Andy Garcia

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Andy García (born April 12, 1956) is a Cuban-American actor.

Early life

He was born Andrés Arturo García in Havana, Cuba, into a prosperous family. At birth he had a parasitic twin, which appeared as a tennis ball-sized growth on his shoulder. The twin was successfully removed. When Garcia was 5, the failure of the Bay of Pigs Invasion forced the family to move to Miami, Florida, where they did various types of work in order to survive. Over a period of several years, however, they built up a million-dollar perfume company. García went to Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played on the basketball team. During his last year in high school, however, he became seriously ill, which convinced him to pursue a career in acting.

Acting Career

Garcia 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. 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. 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 Garcia a popular Hollywood actor. In 1989, Francis Ford Coppola was casting The Godfather Part III. The character Vincent Corleone, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, was an exceptional part which many actors wanted. Garcia was not only one of the few actors capable of carrying the part, but he also bore an uncanny resemblance to Robert De Niro, who played the role of young Vito Corleone, Vincent's grandfather, in The Godfather Part II. The role thus went to Garcia, who earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance and became an internationally acclaimed star.

In the following years, Garcia has played in all kinds of films, in which he has always left the imprint of his talent. He has appeared also in several TV films. He is, however, a man of principles and chooses his roles according to them, more than for money reasons. He has therefore gained the respect and admiration of directors, producers and colleagues, and the sympathy of the audiences. While not in the same vein of movie stars dominating the box office, Garcia has remained equally strong in both leading and supporting roles. One of his more well known films was the 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven, which had Garcia in fine form as Terry Benedict, the ruthless Las Vegas mogul who just happens to be seeing the estranged wife (Julia Roberts) of George Clooney's character. Garcia reprised the role in the 2004 sequel, although many noted that the part was significantly smaller than the villain he played in the first film. He is currently at work on The Lost City which he co-wrote, directs, and stars in, alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray.

Garcia has said that he is proud of his Cuban heritage. In 1982, he married María Victoria Lorido. He is the father of three daughters and one son. The Garcia family lives in Los Angeles and Miami.

Filmography

• Ocean's Thirteen (2007)
• The Air I Breathe (2007)
• The Lost City (2005)
• Ocean's Twelve (2004)
• Modigliani (2004)
• The Lazarus Child (2004)
• Twisted (2004)
• Confidence (2003)
• Just Like Mona (2003)
• Ocean's Eleven (2001)
• The Man from Elysian Fields (2001)
• The Unsaid (2001)
• Lakeboat (2001)
• Just the Ticket (1999)
• Desperate Measures (1998)
• Hoodlum (1997)
• The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca (1997)
• Night Falls on Manhattan (1997)
• Steal Big, Steal Little (1995)
• Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995)
• When a Man Loves a Woman (1994)
• (1992)
• Jennifer Eight (1992)
• Hero (1992)
• Dead Again (1991)
• The Godfather Part III (1990)
• A Show of Force (1990)
• Internal Affairs (film) (1990)
• Black Rain (1989)
• American Roulette (1988)
• Stand and Deliver (1988)
• The Untouchables (1987)
• 8 Million Ways to Die (1986)
• The Mean Season (1985)
• Blue Skies Again (1983)
• A Night in Heaven (1983)
• Guaguasi (1979)

External links