Biografía

Is co-founder, with Sonia Braga and Jimmy Smits of the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts.

He originally auditioned for the role of Ritchie Valens in La bamba (1987), and Lou Diamond Phillips originally auditioned for the role of Roberto "Bob" Morales.

He participated in the 2011 National Record-A-Thon by recording children's book titles for the RFB&D (Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic) audiobook library.

His first name frequently appears in crossword puzzles, since it is rare to find an English four-letter word that is 75% vowels, and especially rare for such a word to end in a vowel.

Studied at Manhattan's High School for the Performing Arts.

Being an actor you have a lot of expenses.

I remember doing 'La Bamba' and thinking, 'Do you really think that Latinos will be accepted in mainstream?' and I said, 'Someday I hope so, but there is no guarantee.'

Well, actually yes, in 1988. There was a warrant for me because my assistant hadn't paid a ticket of mine.

I believe if people understood each other more, if people took the time and realize it's not 'all about me' and I'm on a big planet with a lot of other people and concerns, maybe we can learn how to get along with each other.

Shows like 'Seinfeld' and 'Friends,' they have, like, one or two damn characters throughout the whole series that are minorities.