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Andy García
Andy Garcia at the 2009 Deauville American Film Festival-01A.jpg
García in 2009
Born
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez

(1956-04-12) April 12, 1956 (age 67)
Havana, Cuba
Citizenship United States
Alma mater Florida International University
Occupation
  • Actor
  • director
  • producer
Years active 1978–present
Spouse(s)
Marivi Lorido García
(m. 1982)
Children 4, including Dominik García-Lorido

Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban-born American actor. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's The Untouchables (1987) alongside Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert De Niro. He continued to act in films such as Stand and Deliver (1988), and Internal Affairs (1990). He then costarred in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part III (1990) as Vincent Mancini, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor.

He continued to act in Hollywood films such as Stephen Frears' Hero (1992), the romantic drama When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), and the action thriller Desperate Measures (1998). In 2000, he produced and acted in the HBO television film, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story (2000), where he received a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award nominations. He also starred in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001) and its sequels, Ocean's Twelve (2004) and Ocean's Thirteen (2007). In 2005, García directed and starred in the film The Lost City alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. He also starred in New York, I Love You (2008), the dramedy City Island (2009), the romantic comedy At Middleton (2013), and the crime thriller Kill the Messenger (2014). He has had supporting roles in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, Book Club, The Mule and the HBO television movie My Dinner with Hervé (all 2018), and the title role in the Father of the Bride remake (2022).

In 2005, he won a Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album for producing Cuban musician Cachao's record Ahora sí.

Early life

García was born Andrés Arturo García Menéndez in Havana, Cuba. His mother, Amelie Menéndez, was a teacher of English and his father, René García Núñez, was an attorney in Cuba. García has two older siblings, a sister named Tessi and a brother named René. His family moved to Miami, Florida, when García was 5 years old after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. Over a period of several years, they built up a million-dollar perfume/fragrance company. García was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played on the basketball team. During his last year in high school, he became ill with mononucleosis, which convinced him to pursue a career in acting. He began his acting career by taking a drama class with Jay W. Jensen in his senior year. He graduated from Florida International University.

Career

1980s

García began acting at Florida International University but soon went to Hollywood. He had a short role alongside Angela Lansbury in the first episode of Murder, She Wrote as "1st white tough", in 1984. He played the role of a gang member in the first episode of TV series Hill Street Blues. He appeared in a supporting role in The Mean Season in 1985, alongside Kurt Russell.

In 1987, Garciá received an acting breakthrough in Brian De Palma's crime drama The Untouchables. The film starred Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Patricia Clarkson, and Robert De Niro. The film, adapted by David Mamet, film follows Eliot Ness as he forms the Untouchables law enforcement team to bring Al Capone to justice during Prohibition era within the United States. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was a financial success. The film received four Academy Award nominations including a win for Connery's performance.

In 1989, García acted in the Ridley Scott action thriller Black Rain with Michael Douglas. The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a financial success earning $134 million.

1990s

In 1989, Francis Ford Coppola cast García as Vincent Mancini, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, in The Godfather Part III (1990). The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Eli Wallach. The film concludes the story of Michael Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, who attempts to legitimize his criminal empire. The film also includes fictionalized accounts of two real-life events: the 1978 death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981–82, both linked to Michael Corleone's business affairs. Despite the film being both a critical and financial success, it has not lived up to the reputation of the first two Godfather films. However, the film did earn seven Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture. García himself earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination.

In the 1990s, García appeared in the Mike Figgis film Internal Affairs, in which he engages in a battle of wits with a corrupt fellow police officer, played by Richard Gere. In 1992, he played a cynical everyman in Stephen Frears' Hero starring Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, and Joan Cusack. ..... In 1995, he portrayed a tragic criminal in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead alongside Christopher Lloyd, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken. He also starred as a hotshot lawyer in the Sidney Lumet drama Night Falls on Manhattan alongside Richard Dreyfus, and James Gandolfini. In 1998 he played a cop trying to save his gravely ill son in the action thriller Desperate Measures starring Michael Keaton, and Marcia Gay Harden. He played mobster Lucky Luciano in Hoodlum alongside Tim Roth, and Laurence Fishburne.

