List of Cuban Americans
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of famous Cuban Americans. Many Cubans fled to the United States after the Cuban Revolution in 1959. This list contains both nationalized Cuban-born Americans and naturally-born Americans of Cuban-descent.
Lists of famous Americans |
by U.S. state |
by ethnicity: |
African American |
Albanian | Arab |
Armenian | Australian |
Austrian | Bahamian |
Bangladeshi | Belgian |
Brazilian | Bulgarian |
Cajun |
Cambodian | Chinese |
Croatian | Cuban |
Danish | Dutch |
English | Estonian |
Filipino | Finnish |
French |
German | Greek |
Hapas | Hmong |
Hungarian |
Indian | Iranian |
Irish | Italian |
Jamaican | Japanese |
Jewish | Korean |
Laotian |
Louisiana Creole |
Mexican |
Muslim |
Native American |
Native Hawaiian |
Norwegian | Polish |
Portuguese | Romanian |
Russian | Salvadoran |
Scots-Irish | Scottish |
Swedish | Swiss |
Taiwanese | Ukrainian |
Vietnamese | Welsh |
Contents |
[edit] Business
- Alex Aguila, co-founder of Alienware
- Raul Alarcon, president and CEO of the Spanish Broadcasting System
- Ralph Alvarez, president and COO of McDonald's
- Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com
- Armando Codina, CEO of the Codina Group
- George Feldenkreis, CEO of Perry Ellis International
- Nelson Gonzalez, co-founder of Alienware
- Robert C. Goizueta, former CEO of the Coca-Cola Company
- Carlos Gutierrez, former CEO of Kellogg Company
- Enrique Lopez, CEO of IntelliType Corporation
- Alberto Vilar, philanthropist, former CEO of Amerindo Investment Advisers
[edit] Entertainment
[edit] Directors/Writers/Producers
- Desi Arnaz, producer (I Love Lucy, Star Trek, The Andy Griffith Show, Mission: Impossible, The Untouchables), creator of Desilu studios
- Manny Coto, executive producer (24), writer (24, Star Trek: Enterprise)
- Migdia Chinea, screenwriter
- Silvio Horta, creator (Ugly Betty), writer (Urban Legends, Jake 2.0, Ugly Betty)
- Brett Ratner, American-born director (Rush Hour, Red Dragon, X-Men 3)
- Jorge Reyes, poet, essayist, children's book, short-story writer, activist.
[edit] Actors
- Nelson Ascencio, comedian (Madtv)
- Desi Arnaz, actor (I Love Lucy)
- Desi Arnaz Jr., American-born actor
- Lucie Arnaz, American-born actress
- Steven Bauer, actor (Scarface)
- Bobby Cannavale, American-born actor (Third Watch, Will & Grace)
- Matt Cedeño, American-born actor and model
- Eddie Cibrian, American-born actor (Vanished, Invasion)
- Valerie Cruz, actress (Nip/Tuck)
- Rosario Dawson, American-born actress(Rent, Kids)
- Kamar de los Reyes, soap opera actor (One Life to Live)
- Cameron Diaz, American-born actress (There's Something About Mary, Charlie's Angels), host of MTV's Trippin'
- Mel Ferrer, American-born actor
- Daisy Fuentes, model and television personality (MTV's House of Style, Miss Universe co-host)
- David Fumero, soap opera actor (One Life to Live)
- David Gallagher (1985 - ) actor, perhaps best known for his role of Simon Camden on the television series 7th Heaven[1]
- Melissa Gallo (1982 - ) television actress, One Life to Live[2]
- Andy Garcia, Academy Award-nominated actor (The Godfather), (Ocean's Eleven, Oceans Twelve)
- Joanna García (1979 - ) film and television actress (Reba)[3]
- Jorge Garcia, actor (Lost)
- Odalys Garcia, singer, model and television personality
- Nona Gaye, American-born singer and actress (Ali)
- Vida Guerra, model
- Eva Mendes, American-born actress (Hitch, 2 Fast 2 Furious)
- Christina Milian, American-born singer and actress (Be Cool)
- Marilyn Milian, American-born television judge (The People's Court)
- Maria Lopez, Cuban-born television judge (Judge Maria Lopez)
- Luis Moro, American-Actor Independent Spirit Award Nominee (Anne B. Real) Best Actor Nomination ABFF (Love and Suicide)
- Enrique Murciano, American-born actor (Without a Trace)
- Chris Nuñez, artist and reality television personality (Miami Ink)
- Elizabeth Peña, American-born actress (Rush Hour)
- Danny Pino, American-born actor (Cold Case)
- Ana Maria Polo, television judge
- Mercedes Renard, actress
- Adam Rodriguez, actor (CSI: Miami)
- Cesar Romero, actor (The Joker on Batman)
