Edward James Olmos
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.
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Photos
Movies (102)
American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez
2026 · Narrator – El Pachuco (voice)
Turbulencia En La Oficina
2026 · Captain Jack Cruz
Mami Está Aquí
2026 · Mr. Jimenez
Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood
2026 · self
Say a Little Prayer
2024 · Executive Producer
Una maniobra arriesgada
2024 · Abel
Outlaw Posse
2024 · Ossie
Chasing Wonders
2021 · Luis
The Blade Runner Phenomenon
2021 · Self - Actor (Gaff)
Walking with Herb
2021 · Joe Amable-Amo
The Disney Family Singalong - Volume II
2020 · Self
Space Songs: Through the Distance
2020 · Self
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
2019 · Self
El Prisionero
2019 · Hospicio
The Devil Has a Name
2019 · Santiago, Director, Producer
Carlos Almaraz: El pintor que jugaba con fuego
2019 · Self
Windows on the World
2019 · Balthazar
Mis huellas a casa
2019 · Axel
The Eyes of Martin Castillo
2018 · Martin Castillo (archive footage)
Every Night's a Saturday Night
2018 · Self
Coco
2017 · Chicharrón (voice)
Blade Runner 2049
2017 · Gaff
Blade Runner: Black Out 2022
2017 · Gaff (voice)
LA 92
2017 · Self (archive footage)
L.A. Burning: The Riots 25 Years Later
2017 · Self
Monday Nights at Seven
2016 · Charlie
Americano
2016 · Gayo (voice)
Unity
2015 · Narrator (voice)
Exile Nation: The Plastic People
2014 · Narrator (voice)
The Journey of a Female Comic
2014
Agave is Life
2014 · Narrator (voice)
Go for Sisters
2013 · Freddy Suárez, Producer
Armados y peligrosos
2013 · Papi Greco
Filly Brown
2013 · Leandro, Executive Producer
A Bridge Apart
2013 · (Voice)
America
2011 · Mr. Irving
El Avispón Verde
2011 · Michael Axford
I'm Still Here
2010 · Edward James Olmos
Battlestar Galactica: The Plan
2009 · Commander William Adama, Director
A Class Apart: A Mexican American Civil Rights Story
2009 · Narrator
Una chihuahua de Beverly Hills
2008 · Diablo (voice)
Dangerous Days: Making Blade Runner
2007 · Self
Deck-A-Rep: The True Nature of Rick Deckard
2007 · Self
Fashion Forward: Wardrobe and Styling
2007 · Self
Battlestar Galactica: Razor
2007 · Admiral William Adama
Splinter
2006 · Captain garcia
Retirada
2006 · Julian Nava, Director
Recycled Life
2006 · Self - Narrator (voice)
La Cerca
2005 · Narrator / Old Niño
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002
En el tiempo de las mariposas
2001 · Rafael Leónidas Trujillo
The Judge
2001 · Judge Armando Acosta
The Princess and the Barrio Boy
2000 · Nestor Garcia
Gossip
2000 · Detective Curtis
El camino hacia El Dorado
2000 · Chief (voice)
The Unfinished Journey
1999 · Narrator (voice)
Zapatista
1999 · Narrator (voice)
Bonanno: A Godfather's Story
1999 · Salvatore Maranzano
The Wall
1998 · Col. Holst (segment "The Pencil Holder")
The Taking of Pelham One Two Three
1998 · Det. Anthony Piscotti
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit
1998 · Vamanos
Manu: Peru's Hidden Rain Forest
1997 · Narrator
12 Angry Men
1997 · Juror 11
Prophecies of the Millennium
1997 · Host
Hollywood Confidential
1997 · Stan Navarro, Sr.
