Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in Miami Vice (1984–1989), actor in and director of American Me (1992), William Adama in the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica (2004–2009), teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver (1988), and Detective Gaff in Blade Runner (1982), and its sequel Blade Runner 2049 (2017). In 2018, he played the father of two members of an outlaw motorcycle club in the FX series Mayans MC.
For his work in Miami Vice, Olmos won the 1985 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, as well as the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. For his performance in Stand and Deliver, Olmos was nominated for a Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role.
He is also known for his roles as patriarch Abraham Quintanilla in the film Selena, narrator El Pachuco in both the stage and film versions of Zoot Suit, and the voice of Chicharrón in Coco.
Over the course of his career, Olmos has been a pioneer for more diversified roles and images of Hispanics in the U.S. media. His notable direction, production, and starring roles for films, made-for-TV movies, and TV shows include Wolfen, Triumph of the Spirit, Talent for the Game, American Me, The Burning Season, My Family/Mi Familia, Caught, 12 Angry Men, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, Walkout, The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit, American Family, and Dexter. Description above from the Wikipedia article Edward James Olmos, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Outlaw Posse
Ossie
2024

Exile Nation: The Plastic People
Narrator (voice)
2014

2 Guns
Papi Greco
2013

Filly Brown
Leandro
2013

The Green Hornet
Michael Axford
2011

I'm Still Here
Edward James Olmos
2010

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
Commander William Adama
2009

Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Diablo (voice)
2008

Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner
Self
2007

Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard
Self
2007
Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling
Self
2007

Battlestar Galactica: Razor
Admiral William Adama
2007

Splinter
Captain garcia
2006
Recycled Life
Narrator
2006

In the Time of the Butterflies
Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
2001

The Judge
Judge Armando Acosta
2001

Gossip
Detective Curtis
2000

Zapatista
Narrator (voice)
1999

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
Vamanos
1998

12 Angry Men
Juror 11
1997

Hollywood Confidential
Stan Navarro, Sr.
1997

Selena Remembered
Narrator (voice)
1997

Selena
Abraham Quintanilla
1997

Caught
Joe
1996

My Family
Paco
1995

Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)
1994

American Me
Montoya Santana
1992

Talent for the Game
Virgil Sweet
1991

Stand and Deliver
Jaime A. Escalante
1988
Blue Collar & Buddha
Narrator
1986

Blade Runner
Gaff
1982

Zoot Suit
El Pachuco
1981

Virus
Captain Lopez
1980

Evening in Byzantium
Angelo
1978
Blue Collar & Buddha

One Fast Move
Abel
2024

La Californie !
Self - Actor · (3 episodes)
2023

100 Years of Warner Bros.
Self · (2 episodes)
2023

Marvel's Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur
Molecule Man (voice) · (2 episodes)
2023

Chasing Wonders
Luis
2021

The Blade Runner Phenomenon
Self - Actor (Gaff)
2021

Walking with Herb
Joe Amable-Amo
2021

The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
Self
2020

Space Songs: Through the Distance
Self
2020

Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
Self
2019

Imprisoned
Hospicio
2019

The Devil Has a Name
Santiago
2019

Carlos Almaraz: Playing with Fire
Self
2019

Windows on the World
Balthazar
2019

Bless This Mess
Randy · (1 episode)
2019

A Dog's Way Home
Axel
2019

Mayans M.C.
Felipe Reyes · (50 episodes)
2018

The Eyes of Martin Castillo
Martin Castillo (archive footage)
2018

Every Night's a Saturday Night
Self
2018

Coco
Chicharrón (voice)
2017

Blade Runner 2049
Gaff
2017

Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
Gaff (voice)
2017

LA 92
Self (archive footage)
2017

L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later
Himself
2017

Monday Nights at Seven
Charlie
2016

Americano
Gayo (voice)
2016

Unity
Narrator (voice)
2015

The Journey of a Female Comic
2014

The Real History of Science Fiction
Himself · (2 episodes)
2014

Agave is Life
Narrator (voice)
2014

Go for Sisters
Freddy Suárez
2013

Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Robert Gonzales · (5 episodes)
2013

