Jimmy Smits

Acting

Jimmy Smits

Born July 9, 1955Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA87 credits

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

Filmography

Dexter: Resurrection
2025Dexter: Resurrection
as Miguel PradoTV
East New York
2022East New York
as Chief John SuarezTV
Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
2022Andor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
as Bail Organa (archive footage) (uncredited)Movie
Obi-Wan Kenobi
2022Obi-Wan Kenobi
as Senator Bail OrganaTV
In the Heights
2021In the Heights
as Kevin RosarioMovie
The Tax Collector
2020The Tax Collector
as The WizardMovie
Bluff City Law
2019Bluff City Law
as Elijah StraitTV
Who We Are Now
2018Who We Are Now
as CarlMovie
America's Untold Story
2017America's Untold Story
as Self - NarratorTV
24: Legacy
201724: Legacy
as Senator John DonovanTV
The Get Down
2016The Get Down
as Francisco 'Papa Fuerte' CruzTV
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
2013Brooklyn Nine-Nine
as Victor SantiagoTV
Outlaw
2010Outlaw
as Cyrus GarzaTV
Latin Music USA
2009Latin Music USA
as NarratorTV
Backyard
2009Backyard
as Mickey SantosMovie
Sons of Anarchy
2008Sons of Anarchy
as Nero PadillaTV
Roberto Clemente
2008Roberto Clemente
as NarratorMovie
Cane
2007Cane
as Alex VegaTV
Dexter
2006Dexter
as Miguel PradoTV
Lackawanna Blues
2005Lackawanna Blues
as Ruben Santiago Sr.Movie
T
2004The Tony Danza Show
as Self - GuestTV
Bless the Child
2000Bless the Child
as Agent John TravisMovie
Price of Glory
2000Price of Glory
as Arturo OrtegaMovie
The West Wing
1999The West Wing
as Matthew SantosTV
The View
1997The View
as SelfTV
Murder in Mind
1997Murder in Mind
as Peter WalkerMovie
The West
1996The West
as SelfTV
Marshal Law
1996Marshal Law
as Jack ColemanMovie
Animal Charm: Golden Digest
1996Animal Charm: Golden Digest
as Himself (Archival Footage)Movie
My Family
1995My Family
as JimmyMovie
Solomon & Sheba
1995Solomon & Sheba
as King SolomonMovie
The Cisco Kid
1994The Cisco Kid
as Cisco KidMovie
NYPD Blue
1993NYPD Blue
as Bobby SimoneTV
Gross Misconduct
1993Gross Misconduct
as Justin ThorneMovie
The Tommyknockers
1993The Tommyknockers
as Jim 'Gard' GardnerTV
The Broken Cord
1992The Broken Cord
as David NorwellMovie
Fires Within
1991Fires Within
as NestorMovie
Switch
1991Switch
as Walter StoneMovie
Cop Rock
1990Cop Rock
as Victor Sifuentes (uncredited)TV
Vital Signs
1990Vital Signs
as Dr. David ReddingMovie
Old Gringo
1989Old Gringo
as Gen. Tomas ArroyoMovie
Mickey's 60th Birthday
1988Mickey's 60th Birthday
as Victor SifuentesMovie
Glitz
1988Glitz
as Vincent MarraMovie
Stamp of a Killer
1987Stamp of a Killer
as Richard BradenMovie
The Highwayman
1987The Highwayman
as Bo ZikerTV
The Believers
1987The Believers
as Tom LopezMovie
Hotshot
1987Hotshot
as Stars Team MemberMovie
L.A. Law: Pilot
1986L.A. Law: Pilot
as Victor SifuentesMovie
L.A. Law
1986L.A. Law
as Victor SifuentesTV
Running Scared
1986Running Scared
as Julio GonzalesMovie
Rockabye
1986Rockabye
as 2nd PolicemanMovie
Miami Vice
1984Miami Vice
as Eddie RiveraTV
Saturday Night Live
1975Saturday Night Live
as Self - HostTV
Tony Awards
1956Tony Awards
as Self - PresenterTV
Today
1952Today
as SelfTV
Golden Globe Awards
1944Golden Globe Awards
as Self - NomineeTV