Award-winning actor Edward James Olmos was born on February 24, 1947 in Los Angeles, California. The son of parents with Mexican descent, he grew up wanting to become a professional baseball player, and started playing the sport. He then became involved with rock and roll during his teens, starting the band Pacific Ocean, which performed in several venues in Los Angeles. He studied at East Los Angeles College, and later, the California State University in Los Angeles, where he started training as an actor.
Olmos branched out to acting in the late 1960s and early 1970s, playing roles in several productions on stage and television. He grew to prominence with the play Zoot Suit, which dramatized racial riots during World War II in California. His portrayal of the narrator, El Pachuco, earned praise, eventually earning him a Tony nomination upon the move to Broadway. He played the same role in the 1981 film version, and appeared in several other films, including Blade Runner and The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez.
In 1984, Olmos joined the cast of the police drama Miami Vice. His role, that of taciturn and reclusive police officer Martin Castillo, earned him a Golden Globe and an Emmy in 1985. He was nominated for an Oscar for his role in the 1988 drama Stand and Deliver. His other films during the time include Selena and My Family/Mi Familia.
Olmos’ most recent notable role was in the science fiction series Battlestar Galactica. He joined the cast of the reimagined version of the original ‘70s series in 2003, playing the role of William Adama, a Viper pilot who rose up the ranks and eventually became commanding officer of the Battlestar Galactica. He appeared in the miniseries and reprised his role in the resulting regular series, playing the role throughout its four-season run from 2004 to 2008. He also directed three episodes of the series.