A Bridge Apart
(Voice)
2013

America
Mr. Irving
2011

Portlandia
Edward James Olmos · (1 episode)
2011

A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story
Narrator
2009
Dave Navarro's Spread
(1 episode)
2007

Dexter
James Gellar · (0 episode)
2006

Dexter
Prof. James Gellar · (10 episodes)
2006

Eureka
First sled dog · (1 episode)
2006

Walkout
Julian Nava
2006
La Cerca
Narrator / Old Niño
2005

Battlestar Galactica
William Adama · (73 episodes)
2004

The Batman
Chief Rojas (voice) · (1 episode)
2004

Battlestar Galactica
Commander Adama · (2 episodes)
2003
Greetings From Tucson
Priest · (1 episode)
2002

The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002

George Lopez
Mr. Vega · (1 episode)
2002

American Family
Jess Gonzalez · (35 episodes)
2002

The Judge
Judge Armando Acosti · (2 episodes)
2001

The Princess and the Barrio Boy
Nestor Garcia
2000

The Road to El Dorado
Chief (voice)
2000
The Unfinished Journey
Narrator (voice)
1999

The West Wing
Roberto Mendoza · (2 episodes)
1999

Bonanno: A Godfather's Story
Gaspar DiGregario (Young)
1999

The Wall
Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
1998

The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
Det. Anthony Piscotti
1998
Prophecies of the Millennium
Host
1997
Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika
Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist
1997

Gun
Father Santos
1997

Gun
Father Santos · (6 episodes)
1997

Death in Granada
1996

E! True Hollywood Story
(1 episode)
1996

The Limbic Region
Lucca
1996

The Rosie O'Donnell Show
Self · (1 episode)
1996

Dead Man's Walk
Captain Salazar · (3 episodes)
1996

Mirage
Matteo Juarez
1995

500 Nations
(8 episodes)
1995

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Rey Emiliano (voice) · (1 episode)
1995

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
El Murcielago (voice) · (1 episode)
1995

Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Jimenez (voice) · (1 episode)
1995

Slave of Dreams
1995

Touched by an Angel
Col. Victor Walls · (1 episode)
1994

The Burning Season
Wilson Pinheiro
1994

The Magic School Bus
(voice) · (1 episode)
1994

Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
Jose Menendez
1994

A Million to Juan
The Angel
1994

Lives in Hazard
self
1994
Learning Not To Hurt
Self
1993

Roosters
Gallo Morales
1993
Maria's Story
José Serrano (voice)
1990

The Earth Day Special
Hospital Director
1990

The Simpsons
Pit Master (voice) · (1 episode)
1989

Triumph of the Spirit
Gypsy
1989

Miami Vice: Freefall
Lieutenant Martin Castillo
1989

The Fortunate Pilgrim
Frank Corbo · (2 episodes)
1988

Saving Grace
Ciolino
1986

Miami Vice: The Prodigal Son
Lieutenant Martin Castillo
1985

Miami Vice
Martin Castillo · (111 episodes)
1984

The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
Gregorio Cortez
1983

The Nightingale
Prime Minister
1983

Faerie Tale Theatre
Prime Minister · (1 episode)
1982

Seguin
Gen. Santa Anna
1982

Wolfen
Eddie Holt
1981

Hill Street Blues
(3 episodes)
1981

300 Miles for Stephanie
Art Vela
1981

Dead Angle
1979

Alambrista!
1st Drunk
1977
Office Romance
Captain Jack Cruz

CHiPs
(1 episode)
1977

The Fitzpatricks
Don Vasquez · (1 episode)
1977

Starsky & Hutch
Julio Gutierez · (1 episode)
1975

The Blue Knight
Clemente (as Ed Olmos) · (1 episode)
1975

Aloha, Bobby and Rose
Chicano #1
1975

Police Woman
(1 episode)
1974

Kojak
Paco · (1 episode)
1973

Police Story
(1 episode)
1973

Cannon
(1 episode)
1971

Hawaii Five-O
Dancer · (1 episode)
1968