Andy García
| Andy García | |
|---|---|
 García at the 2009 Deauville American Film Festival |
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| Born | Andrés Arturo García Menéndez April 12, 1956 Havana, Cuba |
| Alma mater | Florida International University |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Spouse | Marivi Lorido García (1982-present) |
Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables, Internal Affairs and When a Man Loves a Woman. More recently, he has starred in Ocean's Eleven and its sequels, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen, and The Lost City.
García was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Vincent Mancini in The Godfather Part III.
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[edit] Early life
García was born Andrés Arturo García Menéndez in Havana, Cuba.[1] His mother, Amelie Menéndez, was an English teacher, and his father, René García Núñez, was an avocado farmer and attorney in Cuba, and later owned a fragrance business in the United States.[2][3] García has an older brother, René. When García was five years old, the family moved to Miami, Florida, after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Over a period of several years, they built up a million-dollar perfume company. García was raised as a Roman Catholic[4] and attended Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played on the basketball team. During his last year in high school, he became ill with mononucleosis,[5] which convinced him to pursue a career in acting. He began his acting career taking a drama class with Jay W. Jensen in his senior year at Miami Beach Senior High School. He graduated from Florida International University in Miami.[6]
[edit] Career
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García began acting at Florida International University, but soon went to Hollywood. He started to perform in very short roles, working part-time as waiter and in a warehouse. He had a short role in the first episode of "Murder, She Wrote" as "1st white tough" in 1984. His chance arose when he was offered a role as a gang member in the first episode of the popular TV series Hill Street Blues. His supporting role in 1985's The Mean Season alongside Kurt Russell brought García wider visibility, although the film fared poorly at the box office. Director Brian De Palma liked his performance in the 1986 movie 8 Million Ways to Die and engaged him the following year for The Untouchables, which made García a popular Hollywood actor.
In 1989, Garcia did the Ridley Scott film Black Rain, with Michael Douglas. Also in 1989, Francis Ford Coppola was casting The Godfather Part III. The character of Vincent Mancini, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, was an exceptional part in a highly anticipated film. García was one of many actors who wanted to be cast, but he also bore a resemblance to the young Al Pacino. He won the part, earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance and became an internationally acclaimed star.
Garcia followed that with films such as 1990s Internal Affairs, in which he engages in a battle of wits with a corrupt fellow police officer, played by Richard Gere. Subsequently, he performed in a wide variety of theatrical and TV films.
He played a conflicted good samaritan in Hero (1992), the enabling husband of an alcoholic in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), a doomed criminal in Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), a crusading lawyer in the drama Night Falls on Manhattan (1997), and a cop trying to save his gravely ill son in the action thriller Desperate Measures (1998).
One of his most well-known performances was as the ruthless Las Vegas casino owner Terry Benedict in 2001's Ocean's Eleven, a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper movie. García reprised the role for the 2004 sequel, although the part was significantly smaller than the one in the first film. He also appeared briefly in Ocean's Thirteen (2007).
In 2005, he released The Lost City, which he co-wrote, directed, and starred in, alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Upon its release, The Lost City sparked controversy among many in Latin America due to its negative portrayal of the Cuban Revolution, and in particular Che Guevara, who continues to have substantial popularity there. He was also present at the Cannes Film Festival for his role in this movie. In 2006, he appeared in the last episode of the Turkish TV series Kurtlar Vadisi (Valley of the Wolves) along with Sharon Stone.
In 2010, he appeared on the BBC's Top Gear Star in a Reasonably Priced Car segment, recording a time of 1:46.1 in the Kia Cee'd.
In 2011 he appeared as a guest on the radical right-wing program "Maria Elvira Live" on the MegaTV network which is notorious for its explicit, anti-Cuba programming.
In keeping with his support for right-wing figures, in 2011 Garcia played Georgian strongman Mikheil Saakashvili in the film 5 Days Of War which was partially funded by the Georgian regime.
[edit] Personal life
In 1982, García married María Victoria Lorido.[7] He is the father of four children: Dominik Garcia-Lorido (b. 1983), an actress, Daniella (b. 1988), Alessandra (b. 1991) and Andres (b. 2002).[8][9]
[edit] Filmography
[edit] Other awards and nominations
- 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Host of a Variety or Awards Special" - 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards (shared w/Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez & Jimmy Smits)
- 2006: Won, "Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures"
Nostros Golden Eagle Awards
- 1997: Won, "Outstanding Performer in Film"
[edit] References
- ^ "Was Walt Disney frozen after death? Top 10 celebrity myths debunked". The Daily Telegraph (London). April 30, 2009. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/celebritynews/5246724/Was-Walt-Disney-frozen-after-death-Top-10-celebrity-myths-debunked.html. Retrieved February 2, 2010.
- ^ Blau, Eleanor (July 24, 1987). "New Face; A Fervor For Film Pays Off: Andy Garcia". The New York Times. http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9B0DE7DB1730F937A15754C0A961948260. Retrieved April 25, 2010.
- ^ "Andy Garcia Biography (2010-)". Filmreference.com. 1956-04-12. http://www.filmreference.com/film/46/Andy-Garcia.html. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
- ^ Aitkenhead, Decca (July 19, 2010). "Andy Garcia: 'The problem with producing movies? You get paid last'". guardian.co.uk. http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/2010/jul/19/andy-garcia-decca-aitkenhead. Retrieved April 27, 2011.
- ^ "Andy Garcia Biography". The Biography Channel. http://thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_home/19:0/Andy_Garcia.htm. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
- ^ "Andy Garcia - Biography". Net Glimpse. http://www.netglimse.com/celebs/pages/andy_garcia/index.shtml. Retrieved 2010-12-19.
- ^ "Andy Garcia's 'Twisted' Role". CBS News. February 25, 2004. http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/02/25/earlyshow/leisure/celebspot/main602254.shtml.
- ^ "'Steal Big' star Andy Garcia was ready for a more light-hearted role.(Originated from The Virginian-Pilot)". Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service. September 29, 1995. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/coms2/summary_0286-6345711_ITM.
- ^ "Andy Garcia, Family Welcome Arrival of New Son". San Jose Mercury News. January 30, 2002. http://nl.newsbank.com/nl-search/we/Archives?p_product=SJ&s_site=mercurynews&p_multi=SJ&p_theme=realcities&p_action=search&p_maxdocs=200&p_topdoc=1&p_text_direct-0=0F16454B728ADC9B&p_field_direct-0=document_id&p_perpage=10&p_sort=YMD_date:D&s_trackval=GooglePM. Retrieved 2011-07-07.
[edit] External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Andy Garcia |
- Andy García at the Internet Movie Database
- Andy García at the TCM Movie Database
- Andy García at Yahoo! Movies
- Watch: Andy Garcia interviewed at the 2006 Miami Film Festival on independentfilm.com
- Andy Garcia interview for Smokin’ Aces
- Andy Garcia interview on his City Island diet
- Photos "Cristiada": Andy García filming in Durango, México
- Lisa Bradshaw, "Andy Garcia - Film star returns to Ghent after 22 years: "I've come full circle"" - article in Flanders Today
- American film actors
- American television actors
- American entertainers of Cuban descent
- American people of Cuban descent
- Cuban emigrants to the United States
- Cuban exiles
- Actors from Florida
- People from Miami, Florida
- Miami Beach Senior High School alumni
- Naturalized citizens of the United States
- Florida International University people
- 1956 births
- Living people
- Hispanic and Latino American people
- Hispanic and Latino American actors
- American anti-communists
