John Ortiz

Infobox actor


imagesize = 150px
birthdate = birth date and age|1969|11|21
birthplace = Brooklyn

John Ortiz (born November 21, 1969) is an award-winning actor and Artistic Director/Co-Founder of LAByrinth Theater Company. In 1993, John made his film debut as Al Pacino’s young cousin ‘Guajiro’ in Carlito’s Way. He went on to appear in over 30 films including El Cantante, Take the Lead, Before Night Falls, Amistad, Ransom, and Narc. Most recently, his performances is Ridley Scott’s American Gangster, as Russell Crowe’s partner ‘Javy Rivera’, and Michael Mann’s Miami Vice as ‘Jose Yero’ brought him much critical acclaim. Among John’s television roles – he has most recently played the lead in J.J. Abrams’ Hope Against Hope for HBO, a series regular on Denis Leary’s The Job and CBS’ Clubhouse as well as the upcoming NBC cop drama Blue Blood, directed by Brett Ratner.In 1992, Mr. Ortiz formed Latino Actors Base with 13 other Latino actors to provide themselves with a place to work and an opportunity to become a tightly knit ensemble. Today, that ensemble is known as LAByrinth Theater Company: an award winning troupe of over 100 artists from a wide range of cultural backgrounds and creative disciplines. With LAByrinth, he most recently played the role of ‘Clyde’ in the world premiere of Jack Goes Boating by Bob Glaudini (Drama Desk nomination). In 2006 he appeared as ‘Che Guevara’ in the world premiere of School of the Americas by Jose Rivera, a co-production between LAByrinth Theater Company and The Public Theater. Other co-productions between LAByrinth and the Public include the role of ‘Jesus’ in the world premiere of The Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis, and ‘José Solo’ in Guinea Pig Solo by Brett C. Leonard. Other LAByrinth Theater credits include Jesus Hopped the ‘A’ Train by Stephen Adly Guirgis in London and New York (Drama Desk nomination, Drama League Award), Where’s My Money? written and directed by John Patrick Shanley. In 2003, Mr. Ortiz made his Broadway debut in Nilo Cruz’ Pulitzer-Prize winning play Anna in the Tropics. He appeared in three world premiere plays by José Rivera: The Adoration of the Old Woman at La Jolla Playhouse, Sueño at MCC Theater and The Street of the Sun at Mark Taper Forum. He was also featured in two New York premieres of Rivera’s plays: References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot at the Public Theater (OBIE Award) and Cloud Tectonics at Playwrights Horizons. Mr. Ortiz also appeared in The Skin of Our Teeth and De Donde at the Public Theater; the world tours of The Merchant of Venice and The Persians directed by Peter Sellars; House Arrest at Arena Stage; the national tour of A Few Good Men; and Pentecost at Yale Repertory Theatre. He will appear in the forthcoming feature films Pride and Glory, Public Enemies, Two Lovers, Fast and Furious, and he is scheduled to begin filming the screen adaptation of Jack Goes Boating, directed by Phillip Seymour Hoffman, in January 2009. In Summer 2009, he will star on stage in Othello at the Vienna Festival.He was born and raised in Brooklyn and currently resides there with his wife Jen and their son Clemente.

External links

*imdb name|id=0651159|name=John Ortiz
* [http://www.labtheater.org Lab Theater]