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Jimmy Smits

Known for his roles as Victor Sifuentes on "LA Law" and Detective Bobby Simone on "NYPD Blue"

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Jimmy Smits Biography

Born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. Smits was the eldest of three children born to Emelina and Cornelis Smits. A second generation American of mixed ancestry (his mother was Puerto Rican, and his father was Dutch), Smits was raised primarily in Brooklyn. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he was both an athlete and actor of considerable talent. He continued his education at Brooklyn College, receiving a B.A. degree in theatre, and earning an M.F.A. from Cornell University in 1982. In the early 1980's, Smits traveled the U.S appearing in repertory and off-Broadway productions. After considerable stage success he was cast in several movie and TV projects, most notably the two-hour pilot for Miami Vice (1984), where he was featured as Don Johnson's partner.

In 1986, Jimmy Smits landed his first big screen role as a drug dealer in Running Scared. Later that year, he found his niche in television when he was signed to play attorney Victor Sifuentes on the weekly series L.A. Law. During its six-year run, the courtroom drama was a critical and commercial success. Smits earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1990, while he cultivated his image as an Hispanic heartthrob with his character.

While working on L.A. Law, Smits segued onto the big screen, landing the lead role in Old Gringo (1989), opposite Jane Fonda and Gregory Peck. Although his performance as General Arroyo was recognized, the film inspired little interest in moviegoers.

In 1991, Smits left L.A. Law, shelving his TV career to wholeheartedly pursue a film career.He set his sights on movie stardom, but like so many other hopefuls his efforts met with limited success. In 1992, he returned to the small screen, appearing in the documentary The Broken Cord. The following year, he appeared in Stephen King's The Tommyknockers (1993), which marked his first performance in a TV miniseries.

Later that year, the producers of the gritty police drama N.Y.P.D. Blue offered Smits the series' lead role (after David Caruso's departure). Smits accepted the part, which re-teamed him with L.A. Law producer Steven Bochco. In the fall of 1994, he debuted on N.Y.P.D. Blue as detective Bobby Simone, staging a sensational comeback and winning the hearts of a skeptical audience. He remained with the show until 1998, when he delivered a heart-wrenching performance in the season finale. During his run on the show, Smits earned five Emmy nominations as Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

While working on N.Y.P.D. Blue, Smits attracted further attention with a lead role in the Latino film Mi Familia (1995), alongside Edward James Olmos.

Smits continued to pursue film roles, appearing in the thriller The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), which paired him with Mel Gibson, Milla Jovovich, and Gloria Stewart. Despite an impressive cast, the film, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, failed to attract a wide audience in America. Later that year, he headlined the boxing drama Price of Glory and the supernatural thriller Bless the Child, opposite Kim Basinger. Smits also appeared in the final two Star Wars films—Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Smits also made a brief return to television in 2004. He appeared as congressman and presidential hopeful Matthew Santos on the critically acclaimed The West Wing until it was canceled after the 2005-2006 season.

In 1981, Smits married his high school sweetheart, Barbara. The couple had two children together before they divorced in 1987. He is currently dating long-time companion and fellow actress Wanda De Jesus.

On a personal level, Smits remains passionately committed to the Latino community. Along with comedian Paul Rodriguez and actress/singer Jennifer Lopez, he has invested in The Conga Room, a Los Angeles dance club which serves as a vehicle for Latino music. Smits has also founded The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, an organization that promotes Hispanic talent in the performing arts.

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  • HOW TO BOOK Jimmy Smits?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Jimmy Smits for both live and virtual events for over 15 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Jimmy Smits, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Jimmy Smits or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO BOOK Jimmy Smits?

    Speaking fees for Jimmy Smits, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Jimmy Smits charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Jimmy Smits, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • WHO IS THE AGENT FOR Jimmy Smits?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Jimmy Smits for clients worldwide for more than 15 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jimmy Smits for your next private or corporate function.
  • WHAT IS A FULL-SERVICE TALENT BOOKING AGENCY?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Jimmy Smits or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Jimmy Smits or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.
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This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

Known for his roles as Victor Sifuentes on "LA Law" and Detective Bobby Simone on "NYPD Blue"

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Jimmy Smits Biography

Born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn, New York. Smits was the eldest of three children born to Emelina and Cornelis Smits. A second generation American of mixed ancestry (his mother was Puerto Rican, and his father was Dutch), Smits was raised primarily in Brooklyn. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School, where he was both an athlete and actor of considerable talent. He continued his education at Brooklyn College, receiving a B.A. degree in theatre, and earning an M.F.A. from Cornell University in 1982. In the early 1980's, Smits traveled the U.S appearing in repertory and off-Broadway productions. After considerable stage success he was cast in several movie and TV projects, most notably the two-hour pilot for Miami Vice (1984), where he was featured as Don Johnson's partner.

In 1986, Jimmy Smits landed his first big screen role as a drug dealer in Running Scared. Later that year, he found his niche in television when he was signed to play attorney Victor Sifuentes on the weekly series L.A. Law. During its six-year run, the courtroom drama was a critical and commercial success. Smits earned an Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 1990, while he cultivated his image as an Hispanic heartthrob with his character.

While working on L.A. Law, Smits segued onto the big screen, landing the lead role in Old Gringo (1989), opposite Jane Fonda and Gregory Peck. Although his performance as General Arroyo was recognized, the film inspired little interest in moviegoers.