2000s

Julianna Margulies Andy Garcia and Dominik Garcia at the Tribeca Film Festival
At the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival with Julianna Margulies (left) and his daughter Dominik García-Lorido

In 2000, García starred and produced the HBO film, For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story. The film shines a light on the jazz scene in Cuba and the life of trumpeter and composer Arturo Sandoval. The project also starred Gloria Estefan as Maria, and Charles S. Dutton as jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie. For his performance he received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.

He portrayed the arrogant Las Vegas casino owner Terry Benedict in Steven Soderbergh's Ocean's Eleven (2001), a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper movie starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. The film was a massive commercial success earning $450 million at the box office. He also appeared in the sequel, Ocean's Twelve (2004) and in the third film, Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

He co-wrote, directed, and starred in The Lost City alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. In 2006, he appeared in the last episode of the Turkish TV series Kurtlar Vadisi, along with Sharon Stone. In 2008, he starred in the first segment of New York, I Love You which was directed by Jiang Wen starring Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson.

2010s

García has been slated to direct the film Hemingway & Fuentes about famous writer Ernest Hemingway, co-written by García and Hemingway's niece Hilary Hemingway. Originally, announced stars included Anthony Hopkins, Annette Bening and García himself. Filming was originally to have begun in January 2013, but due to delays, Hopkins left the project and García announced that the role of Hemingway would be played by actor Jon Voight.

García has had a recent career resurgence in film. He starred in four films in 2018. He starred in the critical and box office success Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again as Fernando Cienfuegos alongside Cher, Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgaard and Pierce Brosnan. The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics consensus reading, "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again doubles down on just about everything fans loved about the original -- and my my, how can fans resist it?" When asked about singing with Cher, García told NBC's Today show, "It was sublime. One thing is to act with Cher who is a great actress and then to be asked to sing with her".

García also starred in the Paramount romantic comedy, Book Club, alongside Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda and Mary Steenburgen. The film was a box office success grossing over $89 million worldwide against its $10 million budget.

He also starred in Clint Eastwood's drama film, The Mule alongside Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Dianne Wiest, Laurence Fishburne and Michael Peña. It has grossed $166 million and received positive reviews from critics, who called it "poignant and charming" and praised Eastwood's performance.

He also appeared in the acclaimed HBO movie My Dinner with Hervé alongside Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 83% with the site's critical consensus reading, "My Dinner with Hervé offers a standard narrative on celebrity and infamy but formidable performances by Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan find the dimensionality and pathos of Hervé Villechaize the man." The film received a Critics Choice Television Award nomination for Best Movie/Miniseries.

2020s

In 2020, García starred in Charles McDougall's comedic film Ana. Also that year, he starred in Thor Freudenthal's critically acclaimed coming of age drama Words on Bathroom Walls. The following year, he made an uncredited cameo in the comedy film Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar starring Kirsten Wiig and Jamie Dornan. That same year, he starred in the action films Redemption Day and the Guy Ritchie film Wrath of Man.

In 2022 he starred in the comedy Big Gold Brick. He also starred opposite Gloria Estefan again in the romantic comedy HBO Max film Father of the Bride. It is the third filmed version of the 1949 novel of the same name by Edward Streeter.Time praised García on his comedic turn writing, "Garcia carries the film ably with his gruff elegance".

García appeared in the action film The Expendables 4 as Marsh, a CIA agent who is also a double agent and the main antagonist of the film.

Personal life

In 1982, García married Marivi Lorido. They have four children: three daughters, including actress Dominik García-Lorido, and a son. The family divides their time between Toluca Lake, Los Angeles and Key Biscayne, Florida.

García has often expressed his distaste for the communist regime that has ruled Cuba since the revolution. Following Fidel Castro's death in November 2016, García criticized his legacy, stating: "It is necessary for me to express the deep sorrow that I feel for all the Cuban people...that have suffered the atrocities and repression caused by Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime."

