CINEFILER

Jimmy Smits

Born
July 9, 1955
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
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
(2005)
Senator Bail Organa
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
(2016)
Bail Organa
The Tax Collector
(2020)
The Wizard
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
(2002)
Senator Bail Organa
Switch
(1991)
Walter Stone
Running Scared
(1986)
Julio Gonzales
My Family
(1995)
Jimmy
The Believers
(1987)
Tom Lopez
The Jane Austen Book Club
(2007)
Daniel
In the Heights
(2021)
Kevin Rosario
The Million Dollar Hotel
(2000)
Geronimo
Hotshot
(1987)
Stars Team Member
Bless the Child
(2000)
Agent John Travis
Backyard
(2009)
Mickey Santos
Fires Within
(1991)
Nestor
Mother and Child
(2009)
Paco
Full Filmography
Acting
Miami Vice: Brother's Keeper
(1984)
Eddie Rivera
Running Scared
(1986)
Julio Gonzales
Rockabye
(1986)
2nd Policeman
L.A. Law: Pilot
(1986)
Victor Sifuentes
The Believers
(1987)
Tom Lopez
Stamp of a Killer
(1987)
Richard Braden
Hotshot
(1987)
Stars Team Member
Glitz
(1988)
Vincent Marra
Mickey's 60th Birthday
(1988)
Victor Sifuentes
Old Gringo
(1989)
Gen. Tomas Arroyo
Vital Signs
(1990)
Dr. David Redding
Switch
(1991)
Walter Stone
Fires Within
(1991)
Nestor
The Broken Cord
(1992)
David Norwell
Gross Misconduct
(1993)
Justin Thorne
The Cisco Kid
(1994)
Cisco Kid
My Family
(1995)
Jimmy
Solomon & Sheba
(1995)
King Solomon
Marshal Law
(1996)
Jack Coleman
Animal Charm: Golden Digest
(1996)
Himself (Archival Footage)
Lesser Prophets
(1997)
Mike
Murder in Mind
(1997)
Peter Walker
Mother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special
(1997)
Old King Cole (voice)
Big Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
(1997)
Self
The Million Dollar Hotel
(2000)
Geronimo
Bless the Child
(2000)
Agent John Travis
Adventures in Wild California
(2000)
Narrator
Price of Glory
(2000)
Arturo Ortega
America: A Tribute to Heroes
(2001)
Self
Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
(2002)
Senator Bail Organa
Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
(2005)
Senator Bail Organa
Lackawanna Blues
(2005)
Ruben Santiago Sr.
A Concert for Hurricane Relief
(2005)
Self
¡Yo soy Boricua, pa' que tú lo sepas!
(2006)
Himself
The Jane Austen Book Club
(2007)
Daniel
Roberto Clemente
(2008)
Narrator
Backyard
(2009)
Mickey Santos
Mother and Child
(2009)
Paco
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
(2016)
Bail Organa
Who We Are Now
(2018)
Carl
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
(2019)
Self
The Tax Collector
(2020)
The Wizard
In the Heights
(2021)
Kevin Rosario
Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
(2022)
Bail Organa (archive footage) (uncredited)
Data provided by TMDB