Jimmy Smits: Movies, Awards & Box Office

Jimmy L. Smits is a renowned American actor born on July 9, 1955. Smits' career took off with his role as attorney Victor Sifuentes on the 1980s–1990s legal drama L.A. Law, and he quickly gained recognition for playing NYPD Detective Bobby Simone on the 1990s–2000s police drama NYPD Blue, and Matt Santos on the political drama The West Wing. The versatile actor also appeared in Switch (1991), My Family (1995), The Jane Austen Book Club (2007), and In the Heights (2021). He is also familiar to Star Wars fans for his role as Bail Organa in the franchise. Smits extended his talent to the role of ADA Miguel Prado in Dexter. From 2012 to 2014, Smits was a key part of the main cast of Sons of Anarchy, where he played Nero Padilla. His recent portrayal of Elijah Strait in the NBC drama series Bluff City Law showcases his sustained relevance in the industry.

Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Smits was the child of Cornelis Leendert Smits from Suriname, who was of Dutch ancestry. His mother, Emilina (née Pola; 1930–2015), was Puerto Rican, born in Peñuelas. Smits's early life was marked by his move to Puerto Rico at ten, which brought about his fluency in Spanish despite initial hesitation. Raised in a strict Roman Catholic family, Smits identifies as Puerto Rican and often visits the country. His academic background includes a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College and an MFA from Cornell University. As an athlete in his youth, Smits shows his determination and passion in multiple realms.