García is Catholic, and a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1983 Blue Skies Again Ken
Guaguasi Ricardo
A Night in Heaven T. J. The Bartender
1984 The Lonely Guy Uncredited
1985 The Mean Season Ray Martínez
1986 8 Million Ways to Die Angel Maldonado
1987 The Untouchables Agent George Stone/Giuseppe Petri
1988 Stand and Deliver Dr. Ramírez
American Roulette Carlos Quintas
1989 Black Rain Det. Charlie Vincent
1990 Internal Affairs Raymond Avilla
A Show of Force Luis Ángel Mora
The Godfather Part III Vincent Mancini
1991 Dead Again Gray Baker
1992 Hero John Bubber
Jennifer 8 Sgt. John Berlin
1994 When a Man Loves a Woman Michael Green
1995 Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead Jimmy "The Saint" Tosnia
Dangerous Minds Scenes deleted
Steal Big Steal Little Ruben Partida Martinez / Robert Martin / Narrator
1996 Night Falls on Manhattan Sean Casey
The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca Federico García Lorca
1997 Hoodlum Charlie "Lucky" Luciano
1998 Desperate Measures Frank Conner
1999 Just the Ticket Gary Starke Also producer
2000 Lakeboat Guigliani
2001 The Unsaid Michael Hunter Also executive producer
Direct-to-video
The Man from Elysian Fields Byron Tiller Also producer
Ocean's Eleven Terry Benedict
2003 Confidence Special Agent Gunther Butan
Just Like Mona
2004 Twisted Mike Delmarco
Modigliani Amedeo Modigliani Also executive producer
Ocean's Twelve Terry Benedict
2005 The Lazarus Child Jack Heywood
The Lost City Fico Fellove Also executive producer/director
2006 Smokin' Aces Stanley Locke
2007 The Air I Breathe Fingers
Ocean's Thirteen Terry Benedict
2008 New York, I Love You Garry
Beverly Hills Chihuahua Delgado Voice
2009 The Pink Panther 2 Insp. Vicenzo Brancaleone
City Island Vince Rizzo Also producer
La Linea Javier Salazar
2010 Across the Line: The Exodus of Charlie Wright Jorge Garza
2011 5 Days of War Mikheil Saakashvili
2012 For Greater Glory Enrique Gorostieta Velarde
A Dark Truth Jack Begosian
2013 Open Road Chuck
At Middleton George Hartman
2014 Let's Be Cops Detective Brolin
Kill the Messenger Norwin Meneses
Rob the Mob Big Al
Rio 2 Eduardo Voice
2016 Ghostbusters Mayor Bradley
Max Steel Dr. Miles Edwards
True Memoirs of an International Assassin El Toro
Passengers Admiral Norris
2017 Geostorm President Andrew Palma
2018 Bent Jimmy Murtha
Book Club Mitchell
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again Fernando Cienfuegos
The Mule Laton
2019 Against the Clock Gerald Hotchkiss
2020 Ana Rafael "Rafa" Rodriguez
Words on Bathroom Walls Father Patrick
2021 Redemption Day Ambassador Williams
Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar Tommy Bahama Uncredited
Wrath of Man FBI Agent King
2022 Big Gold Brick Floyd Deveraux
Father of the Bride Guillermo "Billy" Herrera Also executive producer
2023 Book Club: The Next Chapter Mitchell
The Expendables 4 Marsh
Miranda's Victim Alvin Moore
Pain ... Jack Neel Main Role
TBA What About Love Not yet released Peter Tarlton Completed
Key
Films that have not yet been released Denotes films that have not yet been released

