Acting · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA · 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.
TVDexter: Resurrection
2025
as Miguel Prado
TVEast New York
2022
as Chief John Suarez
MovieAndor: A Disney+ Day Special Look
2022
as Bail Organa (archive footage) (uncredited)
TVObi-Wan Kenobi
2022
as Senator Bail Organa
MovieIn the Heights
2021
as Kevin Rosario
MovieThe Tax Collector
2020
as The Wizard
TVBluff City Law
2019
as Elijah Strait
MovieRaúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
2019
as Self
MovieWho We Are Now
2018
as Carl
TVAmerica's Untold Story
2017
as Self - Narrator
TV24: Legacy
2017
as Senator John Donovan
MovieRogue One: A Star Wars Story
2016
as Bail Organa
TVThe Get Down
2016
as Francisco 'Papa Fuerte' Cruz
TVFull Frontal with Samantha Bee
2016
as Dr. Fauci
TVThe Late Late Show with James Corden
2015
as Self - Guest
TVHow to Get Away with Murder
2014
as Isaac Roa
TVBrooklyn Nine-Nine
2013
as Victor Santiago
TVOutlaw
2010
as Cyrus Garza
MovieMother and Child
2009
as Paco
TVLatin Music USA
2009
as Narrator
MovieBackyard
2009
as Mickey Santos
TVSons of Anarchy
2008
as Nero Padilla
MovieRoberto Clemente
2008
as Narrator
TVCane
2007
as Alex Vega
MovieThe Jane Austen Book Club
2007
as Daniel
TVDexter
2006
as Miguel Prado
Movie¡Yo soy Boricua, pa' que tú lo sepas!
2006
as Himself
MovieShelter from the Storm: A Concert for the Gulf Coast
2005
as Self
MovieStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith
2005
as Senator Bail Organa
MovieLackawanna Blues
2005
as Ruben Santiago Sr.
The Tony Danza Show
2004
as Self - Guest
TV Revolution
2004
TVThe Ellen DeGeneres Show
2003
as Self
MovieThe Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema
2002
MovieStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones
2002
as Senator Bail Organa
MovieAmerica | A Tribute to Heroes
2001
as Self
TVLatin Grammy Awards
2000
as Self
MovieBless the Child
2000
as Agent John Travis
MoviePrice of Glory
2000
as Arturo Ortega
MovieAdventures in Wild California
2000
as Narrator
MovieThe Million Dollar Hotel
2000
as Geronimo
TVThe Early Show
1999
as Self
TVThe West Wing
1999
as Matthew Santos
ALMA Awards
1998
MovieLesser Prophets
1997
as Mike
MovieMother Goose: A Rappin' and Rhymin' Special
1997
as Old King Cole (voice)
TVThe View
1997
as Self
MovieMurder in Mind
1997
as Peter Walker
MovieBig Guns Talk: The Story of the Western
1997
as Self
TVThe West
1996
as Self
TVThe Rosie O'Donnell Show
1996
as Self - Guest
MovieMarshal Law
1996
as Jack Coleman
MovieAnimal Charm: Golden Digest
1996
as Himself (Archival Footage)
MovieMy Family
1995
as Jimmy
TVHappily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
1995
as Prince Felipe (voice)
MovieSolomon & Sheba
1995
as King Solomon
MovieThe Cisco Kid
1994
as Cisco Kid
TVNYPD Blue
1993
as Bobby Simone
MovieGross Misconduct
1993
as Justin Thorne
TVThe Tommyknockers
1993
as Jim 'Gard' Gardner
TVThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno
1992
MovieThe Broken Cord
1992
as David Norwell
MovieFires Within
1991
as Nestor
MovieSwitch
1991
as Walter Stone
TVCop Rock
1990
as Victor Sifuentes (uncredited)
MovieVital Signs
1990
as Dr. David Redding
MovieOld Gringo
1989
as Gen. Tomas Arroyo
MovieMickey's 60th Birthday
1988
as Victor Sifuentes
MovieGlitz
1988
as Vincent Marra
TVLIVE with Kelly and Mark
1988
as Self - Guest
MovieStamp of a Killer
1987
as Richard Braden
TVThe Highwayman
1987
as Bo Ziker
MovieThe Believers
1987
as Tom Lopez
MovieHotshot
1987
as Stars Team Member
MovieL.A. Law: Pilot
1986
as Victor Sifuentes
TVL.A. Law
1986
as Victor Sifuentes
MovieRunning Scared
1986
as Julio Gonzales
MovieRockabye
1986
as 2nd Policeman
TVSpenser: For Hire
1985
MovieMiami Vice: Brother's Keeper
1984
as Eddie Rivera
TVMiami Vice
1984
as Eddie Rivera
TVA Capitol Fourth
1980
as Self
TVSaturday Night Live
1975
as Self - Host
TVTony Awards
1956
as Self - Presenter
TVThe Oscars
1953
as Self
TVToday
1952
as Self
TVGolden Globe Awards
1944
as Self - Nominee