In 1991, Smits left L.A. Law, shelving his TV career to wholeheartedly pursue a film career.He set his sights on movie stardom, but like so many other hopefuls his efforts met with limited success. In 1992, he returned to the small screen, appearing in the documentary The Broken Cord. The following year, he appeared in Stephen King's The Tommyknockers (1993), which marked his first performance in a TV miniseries.

Later that year, the producers of the gritty police drama N.Y.P.D. Blue offered Smits the series' lead role (after David Caruso's departure). Smits accepted the part, which re-teamed him with L.A. Law producer Steven Bochco. In the fall of 1994, he debuted on N.Y.P.D. Blue as detective Bobby Simone, staging a sensational comeback and winning the hearts of a skeptical audience. He remained with the show until 1998, when he delivered a heart-wrenching performance in the season finale. During his run on the show, Smits earned five Emmy nominations as Lead Actor in a Drama Series.

While working on N.Y.P.D. Blue, Smits attracted further attention with a lead role in the Latino film Mi Familia (1995), alongside Edward James Olmos.

Smits continued to pursue film roles, appearing in the thriller The Million Dollar Hotel (2000), which paired him with Mel Gibson, Milla Jovovich, and Gloria Stewart. Despite an impressive cast, the film, which debuted at the Berlin Film Festival, failed to attract a wide audience in America. Later that year, he headlined the boxing drama Price of Glory and the supernatural thriller Bless the Child, opposite Kim Basinger. Smits also appeared in the final two Star Wars films—Attack of the Clones (2002) and Revenge of the Sith (2005).

Smits also made a brief return to television in 2004. He appeared as congressman and presidential hopeful Matthew Santos on the critically acclaimed The West Wing until it was canceled after the 2005-2006 season.

In 1981, Smits married his high school sweetheart, Barbara. The couple had two children together before they divorced in 1987. He is currently dating long-time companion and fellow actress Wanda De Jesus.

On a personal level, Smits remains passionately committed to the Latino community. Along with comedian Paul Rodriguez and actress/singer Jennifer Lopez, he has invested in The Conga Room, a Los Angeles dance club which serves as a vehicle for Latino music. Smits has also founded The National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, an organization that promotes Hispanic talent in the performing arts.

Jimmy Smits Videos

  • JIMMY SMITS SETS HIGH BAR FOR HIMSELF
  • Count On Us TV - Jimmy Smits

FAQs on booking Jimmy Smits

  • How to book Jimmy Smits?

    Our booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure talent like Jimmy Smits for both live and virtual events for over 20 years. The team at All American Entertainment represents and listens to the needs of organizations and corporations seeking to hire keynote speakers, celebrities or entertainers for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment. Fill out a booking request form for Jimmy Smits, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get pricing information and check availability for Jimmy Smits or any other celebrity of your choice.
  • How much does it cost to book Jimmy Smits?

    Speaking fees for Jimmy Smits, or any other keynote speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The amount that Jimmy Smits charges to speak often varies according to the circumstances, including their schedule, market conditions, length of presentation, and the location of the event. The speaker fees listed on this website are intended to serve as a guideline only. In some cases, the actual quote may be above or below the stated range. For the most current fee to hire Jimmy Smits, please fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak with an experienced booking agent.
  • Who is the agent for Jimmy Smits?

    All American Entertainment has successfully secured celebrity talent like Jimmy Smits for clients worldwide for more than 20 years. As a full-service talent booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Fill out the booking request form or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Jimmy Smits for your next private or corporate function.
  • What is a full-service talent booking agency?

    All American Speakers is a "buyers agent" and exclusively represents talent buyers, meeting planners and event professionals, who are looking to secure celebrities and speakers for personal appearances, speaking engagements, corporate entertainment, public relations campaigns, commercials, or endorsements. We do not exclusively represent Jimmy Smits or claim ourselves as the exclusive booking agency, business manager, publicist, speakers bureau or management for Jimmy Smits or any other speaker or celebrity on this website. For more information on how we work and what makes us unique, please read the AAE Advantage.

Jimmy Smits is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Jimmy Smits for your event is $50,000 - $100,000. Jimmy Smits generally travels from and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Rosie Perez, Anthony Ramos, Diane Guerrero, Maggie Siff and Gina Rodriguez. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Jimmy Smits for an upcoming live or virtual event.

Jimmy Smits Speaker Videos

  • JIMMY SMITS SETS HIGH BAR FOR HIMSELF
    Count On Us TV - Jimmy Smits

Jimmy Smits News

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During normal business hours, we respond to most inquiries within 4 hours.

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Speakers Similar to Jimmy Smits

This website is a resource for event professionals and strives to provide the most comprehensive catalog of thought leaders and industry experts to consider for speaking engagements. A listing or profile on this website does not imply an agency affiliation or endorsement by the talent.

All American Entertainment (AAE) exclusively represents the interests of talent buyers, and does not claim to be the agency or management for any speaker or artist on this site. AAE is a talent booking agency for paid events only. We do not handle requests for donation of time or media requests for interviews, and cannot provide celebrity contact information.

If you are the talent and wish to request a profile update or removal from our online directory, please submit a profile request form.

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