Danny Trejo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Danny Trejo
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Trejo in 2024
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| Born | May 16, 1944 Maywood, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1985–present |
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Works
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Full list |
| Spouse(s) |
Laura
(m. 1962; div. 1965)Debbie Schipek
(m. 1971; div. 1975)Joanne Discuillo
(m. 1975; div. 1978)Debbie Shreve
(m. 1997; div. 2009) |
| Children | 3 |
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Danny Trejo (born May 16, 1944) is a famous American actor. He is known for his unique look and for playing tough characters in many movies and TV shows. He has appeared in so many films that together they have earned over $3.7 billion around the world.
Trejo was born in Los Angeles and started his acting career in 1985 with a role in the movie Runaway Train. He often played villains or tough guys in films like Desperado (1995), Heat (1995), From Dusk till Dawn (1996), and Con Air (1997).
Many people know him as Isador "Machete" Cortez from the Spy Kids movies. The character became so popular that he later starred in his own action movies, Machete (2010) and Machete Kills (2013).
He is also a talented voice actor. You can hear his voice in animated movies like Storks (2016) and Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022). He has also voiced characters in popular video games, including Umberto Robina in the Grand Theft Auto: Vice City games and Raul Tejada in Fallout: New Vegas.
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Early Life
Danny Trejo was born on May 16, 1944, in Maywood, California, to Mexican-American parents. He grew up in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. His father, Dan Trejo, was a construction worker. Trejo had a difficult childhood and grew up in a tough environment.
When he was young, he moved to the neighborhood of Pacoima, Los Angeles. He later bought his childhood home there and lived in it for many years.
As a young man, Trejo made some poor choices that led to him spending time in the California prison system during the 1960s. While in prison, he decided to turn his life around. He focused on boxing and became a champion in the lightweight and welterweight divisions. He also joined a 12-step program to get help and has stayed on a positive path ever since. After his release in 1969, he worked as a counselor to help others.
Acting Career
Getting Started in the 1980s
Trejo's acting career started by accident. He went to a movie set for Runaway Train (1985) to help a young person he was counseling. While there, a writer named Edward Bunker, who knew Trejo from prison, recognized him.
Bunker remembered Trejo's boxing skills and got him a job training actor Eric Roberts for a fight scene. The director, Andrei Konchalovsky, was so impressed that he gave Trejo a small role in the movie. Trejo realized he could make a good living as an actor and began his new career.
Becoming a Famous Face in the 1990s
By the 1990s, Trejo was appearing in more and more films. A major role for him was in the movie Blood In, Blood Out, which made him famous all over the world. He also had a memorable part in the action movie Heat (1995), where he acted alongside stars like Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer.
He worked with director Michael Mann on Heat, who named Trejo's character after his uncle. Trejo learned a lot from watching famous actors on set. He also appeared in the adventure film Anaconda (1997) and the action-packed Con Air (1997), where he made friends with many other actors like Steve Buscemi and Dave Chappelle.
Spy Kids and Machete in the 2000s
In 2001, Trejo took on one of his most famous roles: Isador "Machete" Cortez in Spy Kids. The movie was a huge hit, and kids all over the world recognized him as the cool uncle with amazing gadgets. Working on the film with director Robert Rodriguez and actors Antonio Banderas and Cheech Marin felt like a "family reunion" to him.
Throughout the 2000s, Trejo appeared in many other movies and TV shows. He was in comedies like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy and TV shows like Monk and Breaking Bad. He also voiced characters on the animated show King of the Hill.
Becoming a Leading Man in the 2010s
The character of Machete was so popular that director Robert Rodriguez made a fake movie trailer featuring him for the film Grindhouse. Fans loved it so much that they made a real movie, Machete (2010), with Trejo as the star. He returned for the sequel, Machete Kills, in 2013.
In 2015, Trejo appeared in a funny Snickers commercial during the Super Bowl, where he played Marcia Brady from The Brady Bunch. He also had roles in popular TV shows like Sons of Anarchy, The Flash, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine, where he played Rosa Diaz's father.
Recent Work in the 2020s
Trejo continues to be very busy. In 2021, he competed on the TV show The Masked Singer as the "Raccoon." That same year, he appeared in the fantasy series American Gods and the Halloween special Muppets Haunted Mansion.
In 2022, he joined the Star Wars universe with a role in the Disney+ series The Book of Boba Fett, where he played a keeper for a giant creature called a Rancor. In 2023, he made a surprise appearance on the show RuPaul’s Drag Race.
Other Projects
Video Games
Trejo has lent his voice and likeness to many video games.
- He played a character named after himself in Def Jam: Fight for NY (2004).
- He voiced Umberto Robina in Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories.
- He was the voice of Raul Tejada in Fallout: New Vegas.
- He appeared as himself in a zombie map for Call of Duty: Black Ops.
- He was a guest character in Far Cry 6 (2021).
- He voiced a mob boss in Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth (2023).
Restaurants
Besides acting, Danny Trejo is also a successful businessman. In 2016, he opened his first taco restaurant, Trejo's Tacos, in Los Angeles. It became so popular that he opened more restaurants, including Trejo's Cantina and Trejo's Coffee and Donuts. His restaurants are known for delicious food, including cauliflower tacos that were named a top recipe by the Los Angeles Times. His taco shops have even expanded to other cities like Detroit and London.
Personal Life
Trejo has three children: Danny Jr., Gilbert, and Danielle. His second cousin is the filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, but they didn't know they were related until they worked on the movie Desperado together.
Trejo is a big fan of Los Angeles sports teams, including the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Los Angeles Lakers. He often goes to their games and training camps.
In August 2019, he became a real-life hero when he helped rescue a five-year-old boy who was trapped in an overturned car after an accident. He said, "Everything good that has happened to me has happened as a direct result of helping someone else. Everything."
Trejo is easily recognized by his appearance. He has a scarred face from his youth, a long mustache, and a famous tattoo on his chest of a woman wearing a sombrero.
See also
In Spanish: Danny Trejo para niños
- Danny Trejo filmography
- History of Mexican Americans in Los Angeles