- Mercedes Ruehl, American-born Academy Award-winning (The Fisher King) and Tony Award-winning actress
- Saundra Santiago, actress (Miami Vice, The Sopranos)
- Tessie Santiago, actress (Good Morning, Miami)
- Cristina Saralegui, magazine editor, talk show host (Cristina) and actress
- Jamie-Lynn Sigler (1981 - ) television actress (The Sopranos)[4]
- Oscar Torre, actor, "Movidas," "Libertad," "Hunting of Man," "Suicide Blonde"
- Gina Torres, actress (The Matrix Reloaded) and (The Matrix Revolutions)
- Bob Vila, television host (This Old House), author and actor (Home Improvement)
- Jordi Vilasuso (1981 - ) film/television actor[5]
[edit] Musicians
- Albita, Grammy-winning singer
- B Real, member of rap group Cypress Hill
- Irene Cara, Grammy-nominated singer (Flashdance), actress (Fame)
- Willy Chirino, singer
- Ana Cristina, singer
- Celia Cruz, multiple Grammy-winning singer
- Addys D'Mercedes, singer
- Emilio Estefan, five-time Grammy-winning producer
- Gloria Estefan, Grammy-winning and Academy Award-nominated singer
- Lola Falana, singer, actress and dancer
- Nona Gaye, singer and actress (Ali)
- Fat Joe, American-born rapper
- Al Jourgensen, musician
- La Lupe, singer and gay icon
- Dave Lombardo, Drummer
- Martika, Grammy-nominated singer
- Raul Malo, lead singer of American country music band, The Mavericks
- AJ McLean, member of the Backstreet Boys
- JD Natasha (1988 - ) Latin pop musician[6]
- Olivia Longott, rapper
- Pitbull, American-born rapper
- Carlos Ponce, singer and actor
- Rudy Sarzo, rock bassist (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne, Whitesnake, Manic Eden, Dio)
- Jon Secada, two-time Grammy-winning singer
- Tico Torres, drummer for Bon Jovi
- Sen Dog, Cuban rapper member of (Cypress Hill)
- Nil Lara, rock musician
- Don Dinero, Rapper
[edit] Journalists
- Liz Balmaseda, columnist Miami Herald
- Barbara Bermudo, anchor Primer Impacto
- Myrka Dellanos, fmr. anchor Primer Impacto
- Antonio Mora, anchor WBBM (CBS) in Chicago
- Belkys Nerey, anchor WSVN (Fox) in Miami
- Jackie Nespral, anchor WTVJ (NBC) in Miami
- Rick Sanchez, CNN anchor and reporter
- Enrique Teutelo, anchor/reporter WLTV 23 Univision Miami
- Soledad O'Brien, anchor CNN's American Morning
[edit] Politics and the Judiciary
[edit] United States Ambassadors
- Eduardo Aguirre, United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra
- Lino Gutierrez, former United States Ambassador to Argentina
[edit] United States Congress
- Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Florida's 21st district
- Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Florida's 25th district
- Joseph Marion Hernández, first Hispanic elected to the US Congress in 1822
- Mel Martinez, Chairman-elect of the Republican National Committee, United States Senator (R-Florida), former HUD secretary
- Robert Menendez, United States Senator (D-New Jersey)
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Republican member of the United States House of Representatives, representing Florida 18th district
- Albio Sires, Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing New Jersey's 13th district
- John E. Sununu, United States Senator, (R-New Hampshire)
[edit] Political Leaders
- Carlos Alvarez, mayor of Miami-Dade County
- Manny Diaz, mayor of Miami
- Joe Carollo, fmr. mayor of Miami
- Luis A. Ferré, former governor of Puerto Rico
- Carlos Gutierrez, United States Secretary of Commerce
- Bob Martinez, first Hispanic governor (R-FL) in U.S. history
- Elsa A. Murano, first Hispanic and first woman vice chancellor and dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Texas A&M University, first Hispanic to serve as Under Secretary for Food Safety at the United States Department of Agriculture
- Alex Penelas, fmr. mayor, (D-FL).Miami-Dade County, FL
- Otto Reich, fmr. Assistant Secretary of State for the Western Hemisphere
- Orlando Sanchez, current Harris County treasurer, former Houston City Councilmember and mayoral candidate
- Xavier Suarez, former mayor of Miami
- John H. Sununu, fmr. Governor of New Hampshire (R) and fmr. White House Chief of Staff under President George H. W. Bush.
