Danny Trejo
Danny Trejo | |
---|---|
Born | Dan Trejo May 16, 1944 |
Occupation | Actor |
Years active | 1984–present |
Spouse | Debbie Shreve |
Dan "Danny" Trejo (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtɾexo]; born May 16, 1944) is an American actor who has appeared in numerous Hollywood films, most notably in "tough guy" roles as a villain or an anti-hero. He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of the character Machete Cortez in the Robert Rodriguez film Machete.
Early life
Born Dan Trejo in the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California,[1][2] Trejo is the son of Alice Rivera and Dan Trejo, a construction worker.[3][4] He is of Mexican descent.[5] He is a second cousin of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez, though the two were unaware that they were related until the filming of Desperado.[6][7] As a youth, he roamed the streets around his home area, committing various petty crimes with his uncle, and eventually became addicted to heroin. He was arrested numerous times as an adolescent.[citation needed]
While on the streets, Trejo developed talent as a boxer and considered taking it up as a profession. That ambition was dashed by a lengthy prison sentence. He served 11 years for drug and robbery charges in the Holmesburg Prison[citation needed]. While in Holmesburg, he became the Pennsylvania state prison champion in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. During this time Trejo became a member of a twelve-step program which he credits with his success in overcoming drug addiction. He also served time in Folsom State Prison. Trejo was released in 1972.[2]
Career
While speaking at a recovery meeting in Los Angeles Trejo met a young man in the movie business. His newfound friend invited him to the set of Runaway Train where Trejo was offered a job as an extra in the film's prison scenes. Edward Bunker, himself a former convict and well-respected crime author who was writing the screenplay for the film, recognized Trejo, with whom he had done time at San Quentin. It was widely misreported that Trejo was actually serving time in the prison where filming took place. Bunker remembered Trejo's boxing skills, and offered him $320 per day to train Eric Roberts, one of the movie's stars, for a boxing scene. Director Andrei Konchalovsky liked Trejo's work and decided to offer him a prominent role in the film.
Since then, Trejo has become a prolific actor in both films and television, acting alongside some of Hollywood's most famous actors, including Jean-Claude Van Damme, Johnny Depp, Al Pacino, Nicolas Cage, Charles Bronson, George Clooney, John Malkovich, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Val Kilmer, and Antonio Banderas. Trejo has often appeared in five or more movies per year in various genres. Major releases in which he has acted include Machete, Blood in Blood Out, Animal Factory, Bubble Boy, Anaconda, Marked for Death, xXx, Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Heat, From Dusk till Dawn, Con Air, Six Days Seven Nights, Spy Kids, The Replacement Killers, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Predators, Urban Justice, The Devil's Rejects, Valley of Angels, Delta Farce, Grindhouse, Rob Zombie's Halloween and Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror.
Trejo is known for his very distinctive appearance. In addition to his heavily lined face (usually sporting a long mustache), he has displayed the large tattoo on his chest for many roles (the tattoo depicts a woman wearing a sombrero). He often plays thugs or lowlife characters, although he has also played protagonists in films such as Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids trilogy, Bubble Boy and a guest appearance on the USA Network series Monk with art imitating life as a convict roommate to Tony Shalhoub's undercover detective. He also appeared in an episode of Desperate Housewives in Season 2, sent by Carlos to help Gabrielle deal with her grief of losing her unborn baby (another good-guy character). He voices the character Enrique, and Octavio's character is based on his appearance on King of the Hill. His role on King of the Hill was referenced in the HBO series Unscripted in which he appears in a quick cameo. He also is featured in an episode of Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! and an episode of Do IT LIVE alongside actors Anna Bennett and Claudia Pickering, shot in Downtown Los Angeles, by the name of Sebring feat. Danny Trejo. Trejo also made guest appearances in the award-winning series Breaking Bad in 2009 and 2010.
The award-winning independent film, CHAMPION was released in 2005, documenting Trejo's life. It features Dennis Hopper, Val Kilmer, Steve Buscemi and Robert Rodriguez. Trejo appears as a playable character in Def Jam: Fight for NY, a fighting game to which the actor lent his voice and likeness. He had previously lent his voice to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for the character Umberto Robina, who also resembles Trejo. Trejo voiced the character of Rico in Rob Zombie's animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto as well as starring alongside Steven Seagal in Urban Justice. He is now portraying the Mexican bartender in the daytime soap opera The Young and the Restless. He also voices Raul the Ghoul in Fallout: New Vegas.
