Raymond Cruz

Raymond Cruz

Cruz in 2015
Born (1961-07-09) July 9, 1961
Los Angeles, California, US
Occupation Actor
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s) Simi

Raymond Cruz (born July 9, 1961) is an American actor, best known for his starring role as Detective Julio Sanchez in the series The Closer and his recurring role as the drug lord Tuco Salamanca in the crime drama Breaking Bad and its spin-off Better Call Saul. He currently stars on the series Major Crimes, a spinoff of The Closer, reprising the role of Sanchez.[1]

Early life

Cruz was raised in East Los Angeles, California. He attended East Los Angeles College and is fully literate and fluent in both Spanish and English. He grew up in a neighborhood that regularly saw gang activity, a reality he brings to his roles, particularly as Sanchez and a range of gang-affiliated characters.[2] He has said that becoming interested in American literature early in life is how he avoided the gangs himself.[3]

Career

His film roles include Ding Chavez in Clear and Present Danger, Hector in "Out For Justice", Tom Berenger's second-in-command Joey Six in The Substitute, U.S. Marine Sergeant Rojas in The Rock, as Jesus in From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money, USM Private Vincent DiStephano in Alien: Resurrection, and Ramirez in Under Siege. He appeared as Chuey, a gang member from the Vatos Locos, in the gang film Blood In Blood Out. In 2005, he played Chino in Havoc. He appeared in Gremlins 2: The New Batch, credited as "The Messenger," and in Training Day as a gang member named Sniper. He played a Los Angeles firefighter in Collateral Damage. He had guest roles in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "The Siege of AR-558", the X-Files episode "El Mundo Gira", and the second season of 24. He also made an appearance as the father of a murdered girl in CSI. He played a short-lived but well-known role as Tuco Salamanca, a sadistic and sociopathic meth dealer in Breaking Bad in 2008 and 2009. He later reprised the role of Tuco in the Breaking Bad spin-off, Better Call Saul. He had a recurring role as Paco on My Name Is Earl, and as Alejandro Perez on Nip/Tuck.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Maid to Order Sam
1988 Twice Dead Gang member
1989 I Know My First Name is Steven Punk
1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch Messenger
1991 Dead Again Store clerk
1991 Out for Justice Hector
1992 Under Siege Ramirez
1993 Blood In Blood Out Chuy
1994 Clear and Present Danger Ding Chavez
1995 Operation Dumbo Drop Staff Sergeant Adams Uncredited
1996 The Substitute Joey Six
1996 The Rock Sergeant Rojas Uncredited
1996 Up Close and Personal Fernando Buttanda
1996 Broken Arrow USAF Lieutenant Colonel Uncredited
1997 Alien: Resurrection Private Vincent DiStephano
1999 From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money Jesus
1999 The Last Marshal T-Boy
2000 Blood Money Gutierrez Television film
2001 Training Day Sniper
2002 Collateral Damage Junior
2004 Just Hustle Spanish Professor
2004 My Name is Modesty Garcia
2005 Havoc Chino
2005 Brothers in Arms Reverend
2006 10 Tricks Sal
2015 Cleveland Abduction Ariel Castro Television film

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Hunter Tomas Delgado Episode: "La Familia"
1990 Freddy's Nightmares Johnny 'Mac' McFarland Episode: "Life Sentence"
1993 Murder, She Wrote José "Joseph" Galvan Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
1995 Walker Texas Ranger Sgt. Perez Episode: "Case Closed"
1997 The X Files Eladio Buente Episode: "El Mundo Gira"
1998 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Vargas Episode: "The Siege of AR-558"
2000 Harsh Realm Sgt. Escalante 2 episodes
2002–2003 The Division Roland / Ray Sanchez 3 episodes
2003 24 Rouse 2 episodes
2003–2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Miguel Durado / Donald Balboa 2 episodes
2003–2006 Nip/Tuck Alejandro Perez 2 episodes
2005–2012 The Closer Detective Julio Sanchez 105 episodes
2005–2008 My Name is Earl Paco 5 episodes
2007 Day Break Luis Torres 2 episodes
2008–2009 Breaking Bad Tuco Salamanca 4 episodes
2012 White Collar Sheriff Morales Episode: "Most Wanted"
2012–present Major Crimes Detective Julio Sanchez 48 episodes
2015–2016 Better Call Saul Tuco Salamanca 3 episodes
2017 Mayans MC Che "Padre" Romero Pre-production

References

  1. ↑ "TNT Says Goodbye to The Closer, Hello to Major Crimes". TV Guide. August 12, 2012. Retrieved October 19, 2012.
  2. ↑ Profile, esquire.com; accessed July 16, 2015.
  3. ↑ Cruz on avoiding gangs, thedailybeast.com; February 11, 2015; accessed July 16, 2015.
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