Jacob Vargas

Born: 18th of August 1971 (54 years old)

Biography:
Jacob Vargas (born August 18, 1971) is a Mexican-American actor. He began his acting career when he was discovered breakdancing in a schoolyard at age 12. His introduction to acting came with a bit part as a breakdancer on the hit TV show Diff'rent Strokes (1978).

His first movie role was in the TV movie The Children of Times Square (1986). He started to appear in more films including Last Resort (1986), Ernest Goes to Camp (1987), The Principal (1987), Little Nikita (1988), American Me (1992), and Gas Food Lodging (1992). In 1995, he won the very first ALMA Award (for Emerging Artist of the Year) for his work in both Allison Anders' Mi Vida Loca (1993) and Gregory Nava's My Family (1995).

He next starred in films including Crimson Tide (1995), Get Shorty (1995), Selena (1997), Romy and Michele's High School Reunion (1997), and the cult favorite Next Friday (2000) as Ice Cube's nemesis, Joker.

His next role was Tijuana cop Manolo, 'Benicio del Toro"s partner in Steven Soderbergh's Academy Award- winning film Traffic (2000), which earned him a Screen Actors Guild Award and another ALMA Award.

In 2001, he executive produced and starred in the independent film Road Dogz (2002). He wrote, directed and acted in EDNY (2003). He also co-produced and starred in the stage play "Latinologues", which ran on Broadway in 2005 and is available on DVD.

He voiced for Pepito in Dr. Dolittle 2 (2001). Next, he played Sammi the chef in John Moore's Flight of the Phoenix (2004), Marine sniper Juan Cortez in Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes' war drama Jarhead (2005), a straight-arrow DEA agent in the action drama The Death and Life of Bobby Z (2006), a politically charged busboy Miguel in Emilio Estevez's historical drama Bobby (2006), and a psychologically tortured drone pilot Rudy Ramirez in Alex Rivera's sci-fi political love story Sleep Dealer (2008).

He had roles in The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007), Are We Done Yet? (2007), Death Race (2008), Cesar Chavez (2014, Heaven is For Real (2014), The Tell-Tale Heart (2016), Plan B, (2021), and Kimi (2022).

His major TV roles are as Bob on Surfside Girls, Tony Medina on Mr. Iglesias, Horacio on Mosaic, Domingo Colon on Marvel's Luke Cage, Allesandro Montez on Sons of Anarchy and later on Mayans M.C., Guillermo on Moonlight, Ernesto Tiant on Greetings from Tucson, and Dr. Roberto Martinez on Max Steel. He had recurring roles on Colony, Blue, and Six Feet Under.

He has also guest starred on a number of shows including National Treasure: Edge of History, The Mentalist, Burn Notice, Psych, Numb3rs, Medium, CSI: NY, Cold Case, The Pretender, JAG, ER, Full House, and Hunter.

He has voiced for characters on animated series including Solar Opposites, Young Justice, and a recurring role on Tarantula.

Jacob Vargas's Filmography

National Treasure: Edge of History

National Treasure: Edge of History

  •   TV Show
  • 2022
Rafael
Kimi

Kimi

  •   Movie
  • 2022
Glasses Thug
Plan B

Plan B

  •   Movie
  • 2021
Pastor Pedro
Princess of the Row

Princess of the Row

  •   Movie
  • 2020
Donald
Solar Opposites

Solar Opposites

  •   TV Show
  • 2020
Mr. Iglesias

Mr. Iglesias

  •   TV Show
  • 2019
Tony Medina
The Public

The Public

  •   Movie
  • 2019
Ernesto Ramirez
Peel

Peel

  •   Movie
  • 2019
Chuck
Beyond Skyline

Beyond Skyline

  •   Movie
  • 2017
Garcia
Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life

  •   Movie
  • 2016
Animation Voice (voice)
Marvel's Luke Cage

Marvel's Luke Cage

  •   TV Show
  • 2016
Domingo Colon
Crossing Point

Crossing Point

  •   Movie
  • 2016
Jesus
The 33

The 33

  •   Movie
  • 2015
Edison 'Elvis' Peña
Hand of God

Hand of God

  •   TV Show
  • 2014
Julio Farkas (uncredited)
Heaven Is for Real

Heaven Is for Real

  •   Movie
  • 2014
Michael
Cesar Chavez

Cesar Chavez

  •   Movie
  • 2014
Richard Chavez
Devil

Devil

  •   Movie
  • 2010
Ramirez
The Mentalist

The Mentalist

  •   TV Show
  • 2008
Chief Rick Anaya
Sons of Anarchy

Sons of Anarchy

  •   TV Show
  • 2008
Allesandro Montez
Death Race

Death Race

  •   Movie
  • 2008
Gunner
Moonlight

Moonlight

  •   TV Show
  • 2007
Guillermo
The Death and Life of Bobby Z

The Death and Life of Bobby Z

  •   Movie
  • 2007
Jorge Escobar
Burn Notice

Burn Notice

  •   TV Show
  • 2007
Omar Hernandez
Are We Done Yet?

Are We Done Yet?

  •   Movie
  • 2007
Mike the Plumber
The Hills Have Eyes 2

The Hills Have Eyes 2

  •   Movie
  • 2007
Crank
Bobby

Bobby

  •   Movie
  • 2006
Miguel
Psych

Psych

  •   TV Show
  • 2006
Juan Lava
Jarhead

Jarhead

  •   Movie
  • 2005
Juan Cortez
The Wendell Baker Story

The Wendell Baker Story

  •   Movie
  • 2005
Reyes Morales
Flight of the Phoenix

Flight of the Phoenix

  •   Movie
  • 2004
Sammi
Dragonfly

Dragonfly

  •   Movie
  • 2002
Victor
The Proud Family

The Proud Family

  •   TV Show
  • 2001
Punch Alto (voice)
Dr. Dolittle 2

Dr. Dolittle 2

  •   Movie
  • 2001
Pepito (voice)
Six Feet Under

Six Feet Under

  •   TV Show
  • 2001
Manuel 'Paco' Bolin
Traffic

Traffic

  •   Movie
  • 2000
Manolo Sanchez
Next Friday

Next Friday

  •   Movie
  • 2000
Joker
The Hi-Lo Country

The Hi-Lo Country

  •   Movie
  • 1998
Delfino Mondragon
Selena

Selena

  •   Movie
  • 1997
A. B. Quintanilla
Get Shorty

Get Shorty

  •   Movie
  • 1995
Yayo Portillo
JAG

JAG

  •   TV Show
  • 1995
Corporal Cortez
Crimson Tide

Crimson Tide

  •   Movie
  • 1995
Sonarman #2
My Family

My Family

  •   Movie
  • 1995
Young Jose
Mi Vida Loca

Mi Vida Loca

  •   Movie
  • 1994
Ernesto
Gas Food Lodging

Gas Food Lodging

  •   Movie
  • 1992
Javier
American Me

American Me

  •   Movie
  • 1992
Paulito - Age 15
Little Nikita

Little Nikita

  •   Movie
  • 1988
Miguel
Full House

Full House

  •   TV Show
  • 1987
The Principal

The Principal

  •   Movie
  • 1987
Arturo Diego
Ernest Goes to Camp

Ernest Goes to Camp

  •   Movie
  • 1987
Bubba Vargas