Steven Bauer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Steven Bauer
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Bauer in 2008
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| Born |
Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson
December 2, 1956 |
| Nationality | American |
| Other names | Rocky Echevarría |
| Education | University of Miami |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1977–present |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | 2 |
Steven Bauer (born Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson on December 2, 1956) is a Cuban American actor. He is known for playing a wide variety of roles in movies and television shows.
Bauer's career started on the TV show ¿Qué Pasa, USA? (1977–1979), where he played the son of a Cuban family. His most famous movie role was as Manolo "Manny" Ribera in the 1983 crime film Scarface. He also played the crime leader Don Eladio Vuente in Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul. From 2013 to 2017, he played the retired agent Avi Rudin in the series Ray Donovan.
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Early Life and Family
Steven Bauer was born in Havana, Cuba. His birth name is Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson. His mother, Lillian, was a schoolteacher, and his father, Esteban, was a pilot for an airline.
Bauer's grandfather on his mother's side was a Jewish man from Germany. He moved to Cuba to escape the dangers of World War II.
When Bauer was three years old, his family moved from Cuba to the United States. They settled in Miami, Florida. After moving, he started going by the English name Steven. He graduated from Miami Coral Park High School in 1974. He then studied acting at Miami Dade Community College and the University of Miami, where he became friends with actor Ray Liotta.
Acting Career
First Roles
Bauer's first major role was in the TV show ¿Qué Pasa, USA?. It was a sitcom that used both English and Spanish. He played the teenage son of a Cuban family living in Miami. In his early career, he was often credited as Rocky Echevarría.
In 1981, he acted in the TV movie She's in the Army Now. There, he met his first wife, actress Melanie Griffith. They moved to New York City and studied acting with the famous teacher Stella Adler. During this time, he started using the stage name "Steven Bauer."
Breakthrough with Scarface
In 1983, Bauer got the role of Manny Ribera in the movie Scarface. Manny is the best friend of the main character, Tony Montana. Even though Bauer was not very famous, the movie's producers thought he was perfect for the part because of his strong audition and his Cuban background. His performance was a big success and earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor.
Later Career
After Scarface, Bauer starred in many other movies and TV shows. In 1986, he played a detective in the comedy Running Scared. He also played an Israeli soldier in the TV movie Sword of Gideon.
In 1990, he played a government agent in the TV miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story. That same year, he became the lead actor in the final season of the TV show Wiseguy.
Throughout his career, Bauer has often appeared in action films and crime dramas. He had roles in popular movies like Primal Fear and Traffic.
More recently, he played the crime leader Don Eladio in the hit TV show Breaking Bad in 2011. He played the same character again in the show Better Call Saul. He also played a retired agent named Avi in the series Ray Donovan and appeared in Queen of the South.
Personal Life
Bauer has been married four times. His first wife was actress Melanie Griffith, and they have a son named Alexander. His second wife was Ingrid Anderson, and they have a son named Dylan. He was later married to Christiana Boney and then to Paulette Miltimore.
In 2010, Bauer was mistakenly identified as the driver in a fatal car accident. Police later confirmed that it was a different person with the same name and that Bauer was not involved.
See also
In Spanish: Steven Bauer para niños
- List of Cubans
