Night Live
Self - Host · (1 episode)
1975
Tony Awards
Self - Presenter · (1 episode)
1956
The Oscars
Self · (1 episode)
1953
Today
Self · (1 episode)
1952
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Nominee · (2 episodes)
1944
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Audience Member · (1 episode)
1944
Golden Globe Awards
Self - Winner · (1 episode)
1944