Regarding his continued growth as a professional actor, Trejo has stated that he still cannot believe how fortunate he has been. "I'm so blessed. I'm still scared that somebody's going to wake me up and say, 'Hey, we're still in prison. Let's go to chow'".[8]
Many of Trejo's characters in Robert Rodriguez movies have been named after knives or sharp instruments: Machete in Spy Kids, Razor Eddie in the From Dusk till Dawn series, Navajas (Spanish for blades) in Desperado, and Cuchillo (Spanish for knife) in Predators.[9] He also plays Machete in a trailer made for Rodriguez's film collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, Grindhouse. In 2010, he starred in a full theatrical version of Machete, based on the character.
He has also made cameo appearances in music videos such as, in rapper Tech N9ne's video for the single, Like Yeah, from his 2008 release Killer, Rehab's 2007 song Bartender, Jay Chou's short movie-music video Double Blade from his 2003 album Ye Hui Mei, and the Jonas Brothers' Burnin' Up from their album A Little Bit Longer and in Sepultura video Attitude in 1996.
He also appeared in the PlayStation Move game The Fight: Lights Out as an instructor for the player's character, and as himself in the second map pack for Call of Duty: Black Ops; Escalation map pack, on the zombie map Call of the Dead.
In 2012, Trejo starred alongside Ron Perlman and Charles S. Dutton in Craig Moss’s action film Bad Ass. He plays the main character of Frank Vega, a Vietnam veteran based upon 67-year-old “Epic Beard Man” Thomas Bruso, who became famous for beating a 50-year-old black man aboard an AC Transit bus in Oakland, California.
Personal life
Trejo is married to Debbie Shreve. He has four children: Danny Boy (b. 1981), Gilbert (b. 1988), Danielle (b. 1990), Jose (b. 1991) who are all from previous relationships. He also has a daughter Esmeralda Trejo who is married and has three children in Austin, Texas. Her mother is the woman with the sombrero on his chest tattoo.
Trejo has said that he is amazed when he walks the streets where he used to commit crimes and children ask him for autographs. He also pointed out that he often chooses to play bad guys to teach younger audiences that bad guys often die or go to prison, and that one should try to live a decent life.
Trejo often speaks in front of youth groups and at colleges and encourages young people to avoid making the same mistakes he did while growing up.
On February 7, 2012 Trejo visited John H. Francis Polytechnic high school to talk to students about education.
Trejo is a Christian.[10]
Filmography
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1985 | Runaway Train | Boxer | |
1987 | Penitentiary III | See Veer | |
The Hidden | Prisoner | ||
Death Wish 4: The Crackdown | Art Sanella | ||
1988 | Bulletproof | Sharkey | |
1989 | Kinjite: Forbidden Subjects | Prison Inmate | |
Lock Up | Chink's Gang Member | ||
Bail Out | Mean | a.k.a. W.B., Blue and the Bean | |
Cage | Costello's Bodyguard | ||
1990 | Drug Wars: The Camarena Story | Gabriel | TV mini-series |
Guns | Tong | ||
Maniac Cop 2 | Prisoner | ||
Marked for Death | Hector | ||
1991 | The Last Hour | Spider | |
Mi Vida Loca | Frank/Casual Dreamer | ||
Whore | Tattoo Artist | ||
Wedlock | Tough Prisoner #1 | ||
Femme Fatale | Toshi | ||
Carnal Crimes | Chandra | ||
Lonely Hearts | Angry Client | ||
Baywatch | Carlos Urueta | TV; episode Point of Attack | |
1992 | Reasonable Doubts | Cholo #2 | TV; episode The Shadow of Death |
Nails | Las Virgenes bartender | TV film | |
Baywatch | Chulo | TV; episode Masquerade | |
1993 | Sunset Grill | Young Mexican | |
Blood in Blood Out | Geronimo | a.k.a. Bound by Honor | |
Doppelganger | Hard Hat | ||
Mi Vida Loca | Frank | ||
12:01 | Prisoner | TV film | |
Last Light | 2nd Inmate | ||
Love, Cheat & Steal | Cuban | ||
1994 | Criminal Passion | Construction Worker | |
Against The Wall | Luis | TV film | |
1995 | Dead Badge | El Tango Bartender | |
The Stranger | Hawk | ||
Desperado | Navajas | ||
Fallen Angels | Boxer | TV; episode Love and Blood | |
Heat | Trejo | ||
1996 | From Dusk till Dawn | Razor Charlie | |
Renegade | Freddie | TV; episode Hog Calls | |
