Jimmy Smits facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jimmy Smits
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Smits at the 2016 San Diego Comic-Con
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| Born |
Jimmy L. Smits
July 9, 1955 New York City, U.S.
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| Education |
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| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1984–present |
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| Spouse(s) |
Barbara Smits
(m. 1981; div. 1987) |
| Partner(s) | Wanda De Jesus (1986–present) |
| Children | 2 |
Jimmy L. Smits (born July 9, 1955) is an American actor. He is famous for his roles in many TV shows and movies. You might know him as Victor Sifuentes from L.A. Law or Detective Bobby Simone in NYPD Blue. He also played Matt Santos in The West Wing.
Jimmy Smits has appeared in big movies like Star Wars and In the Heights. He also played important characters in TV series such as Dexter and Sons of Anarchy.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jimmy Smits was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father, Cornelis Leendert Smits, was from Suriname. His mother, Emilina Pola, was Puerto Rican. She was born in Peñuelas.
Jimmy grew up in a working-class neighborhood with his two sisters. When he was ten, he lived in Puerto Rico for a few years. It was a big change because he did not speak Spanish yet. He found learning Spanish in school "jarring" and "traumatic."
Jimmy identifies as Puerto Rican and often visits Puerto Rico. He was also an athlete when he was younger. He went to Thomas Jefferson High School. Later, he earned a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College in 1980. He then got a master's degree from Cornell University in 1982.
Acting Career Highlights
Jimmy Smits started his acting career in the mid-1980s. One of his first roles was in the TV show Miami Vice in 1984.
From 1986, he starred as Victor Sifuentes in the TV drama L.A. Law. He was nominated for six Emmy Awards for this role. He won an Emmy in 1990 for his great acting.
In 1986, Jimmy also made his first movie appearance in Running Scared. He later played a main role in the romantic adventure Old Gringo in 1989. He also appeared in the family film My Family in 1995.
One of his most famous roles was Detective Bobby Simone in NYPD Blue. He was on the show from 1994 to 1998. He received many Emmy nominations for this role.
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Jimmy Smits joined the Star Wars universe as Senator Bail Organa. He appeared in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005). His character becomes Princess Leia's adoptive father. He also played Bail Organa in the movie Rogue One (2016) and the TV series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).
He played Congressman Matt Santos in the last two seasons of The West Wing. His character even ran for and won the U.S. presidency!
In 2008, Jimmy played Miguel Prado in Dexter. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for this role. From 2012 to 2014, he was part of the cast of Sons of Anarchy as Nero Padilla. He also starred in the musical drama The Get Down on Netflix in 2016.
In 2019, Smits returned to TV courtrooms in the NBC series Bluff City Law. In 2021, he played Kevin Rosario in the musical film In the Heights.
Theater Performances
Jimmy Smits has also performed a lot in theater. In the 1980s, he acted in many plays at the Hangar Theatre. He has been part of the Public Theater's New York Shakespeare Festival. He played Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night in 2002. In 2003, he starred in the Broadway play Anna in the Tropics. He also appeared in the Broadway play God of Carnage from 2009 to 2010.
Awards and Recognition
Jimmy Smits has won many awards for his acting. He won a Golden Globe Award for his role in NYPD Blue. He also won a Primetime Emmy Award for L.A. Law.
He has been nominated for Screen Actors Guild Awards eleven times. He won one in 1995 for his work with the cast of NYPD Blue. He also won an ALMA Award for his role in The West Wing. In 2008, he won a Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television for Dexter.
In 1999, he received the HOLA Award for Excellence. This award is from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors. On June 4, 2021, Jimmy Smits received his own star on the famous Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Personal Life
Jimmy Smits has two children from his previous marriage. He has been in a relationship with actress Wanda De Jesus since 1986. They live together in Los Angeles.
Jimmy Smits helped create the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts. This group works to help more Latino people be seen in media and entertainment. He also supports health awareness.
See also
In Spanish: Jimmy Smits para niños
- List of Puerto Ricans
