Lou Diamond Phillips facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lou Diamond Phillips
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Phillips in 2017
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| Born |
Louis Diamond Upchurch
February 17, 1962 U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay, Zambales, Philippines
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| Education | University of Texas at Arlington (BFA) |
| Occupation |
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| Years active | 1987–present |
| Spouse(s) |
Julie Cypher
(m. 1987; div. 1990)Kelly Preston
(m. 1994; div. 2007)Yvonne Boismier
(m. 2007) |
| Children | 4 |
Louis Diamond Phillips (born February 17, 1962) is an American actor, director, and writer. He became famous when he starred as the rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens in the movie La Bamba (1987).
For his role as Angel David Guzman in Stand and Deliver (1988), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award. He also won an Independent Spirit Award.
Phillips has acted in many other well-known movies. These include Young Guns (1988), Young Guns II (1990), Courage Under Fire (1996), and The 33 (2015). He also acted on Broadway in the play The King and I in 1996. He was nominated for a Tony Award for playing King Mongkut of Siam.
On television, he played Henry Standing Bear in the series Longmire. He also played Lieutenant Gil Arroyo in the show Prodigal Son from 2019 to 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Lou Diamond Phillips was born Louis Diamond Upchurch on February 17, 1962. He was born at the U.S. Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines. His mother, Lucita, was from the Philippines. His father, Gerald, was an American Marine of Scots-Irish and Cherokee heritage.
His father passed away when he was only one year old. His mother later remarried, and he took his stepfather's last name, Phillips.
Phillips grew up in Texas. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School in 1980. He then went to the University of Texas at Arlington, where he earned a degree in Drama.
Acting Career
Breakthrough in the 1980s
Phillips's first big role was playing the musician Ritchie Valens in the 1987 movie La Bamba. This movie made him a star.
In 1988, he starred in the movie Stand and Deliver. He played a high school student named Angel Guzman who is good at math. For this role, he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award.
That same year, Phillips acted in the Western movie Young Guns. He played José Chávez y Chávez, an outlaw in the Old West. He starred alongside actors like Emilio Estevez and Kiefer Sutherland.
Film and Stage in the 1990s
In 1990, Phillips returned to his role as José Chávez y Chávez in Young Guns II. During the making of the movie, he was injured when he fell from a horse.
In 1996, Phillips performed on Broadway for the first time. He played the King in the musical The King and I. His performance was very successful, and he was nominated for a Tony Award. He also won a Theatre World Award.
In 1998, he starred in the action-comedy movie The Big Hit with Mark Wahlberg.
Television and Film in the 2000s
In the 2000s, Phillips appeared in many TV shows. He had a role in the sitcom George Lopez and appeared in the action series 24.
He also had a recurring role as FBI agent Ian Edgerton in the TV series Numbers. In 2009, he joined the cast of the science fiction series Stargate Universe as Colonel Telford.
In 2009, Phillips won the second season of the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
Recent Work from the 2010s to Today
From 2012 to 2017, Phillips co-starred in the TV series Longmire. He played Henry Standing Bear, a Native American and best friend to the main character, Sheriff Longmire.
In 2012, he appeared in the music video for the song "Radioactive" by the band Imagine Dragons. The video has been viewed over a billion times on YouTube.
In 2015, he played Luis "Don Lucho" Urzúa in the movie The 33. The film tells the true story of a group of miners trapped underground in Chile.
In 2023, Phillips competed on the TV show The Masked Singer as the character "Mantis." He said he did the show for his daughter, Indigo.
Other Projects
Writing
Phillips is also a writer. He co-wrote the screenplays for the movies Trespasses and Dangerous Touch. He also wrote his first novel, Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira, which is a science fiction story. His wife, Yvonne, created the illustrations for the book.
Radio and Voice Acting
Phillips has used his voice for radio shows and animated series. He voiced characters in The Twilight Zone radio dramas. He also voiced characters in the Disney series Elena of Avalor and The Lion Guard.
Personal Life
Phillips has been married three times. He was married to Julie Cypher from 1987 to 1990. He then married Kelly Preston in 1994, and they had three daughters together before their marriage ended in 2007.
In 2007, he married makeup artist Yvonne Boismier. They have one daughter, Indigo, who was born in 2007.
Activism and Charity Work
Phillips supports several causes. He is on the advisory council for The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment. This group helps support Asian American and Pacific Islander artists.
Phillips has Cherokee heritage from his father's side and has a close relationship with the Native American community. In 1990, he was adopted by an Oglala Lakota Sioux family in a special ceremony. His name in the Lakota language means "Star Keeper."
He is also a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism.
Awards and Achievements
Lou Diamond Phillips has won many awards for his acting. Here are some of them:
- 1989 – Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male for Stand and Deliver
- 1989 – Western Heritage Award for Young Guns
- 1996 – Theatre World Award for The King and I
- 1997 – Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Courage Under Fire
- 2009 – Won I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!
- 2012 – Won Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off
Images for kids
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Phillips performing at an after-party for the film Filly Brown at the 2013 Miami International Film Festival.