NYPD Blue | Gabriel Mota | TV; episode Hollie and the Blowfish | |
Le Jaguar | Kumare | ||
1997 | Los Locos | Manuel Batista | |
Anaconda | Poacher | ||
Con Air | Johnny 23 | ||
Trojan War | Scarface | ||
Dilemma | Rudy Salazar | ||
1998 | Tracey Takes On... | Hispanic Man | TV; two episodes |
Brooklyn South | Louis | TV; episode Skel in a Cell | |
Walker, Texas Ranger | Joe Lopez | TV; episode Circle of Life | |
Point Blank | Wallace | ||
The Replacement Killers | Collins | ||
Six Days Seven Nights | Pierce | ||
Champions | Max Brito | ||
Soundman | Duce's Father | ||
NYPD Blue | Frankie Soto | TV; episode Numb & Number | |
1999 | From Dusk till Dawn 2: Texas Blood Money | Razor Eddie | |
Inferno | Johnny Six Toes | a.k.a. Desert Heat | |
Walker, Texas Ranger | José Rodriguez | TV; episode Rise to the Occasion | |
2000 | From Dusk till Dawn 3: The Hangman's Daughter | Razor Charlie | |
Animal Factory | Vito | ||
Reindeer Games | Jumpy | ||
The X-Files | Spider-Man/Cesar Ocampo | TV; episode Redrum | |
2001 | Spy Kids | Isador "Machete" Cortez | |
Bubble Boy | Slim | ||
Skippy | Hitman | ||
2002 | 13 Moons | Hoodlum #2 | |
The Salton Sea | Little Bill | ||
Do It for Uncle Manny | Pedro | ||
The District | Danny | TV; episode Convictions | |
Spy Kids 2: The Island of Lost Dreams | Isador "Machete" Cortez | ||
xXx | El Jefe | ||
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City | Umberto Robina (voice only) | video game | |
The Hire: Beat the Devil | Bob | short film | |
Nightstalker | Officer Frank Luis | ||
2003 | Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over | Machete | |
Once Upon a Time in Mexico | Cucuy | ||
Kingpin | Manny | TV mini-series | |
Alias | Emilio Vargas | TV; episode Countdown | |
The Brothers García | Eduardo 'Ed' Garcia | TV; episode It Was Fun While It Lasted | |
Double Blade | El Patron | short film | |
King of the Hill | Enrique (voice only) | TV; 17 episodes; 2003–2010 | |
2004 | Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy | Bartender | |
Def Jam: Fight for NY | Trejo (voice only) | video game | |
Lost | Edward James Archer | ||
Grounded for Life | Raul | TV; episode (She's Got) Kegs | |
Monk | Spyder Rudner | TV; episode Mr. Monk Goes to Jail | |
Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie | Bartender | ||
2005 | All Souls Day | Vargas Diaz | a.k.a. All Souls Day: Dia de los Muertos |
Tennis, Anyone...? | Hector | ||
The Curse of El Charro | El Charro (voice only) | ||
George Lopez | Bobby | TV; episode George's Extreme Makeover: Holmes Edition | |
Chasing Ghosts | Carlos Santiago | ||
High Hopes | Shady | formerly Nice Guys | |
Champion. | Himself | ||
The Devil's Rejects | Rondo | ||
The Crow: Wicked Prayer | Harold | A catholic-Indian priest, chief of a Puerto-Rican gang. Usually dances naked. | |
Venice Underground | Papi | ||
Dreaming on Christmas | Train Driver | ||
Desperate Housewives | Hector Ramos | TV; episode The Sun Won't Set | |
2006 | Furnace | Fury | |
TV: The Movie | Crow | ||
Propensity | Roy | ||
Sherrybaby | Dean Walker | ||
Living the Dream | Chuck | ||
Danny Roane: First Time Director | Hector | ||
Heist | Ernesto | TV; episode How Billy Got His Groove Back | |
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories | Umberto Robina (voice only) | video game | |
Hood of Horror | Derelict | a.k.a. Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horror | |
Seven Mummies | Apache | ||
Slayer | Montegna | TV film | |
Haunted Prison | Priest | ||
2007 | Smiley Face | Albert | |
Grindhouse | Machete | segment: Machete | |
Delta Farce | Carlos Santana | ||
The Knights of Prosperity | Hector | TV; episode Operation: Open the Safe | |
Halloween | Ismael Cruz | ||
Battle for Terra | Elder Barum (voice only) | ||
The Blue Rose | Junk | ||
Urban Justice | El Chivo | ||
Stargate: Atlantis | Omal | TV; episode Missing | |
On Bloody Sunday | The Ref | ||
Blood Ties | Pacha Kamaq | TV; episode Wrapped | |
2008 | Valley of Angels | Hector | |
Through the Valley | Don Reyes | ||
Richard III | Major | ||
The Art of Travel | Limo Driver | ||
Jake's Corner | Clint | ||
Ranchero | Capone | ||
Toxic | Antoine | ||
