- Nicholas Gonzalez
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This article is about the American actor. For the American physician, see Nicholas Gonzalez (doctor).
Nicholas Gonzalez Born Nicholas Edward Gonzalez
January 3, 1976
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.Occupation Actor Nicholas Edward Gonzalez (born January 3, 1976 in San Antonio, Texas) is an Mexican-American actor, best known for playing Alex Santiago in the TV series Resurrection Blvd..
Contents
Biography
Early life
Gonzalez was a student at San Antonio’s Central Catholic High School. He became an accomplished cross-country and track runner, winning the Texas State Championship in the mile and two mile. After graduating in 1994 and turning down a presidential appointment to West Point, Nicholas pursued an English degree at Stanford University in California.
His interest and love of literature, history, and poetry led him to two terms at Oxford University in England. The following summer, he returned to Europe on a research grant where he studied with scholars at Oxford and Trinity College, Dublin to complete his thesis on James Joyce’s Ulysses.
While finishing his Bachelor of Arts in English in 1998, Nicholas was approached to do a one-man theatre piece called Gas by Marie Irene Fornes.
Alma Martinez, an actress and Stanford professor, encouraged him to become a professional actor. With her help, he connected with the theatrical movement in San Francisco. He polished his skills by performing in classic and contemporary theatre. “I’m happy when I’m on stage,” he declares.
Career
In 1998, Gonzalez moved to Los Angeles, where he quickly landed small parts in television series such as ABC’s Dharma and Greg and NBC’s One World.
Gonzalez then appeared as Fidel Castro’s son in the Lifetime Original Movie, My Little Assassin, starring Joe Mantegna and Gabrielle Anwar. But it was his role as Andy, the gay yuppie on MTV’s Undressed that received great attention.[citation needed] For six nights he wowed viewers, and those episodes became the most requested in the series’ history.[citation needed]
Gonzalez wrapped production of two films in 2000. The first, Scenes of the Crime, premiered at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival. It starred Jeff Bridges, Jon Abrahams, and Noah Wyle. It was directed by Dominique Forma. The second film was an independent project titled Spun, starring Mena Suvari, Mickey Rourke, Brittany Murphy, and John Leguizamo. It played at the 2003 Sundance Film Festival.
Gonzalez’s most well-known role also came his way in 2000, when he landed the lead in Showtime’s original movie, Resurrection Blvd., which premiered June 26, 2000. Gonzalez played Alex Santiago, a pre-med student who dropped out of school in order to become a professional boxer. The movie was successful and immediately expanded to become a regular weekly series on the network.
While continuing his work on Resurrection Blvd, Nicholas appeared in episodes of Walker, Texas Ranger and That 70’s Show. He also appeared in the film The Princess and the Barrio Boy (released as She’s in Love in Europe) with his Resurrection Blvd.co-star, Marisol Nichols.
Nicholas continued his career in films with two more titles. The first, Sea of Dreams, was filmed in Veracruz, Mexico, in May, 2003. Nick then headed off to Fiji for the summer, where he completed production of Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid, which opened in theaters August 27, 2004.
Nicholas can currently be seen as a recurring detective on the updated Melrose Place trying to uncover who murdered Sydney Andrews.
He is currently playing Mateo on the ABC show Off The Map.
Personal life
Gonzalez enjoys playing golf, video games, poker (finished 2nd at the World Poker Tour Celebrity Invitational in 2009) and working out. He is an avid reader, consuming as many as eight books a week. He also volunteers with organizations such as the National Hispanic Institute and The Friends of El Faro.[citation needed]He was romantically involved with American actress Regina King in 2007.
Gonzalez is a supporter of animal rights and PETA. He posed for PETA's campaign "If you wouldn't wear your dog, please don't wear fur" advertisement [1]
Filmography
Year Title 2011 S.W.A.T.: Firefight 2009 Down For Life 2008 Rockaway 2006 Behind Enemy Lines II 2005 Dirty 2004 Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid 2003 Spun 2002 Marco Polo: Return to Xanadu 2001 Scenes of the Crime Television appearances
Year Title Notes 2011 The Glades "Family Matters" 2011 Off The Map Mateo recurring role starting with episode 4 "On The Mean Streets Of San Miguel" 2009–2010 Melrose Place Detective Rodriguez 8 episodes 2009 Mental Dr. Arturo Suarez 13 episodes 2009 CSI: Miami Alfonso Reyes 2008 True Blood Jerry "Mine" 2008 Brothers & Sisters Season 2 Episode 12 2007 Grey's Anatomy Season 4 Episode 2 - Clark West 2007 Pro-Am Poker Equalizer 2006 Ugly Betty Carlo Medina "Fey's Sleigh Ride" 2005 Ghost Whisperer "Shadow Boxer" 2004-05 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Detective Mike Sandoval episodes "Ghost" and "Haunted" 2004 The O.C. D.J. 2000 Walker, Texas Ranger playing "Juan Guerro" in episode: "Golden Boy" 2000 The Princess and the Barrio Boy Sol Torres 1999 My Little Assassin Andre Castro 1999 Resurrection Blvd. Alex Santiago 1999 MTV's Undressed Andy episode "1.21" Nude modeling
- As I see It (2001) ISBN 978-1576870877 Greg Gorman
External links
Categories:- 1976 births
- Alumni of Trinity College, Dublin
- American film actors
- American television actors
- Hispanic and Latino American actors
- Living people
- American people of Mexican descent
- People from San Antonio, Texas
- Stanford University alumni
- Actors from Texas
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