Jimmy Smits

Biography

Jimmy Smits is a prominent American actor renowned for his captivating performances across television and film. He gained widespread recognition for his compelling portrayal of attorney Victor Sifuentes in the acclaimed 1980s legal series L.A. Law. Following that, he captivated audiences as NYPD Detective Bobby Simone in the 1990s hit series NYPD Blue and later as U.S. Congressman Matt Santos on the political drama The West Wing. Notably, he is also celebrated for his role as Bail Organa in the Star Wars saga and as Miguel Prado in the thrilling series Dexter.

Smits began his journey in 1986 with L.A. Law, where he starred for five seasons and earned six Primetime Emmy nominations, winning the prestigious award in 1990. His contributions to the arts were recognized in 1999 when he received the HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors.

His filmography includes notable works such as Switch (1991), My Family (1995), and The Jane Austen Book Club (2007). He reprised his role as Bail Organa in multiple Star Wars productions, including Rogue One (2016) and the series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).

In addition to his roles in series like Cane and Sons of Anarchy, he showcased his talent in the Netflix musical drama The Get Down (2016) and starred in the film In the Heights (2021). Currently, Smits plays Chief John Suarez on the CBS drama East New York.