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1978 ¿Qué Pasa, USA? Pepe Episode: "Here Comes the Bride"
1979 Archie Bunker's Place Manuel Episode: "Building the Restaurant"
1981,
1984
Hill Street Blues Street Kid
Ernesto
Episodes: "Hill Street Station" & "Hair Apparent"
1983 For Love and Honor Medic Episode: "For Love and Honor" (pilot)
1984 Murder, She Wrote Tough Guy #1 Episode: "The Murder of Sherlock Holmes" (pilot)
Brothers Jose Episode: "Happy Birthday Me!"
1985 The New Alfred Hitchcock Presents Alejandro Episode: "Breakdown"
1986 Foley Square Performer Episode: "The Star"
1988 Clinton and Nadine Clinton Dillard Television movie
1999 Swing Vote Joseph Michael Kirkland
2000 For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Arturo Sandoval Television movie; also producer
2001 Frasier Terrance Episode: "Bully for Martin"
2003 Will & Grace Milo Episode: "Field of Queens"
2005 Valley of the Wolves Amon Episode: "S04E96" & Episode: "S04E97"
2006 George Lopez Ray Episode: "George Doesn't Trustee Angie's Brother"
2009 The National Parks: America's Best Idea Various roles Voice; Documentary
2010 Top Gear Himself Series 15, episode 4
2011 The Simpsons Slick Publisher Voice; Episode: "The Book Job"
2012 Dora the Explorer Don Quixote Voice; Episode: "Dora's Knighthood Adventure" & "Dora's Royal Rescue"
Dora's Royal Rescue Television movie
2013 Christmas in Conway Duncan Mayor
Doll & Em Andy Episode: "Five"
2014 Valley of the Wolves: Ambush Amon Episode: "S09E230", Episode: "S09E231", Episode: "S09E232", Episode: "S09E234" & Episode: "S09E238"
2016 Ballers Andre Allen 6 episodes, HBO
2018 My Dinner with Hervé Ricardo Montalbán Television movie, HBO
2018–19 3Below: Tales of Arcadia King Fialkov Voice; 7 episodes
2019 Modern Love Michael 2 episodes, Amazon
Raul Julia: The World's a Stage Himself Documentary, American Masters
2020 Flipped Rumualdo 5 episodes, Quibi
Elena of Avalor Hetz, the Weather Shade Voice; Episode: "Coronation Day"
2021 Rebel Julian Cruz Main role

Awards and nominations

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1991 Academy Awards Best Supporting Actor The Godfather Part III Nominated
Golden Globe Awards Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture Nominated
2001 Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Nominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or Movie Nominated
Outstanding Made for Television Movie Nominated
2005 Grammy Awards Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album ¡Ahora Si! (Shared with Cachao and Eric Schilling) Won

Miscellaneous awards

Year Award Category Nominated work Result
1986 New York Film Critics Circle Awards Best Supporting Actor 8 Million Ways to Die Nominated
1991 Chicago Film Critics Association Awards Best Supporting Actor The Godfather Part III Nominated
1995 MTV Movie Awards Most Desirable Male When a Man Loves a Woman Nominated
1997 Nostros Golden Eagle Awards Outstanding Performer in Film N/A Won
1998 ALMA Awards Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film Night Falls on Manhattan Nominated
The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca Nominated
1999 Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film in a Crossover Role Desperate Measures Won
2000 Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film Just the Ticket Nominated
2001 Outstanding Host of a Variety or Awards Special Latin Grammy Awards
(Shared with Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez and Jimmy Smits)
Nominated
Satellite Awards Best Actor – Miniseries or Television Film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story Nominated
2002 ALMA Awards Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture Ocean's Eleven Won
Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards Best Acting Ensemble Nominated
2005 Critics' Choice Movie Awards Best Acting Ensemble Ocean's Twelve Nominated
2007 ALMA Awards Best Director – Motion Picture The Lost City Nominated
Teen Choice Awards Choice Movie: Chemistry Ocean's Thirteen Nominated
2010 Satellite Awards Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy City Island Nominated
2012 ALMA Awards Favorite Movie Actor For Greater Glory Nominated
2013 Boston Film Festival Best Actor At Middleton Won
2015 Annie Awards Outstanding Voice Acting in a Feature Production Rio 2 Nominated
2022 San Diego International Film Festival Gregory Peck Award Lifetime Achievement Awarded

Other honors

  • 1995: Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • 2002: Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
  • 2006: Received the Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures from The American Latino Media Arts Award
  • 2019: Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Andy García para niños

  • List of Cuban Americans
  • List of people from Miami
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