- Jose O. Arango , fmr. State Assemblyman of New Jersey ([Republican Party ( United States), current [[Republican Party Chairman Hudson County,New Jersey,Honorary Councilman Oviedo (Spain) Principality of Asturias.
[edit] World leaders
- Éamon de Valera, 3rd president of Ireland
[edit] Judiciary
- Cecilia Altonaga, United States District Court Judge
- Danny Boggs, Chief judge of United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in Cincinnati, Ohio
- Raoul G. Cantero, III, Florida Supreme Court justice
[edit] Misc.
- Laz Alonso, American-born actor and BET personality
- Steve Bellán, also known as Esteban, nicknamed "The Cuban Sylph", was the first Cuban and the first Latin American to play professional baseball in the USA from 1869 to 1873.
- George J. Borjas, noted economist, Harvard University
- Fernando Bujones, died 2005, regarded as one of the finest male ballet dancers of the 20th century and hailed as the greatest American male dancer of his generation.
- José Canseco, fmr. MLB player, author (Juiced) and reality show contestant (The Surreal Life)
- Ivette Corredero, American-born reality show contestant (Big Brother 6)
- Vanessa Del Rio, American-born porn star
- Arturo Dulzaides, influential architect and structural engineer
- René Echevarria,From Tampa, FL, Screenwriter, Creator, Producer,Star Trek: Deep Space Nine 9.She Creature,The 4400
- Lily Estefan, co-host of Univision's El Gordo y la Flaca
- Alex Garcia, Food Network personality
- Erik Menendez, convicted murderer
- Lyle Menendez, convicted murderer
- Raul De Molina, co-host of Univision's El Gordo y la Flaca
- Pablo Morales, won a relay gold and two silver medals for the USA swimming Butterfly at the 1984 Summer Olympics.
- Alejandro Portes, prominent sociologist, Princeton University
- Jennifer Rodriguez, inline speed skating world champion (1993) and USA speedskater in the 1998, 2002, and 2006 Winter Olympics, winning two bronze medals in Salt Lake City in 2002.
- Narciso Rodriguez, American-born fashion designer.
- Alberto Salazar, winner of three consecutive New York City Marathons (1980 - 1982), the Boston Marathon (1982), and a member of the United States' Olympic marathon team (1984).
- Janu Tornell, American-born Las Vegas dancer and reality show contestant (Survivor)
- Alisa Valdes-Rodriguez, New York Times best-selling author (Dirty Girls Social Club)
- Dana Varela, American-born reality show contestant (Big Brother 4)
- Bob Vila, television host (This Old House), author and actor (Home Improvement)
- Pedro Zamora, AIDS activist, reality show contestant (The Real World: San Francisco)
[edit] Writers
- Jorge (Ivan) Reyes, memoirist, short-story writer, poet, children's books.
- Jose (Ramon) Vilahomat, poet, critic, children's books.
- Jose (Miguel) Vilahomat, short-fiction writer, children's book.
[edit] Footnotes
- ^ [1] "This half Irish, half Cuban actor can dance for six hours straight! "I'm proud to have the Latin hips," he says!"
- ^ [2] "She comes from "a big Cuban family, a lot of whom reside in the New York area"
- ^ [3] "Cuban descent actress Joanna Garcia"
- ^ Sigler - [4] "I'm half-Cuban -- my mother was born in Cuba and came here as a teenager -- so it's got a lot of Latin influence to it. It's pretty poppish. It's kind of more on the J-Lo side of things."
- ^ Vilasuso - [5] "The great thing about George is that he's Cuban, and I'm Cuban, and we have that dynamic going on" [6] "CBS.com: Now, you're of Cuban descent? JORDI VILASUSO: My parents are from Cuba. I was born in Miami. All of Miami is going to start watching Guiding Light."
- ^ [7] "Ultra sassy Cuban-Argentine (via Miami) rock ingénue JD NATASHA adds an extra splash of danger to the mix."
[edit] References
- Hispanic Scholarship Fund. 2005 Alumni Hall of Fame. Retrieved December 14, 2006. (Source of information on Elsa A. Murano)