Alone in the Dark II | Perry | ||
La Linea | Mario | ||
Necessary Evil | Barro | ||
The Young and the Restless | Bartender | TV; 15 episodes | |
2009 | The Grind | Nicholi Guzman | |
Fanboys | The Chief | ||
The Spectacular Spider-Man | Ox (voice only) | TV; episode "Probable Cause" | |
The Haunted World of El Superbeasto | Rico (voice only) | ||
Modus Operandi | Director Holiday | ||
The Boys of Ghost Town | Father | ||
Eyeborgs | G-Man | ||
Breaking Bad | Tortuga | TV; episode Negro Y Azul | |
2010 | The Killing Jar | Jimmy | |
Shoot the Hero | Crazy Joe | ||
Burn Notice | Vega | TV; episode Friendly Fire | |
Breaking Bad | Tortuga | TV; episode I.F.T. | |
Shadows in Paradise | Matador | ||
Boston Girls | Uncle Reggie | ||
Pastor Shepherd | Phil Harrison | ||
Saint John of Las Vegas | Bismarck | ||
The Bill Collector | Uncle Frankie | ||
Lean Like a Cholo | The O.G. | ||
Fallout: New Vegas | Raul Alfonso Tejada | Video game | |
Food Stamps | Mr. Fernandez | ||
Sebring feat. Danny Trejo | Danny Trejo | Do IT LIVE webisode, season 1 | |
Dark Games | Archie | ||
Project x27 | Mondo | ||
Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! | Suspect | TV; episode Comedy | |
The Good Guys | Mexican Drug Dealer | ||
Predators | Cuchillo | ||
North by El Norte | Uncle John | ||
Beatdown | Marcus | Direct-to-DVD | |
Machete | Machete Cortez | first leading role | |
Justin Time | Mardok | ||
The Fight: Lights Out | As a trainer named Duke | Video game | |
Modern Family | Gus | TV; episode Dance Dance Revelation | |
2011 | Young Justice | Bane | Voice |
Death Race 2 | Goldberg | Direct-to-DVD | |
Call of Duty: Black Ops | Himself | Video game. In the zombie map Call of the Dead | |
Franklin & Bash | "Ultimo" A professional Wrestler | TV Series | |
Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World | Isador "Machete" Cortez | ||
A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas | Mr. Perez | ||
Vengeance | Jack | ||
Sons of Anarchy | Romero Parada | TV Series, FX (TV Channel), Season 4 | |
Haunted High School | Mortiz | ||
2012 | Bad Ass | Frank Vega | Inspired by Tom Bruso |
Cultural references
Plastilina Mosh, a Mexican alternative rock band, paid tribute to Trejo with their song "Danny Trejo", featured in their album All U Need Is Mosh. Trejo is also featured in the 2004 hip-hop fighting game Def Jam: Fight for NY as a soldier to Crow's side. Crow is voiced by and his looks are captured by Snoop Dogg. Danny Trejo can also be seen in the intro of Greg Hastings Tournament Paintball Max'd ("Play for Real", B-Real & DJ Lethal). He also is featured in the downloadable content pack called Escalation Map Pack in the video game Call of Duty: Black Ops on the map "Call of the Dead" as himself.
ITN Clothing
In addition to his acting career, Trejo is also the founder of ITN Clothing, which offers hip-hop style T-shirts and accessories.
References
- ^ Beale, Lewis (May 9, 2007). "He ain't that bad". Daily News. New York.
- ^ a b Bowles, Scott (September 3, 2010). "'Machete' star Danny Trejo is an illustrated man, in many ways". USA Today. Retrieved November 4, 2011.
- ^ Danny Trejo Biography (1944–)
- ^ Danny Trejo Biography – Yahoo! Movies
- ^ Amy Nicholson. "Danny Trejo Talks 'Predators,' 'Machete' and The Jonas Brothers".
- ^ Strauss, Bob (September 11, 2003). "ROBERT RODRIGUEZ WEARS A HOST OF HATS, STAYS AWAY FROM TINSELTOWN AND EMBRACES DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY WITH GRITTY END TO `MARIACHI' TRILOGY". Daily News (Los Angeles, CA). Retrieved August 30, 2010.
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(help) - ^ Barlow, Helen (November 11, 2010). "Robert Rodriguez and Danny Trejo cutting a short story long". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved November 12, 2010.
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(help) - ^ "Danny Trejo: The illustrated man".
- ^ "Meet Danny Trejo as the Badass Cuchillo in New 'Predators' Character Profile".
- ^ Stuart Alson. "From Convict to A-List".
External links
- Danny Trejo at IMDb
- Danny Trejo: The illustrated man
- Official site for Champion a documentary about Trejo
- Random Roles: Danny Trejo