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Raymond Cruz
Raymond Cruz by Gage Skidmore.jpg
Cruz in 2024
Born (1964-09-10) September 10, 1964 (age 60)
Nationality American
Education East Los Angeles College
Occupation Actor
Years active 1987–present
Spouse(s) Simi Mehta

Raymond Cruz (born September 10, 1964) is an American actor. He is famous for playing Detective Julio Sanchez in the TV series The Closer and its spin-off, Major Crimes. He is also well-known for his role as the villain Tuco Salamanca in the popular shows Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul.

Early Life and Education

Raymond Cruz grew up in East Los Angeles, California. His neighborhood was a tough place to live, and he saw many difficult things as a child. To stay out of trouble, Cruz became very interested in American literature. He said that reading books helped him choose a better path in life. His favorite novel is To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.

After high school, Cruz attended East Los Angeles College to continue his education. His love for stories and characters eventually led him to a career in acting.

Acting Career

Cruz has played many different characters in movies and on television. He often plays strong and memorable characters.

Famous Movie Roles

In the movies, Cruz has appeared in many action-packed films. He played a soldier named Ding Chavez in Clear and Present Danger and a U.S. Marine in The Rock. He was also in the science-fiction movie Alien Resurrection as Private Vincent DiStephano.

Some of his other movie roles include:

  • Hector in Out For Justice
  • Joey Six in The Substitute
  • Chuey in Blood In Blood Out
  • Sniper in Training Day

Famous Television Roles

Cruz is very well known for his work on television. For seven seasons, he played Detective Julio Sanchez on the crime show The Closer. He continued to play the same character for six more seasons on the spin-off show, Major Crimes.

One of his most famous roles was Tuco Salamanca in the drama series Breaking Bad. He played this intense and unpredictable character in 2008 and 2009. He later returned to play a younger version of Tuco in the prequel series, Better Call Saul, from 2015 to 2016.

He has also appeared as a guest star in many other shows, including Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The X-Files, and CSI.

Personal Life

Raymond Cruz is married to Simi Mehta, who is also an actress. They acted together in an episode of The X-Files called "El Mundo Gira".

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1987 Maid to Order Sam
1988 Twice Dead Gang Member
1989 I Know My First Name Is Steven Punk
1990 Gremlins 2: The New Batch The Messenger
Cold Dog Soup Gang Member
1991 Prison Stories: Women on the Inside Montoya Television film
Dead Again Store Clerk
Out for Justice Hector
Fallen Angels Diego Television film
1992 Man Trouble Balco
Nails Paco Sanchez Television film
Judgement Cyclone
Under Siege Ramirez
1993 Blood In Blood Out Chuey
When the Party's Over Mario
1994 Dead Badge Tomas Gomez
Clear and Present Danger Ding Chavez
Dragstrip Girl Doogie Television film
1995 Operation Dumbo Drop Staff Sergeant Adams Uncredited
1996 The Substitute Joey "Six"
The Rock Sergeant Rojas Uncredited
Up Close & Personal Fernando Buttanda
Broken Arrow USAF Lieutenant Colonel Uncredited
1997 Last Stand at Saber River Manuel Television film
Alien Resurrection Private Vincent DiStephano
1998 Playing Patti
1999 From Dusk Till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money Jesus
The Last Marshal T-Boy
2000 Blood Money Gutierrez Television film
2001 Training Day Sniper
2002 Collateral Damage Junior
2004 Just Hustle Spanish Professor
My Name is Modesty Raphael Garcia
2005 Havoc Chino
Brothers in Arms Reverend
2006 10 Tricks Sal
2015 Cleveland Abduction Ariel Castro Television film
2019 The Curse of La Llorona Rafael Olvera
2020 Wander Luis Santiago
2021 Blue Miracle Hector
2023 Medellin El Diablo
2025 Love, Danielle Stan DeManuel
Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires TBA (voice) Direct-to-Video

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1988 Beauty and the Beast Hal Episode: "Down to a Sunless Sea"
Cagney & Lacey Alonzo Episode: "Land of the Free"
CBS Schoolbreak Special Angel Perez Episode: "Gangs"
Vietnam War Story Diaz Episode: "Separated"
Knots Landing Van Driver, Young Man 2 episodes
1989 A Nightmare on ... Street Felipe Short Film
1990 Hunter Tomas Delgado Episode: "La Familia"
Freddy's Nightmares Johnny "Mac" McFarland Episode: "Life Sentence"
Matlock Alien Worker Episode: "The Cookie Monster"
Lifestories Episode: "Frank Brody"
China Beach Lopez Episode: "One Small Step"
1993 Murder, She Wrote José "Joseph" Galvan Episode: "Double Jeopardy"
1995 The Marshal Rossiter Episode: "The Ballad of Lucas Burke"
Walker, Texas Ranger Sergeant Perez Episode: "Case Closed"
1995–2000 NYPD Blue Raoul / Rico 2 episodes
1995–2000 The Eddie Files Johnny 16 episodes
1997 The X-Files Eladio Buente Episode: "El Mundo Gira"
Cracker MacCormick Episode: "'Tis Pity She's a ..."
413 Hope St. Rico Episode: "Lost Boys and Gothic Girls"
1998 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Vargas Episode: "The Siege of AR-558"
The Practice Miguel Moreno Episode: "Truth and Consequences"
1999 Seven Days Rodriguez Episode: "Daddy's Girl"
2000 Strange World Rinaldo Molina Episode: "Man Plus"
Seven Days Teo Millar Episode: "The Cuban Missile"
Harsh Realm Sergeant Escalante 2 episodes
2002 Robbery Homicide Division Jesus "Termite" Rosales Episode: "City of Strivers"
Boomtown Ruben Episode: "Crash"
2002–2003 The Division Roland / Ray Sanchez 3 episodes
2003–2011 CSI: Miami Martin Medesto / Marcos Trejo 2 episodes
2003 24 Rouse 2 episodes
2003–2008 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Miguel Durado / Donald Balboa 2 episodes
2003–2006 Nip/Tuck Alejandro Perez 2 episodes
2005–2012 The Closer Detective Julio Sanchez 105 episodes
2007–2008 My Name Is Earl Paco 5 episodes
2007 Day Break Luis Torres 2 episodes
2008 Ylse Jesse
2008–2009 Breaking Bad Tuco Salamanca 4 episodes
2011 Los Americans Memo 7 episodes
2012 White Collar Enrico Morales Episode: "Most Wanted"
2012–2018 Major Crimes Julio Sanchez 105 episodes
2013 Lauren Martinez 3 episodes; Web series
2015–2016 Better Call Saul Tuco Salamanca 3 episodes
2016 The Eric Andre Show Himself Episode: "Raymond Cruz; Amber Rose"
2018 Get Shorty Swayze 2 episodes
2019 Madam Secretary President Mateo Sandino Sr. Episode: "Something Better"
2023 Mayans M.C. Smokey
2024 Grey's Anatomy Daniel Jiménez (inmate) Episode: "The Marathon Continues"

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Raymond Cruz para niños

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