Luis Guzmán

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Luis Guzmán

Born	January 1, 1957 Cayey, Puerto Rico

Luis Guzmán (born January 1, 1957) is an American actor. Born in Cayey, Puerto Rico and raised in Manhattan, New York, he is best known for his character work. For much of his career, his squat build, wolfish features, and brooding countenance have garnered him roles largely as sidekicks, thugs, or policemen, but his later career has seen him move into more mainstream roles. He is a favorite of directors Steven Soderbergh, who cast him in Out of Sight, The Limey, and Traffic, and Paul Thomas Anderson, who cast him in Boogie Nights, Magnolia and Punch-Drunk Love.

Guzmán was born in Puerto Rico, but grew up in New York City's Greenwich Village neighborhood. A graduate of City College of New York, he actually began his career not as an actor, but as a social worker; however, he moonlighted as an actor and became heavily involved in street theater and independent films. He currently lives with his wife Angelita Galarza-Guzmán and their five children in Sutton, Vermont, where he owns a ranch called Wild Orchard Stables.

His numerous movie credits include Carlito's Way, Welcome to Collinwood, Stonewall, Waiting..., The Salton Sea, and Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events. He has also appeared on the TV shows Homicide: Life on the Street, Frasier and Oz and had a role in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and its prequel Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. Guzmán starred in the short-lived 2003 television comedy Luis, and is well known as a comentator on VH1's I Love the '80s and its sequels, including I Love the '70s and I Love the '90s.