Sunset Boulevard - 27 Meilen Amerika
1997 · Self - Actor, Director, Latino-Activist
Selena Remembered
1997 · Narrator (voice), Producer
Selena
1997 · Abraham Quintanilla
Death in Granada
1996 · Roberto Lozano
The Limbic Region
1996 · Lucca
Caught
1996 · Joe
Slave of Dreams
1995 · Potiphar
Mirage
1995 · Matteo Juarez
My Family
1995 · Paco
The Burning Season
1994 · Wilson Pinheiro
Menendez: A Killing in Beverly Hills
1994 · Jose Menendez
A Million to Juan
1994 · The Angel
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues
1994 · Musician at Barbecue (uncredited)
Lives in Hazard
1994 · self
Learning Not to Hurt
1993 · Self
Roosters
1993 · Gallo Morales
American Me
1992 · Montoya Santana, Director, Producer
Talent for the Game
1991 · Virgil Sweet
Maria's Story
1991 · José Serrano (voice)
The Earth Day Special
1990 · Hospital Director
Triumph of the Spirit
1989 · Gypsy
Miami Vice: Freefall
1989 · Lt. Martin Castillo
Stand and Deliver
1988 · Jaime A. Escalante
Blue Collar & Buddha
1986 · Narrator
Saving Grace
1986 · Ciolino
The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez
1983 · Gregorio Cortez, Original Music Composer, Associate Producer
The Nightingale
1983 · Prime Minister
Blade Runner
1982 · Gaff
Seguin
1982 · Gen. Santa Anna
Zoot Suit
1981 · El Pachuco
Wolfen
1981 · Eddie Holt
300 Miles for Stephanie
1981 · Art Vela
Virus
1980 · Captain Lopez
Dead Angle
1979
Alambrista!
1977 · 1st Drunk
Aloha Bobby and Rose
1975 · Chicano #1
Blue Collar & Buddha
TV shows (46)
M.I.A.
2026 · Isaac Rojas
La Californie !
2023 · Self - Actor
100 Años de Warner Bros.
2023 · Self
Moon Girl y Devil, el dinosaurio
2023 · Molecule Man (voice)
Chaparreando
2020 · Creator
Bless This Mess
2019 · Randy
Mayans M.C.
2018 · Felipe Reyes
The Real History of Science Fiction
2014 · Self
Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
2013 · Robert Gonzales
Portlandia
2011 · Edward James Olmos
Sangre Azul
2010 · Lorenzo Batista
Dave Navarro's Spread
2007
Dexter
2006 · James Gellar, Prof. James Gellar
Eureka
2006 · First sled dog
Battlestar Galactica
2004 · Admiral William Adama, Commander William Adama, Director
The Batman
2004 · Chief Rojas (voice)
Battlestar Galactica: La Miniserie
2003 · Commander Adama
Greetings from Tucson
2002 · Priest
George Lopez
2002 · Mr. Vega
American Family
2002 · Jess Gonzalez
The Judge
2001 · Judge Armando Acosti
The West Wing
1999 · Roberto Mendoza
Gun
1997 · Father Santos
E! True Hollywood Story
1996
The Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996 · Self
Dead Man's Walk
1996 · Captain Salazar
500 Nations
1995
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995 · Rey Emiliano (voice), El Murcielago (voice), Jimenez (voice)
Touched by an Angel
1994 · Col. Victor Walls
The Magic School Bus
1994 · Mr. Ramon (voice)
Los Simpson
1989 · Pit Master (voice)
The Fortunate Pilgrim
1988 · Frank Corbo
Miami Vice
1984 · Martin Castillo, Director
Faerie Tale Theatre
1982 · Prime Minister
American Playhouse
1982 · General Santa Anna, Gregorio Cortez, Jaime Escalante, Associate Producer, Original Music Composer
Hill Street Blues
1981 · Judge Cruz
Evening in Byzantium
1978 · Angelo
CHiPs
1977
The Fitzpatricks
1977 · Don Vasquez
Starsky & Hutch
1975 · Julio Gutierez
The Blue Knight
1975 · Clemente (as Ed Olmos)
Police Woman
1974
Kojak
1973 · Paco
Police Story
1973
Cannon
1971
Hawaii Five-O
1969 · Dancer