Jimmy Smits
Acting

Jimmy Smits

July 9, 1955 (70 years old) Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Also known as: Jimmy L. Smits

Biography

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.

Known For

Dexter

Dexter

2006 • TV

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944 • TV

Golden Globe Awards

Golden Globe Awards

1944 • TV

Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy

2008 • TV

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

2005 • Movie

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

2016 • Movie

Movie Credits (45)

Acting

2005

Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

as Senator Bail Organa

2016

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

as Bail Organa

2002

Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

as Senator Bail Organa

2009

Backyard

as Mickey Santos

1995

Solomon & Sheba

as King Solomon

1996

Marshal Law

as Jack Coleman

2009

Mother and Child

as Paco

1989

Old Gringo

as Gen. Tomas Arroyo

1991

Switch

as Walter Stone

1988

Glitz

as Vincent Marra

1997

Lesser Prophets

as Mike

1987

Stamp of a Killer

as Richard Braden

2008

Roberto Clemente

as Narrator

2020

The Tax Collector

as The Wizard

2000

Bless the Child

as Agent John Travis

2000

Price of Glory

as Arturo Ortega

1995

My Family

as Jimmy

2007

The Jane Austen Book Club

as Daniel

2000

The Million Dollar Hotel

as Geronimo

1986

Running Scared

as Julio Gonzales

TV Credits (47)

Acting

2006

Dexter

as Miguel Prado

12 episodes

1944

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Nominee

3 episodes

1944

Golden Globe Awards

as Self - Audience Member

1 episodes

2008

Sons of Anarchy

as Nero Padilla

38 episodes

1999

The West Wing

as Matthew Santos

35 episodes

2013

Brooklyn Nine-Nine

as Victor Santiago

2 episodes

1975

Saturday Night Live

as Self - Host

1 episodes

1997

The View

as Self

3 episodes

1984

Miami Vice

as Eddie Rivera

1 episodes

2015

The Late Late Show with James Corden

as Self - Guest

1 episodes

1956

Tony Awards

as Self - Presenter

1 episodes

1992

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

1 episodes

2014

How to Get Away with Murder

as Isaac Roa

13 episodes

1988

LIVE with Kelly and Mark

as Self - Guest

2 episodes

1986

L.A. Law

as Victor Sifuentes

105 episodes

1993

NYPD Blue

as Bobby Simone

110 episodes

2025

Dexter: Resurrection

as Miguel Prado

1 episodes

2004

The Tony Danza Show

as Self - Guest

2 episodes

1953

The Oscars

as Self

1 episodes

2003

The Ellen DeGeneres Show

as Self

4 episodes

Crew

2007

Cane

Producer

2010

Outlaw

Producer

2019

Bluff City Law

Producer

Personal Info

Known For
Acting
Gender
Male
Birthday
July 9, 1955 (70 years old)
Place of Birth
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Popularity
2.3

Career Stats

45
Movies
47
TV Shows