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Jimmy Smits

Smits

Miami Vice Character
Metro-Dade Detective Eddie Rivera ("Brother's Keeper")
Born
July 9, 1955, Brooklyn, New York
Active
1986-present
Spouse/Children
Barbara Smits (1980-87), two children


Jimmy Smits (born July 9, 1955) is an American actor and producer, who made his acting debut in the show Miami Vice as Metro-Dade Detective Eddie Rivera, Crockett's partner who was killed by a car bomb planted by the drug lord Calderone in the episode "Brother's Keeper".

Career[]

Smits was born in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Cornell with a MFA, he began his acting career on Vice. His first series role was as attorney Victor Sifuentes in L.A. Law, a role he played for six seasons (1986-91). then appeared for four seasons (1994-98) as Detective Bobby Simone on NYPD Blue, two seasons (2004-06) as Congressman (later President) Matthew Santos on The West Wing, as a Supreme Court justice who leaves the bench to return to private practice in the 2010 series Outlaw, and as Nero Padilla in the cable series Sons of Anarchy (with Kim Coates and Ron Perlman), and in the Netflix series The Get Down (with Giancarlo Esposito). He also appeared in the series Dexter and Cane (with Rita Moreno, which he also served as executive producer), in numerous TV movies, the Saturday morning show Pee Wee's Playhouse, and guest hosted Saturday Night Live (with Chris Rock) in 1990. Smits was nominated for 12 Emmys, six for L.A. Law (won one, in 1990), five for NYPD Blue, and one for Dexter. Smits also appeared in the series 24: Legacy and How to Get Away With Murder, his most recent TV appearance.

His movie career began in 1986 in the movie Running Scared (with Dan Hedaya), later as Senator Bail Organa (Princess Leia's adoptive father) in the Star Wars prequel movies Episode II: Attack of the Clones, and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith (as well as two video games based on Star Wars), Mother and Child (with Annette Bening and Elpidia Carrillo), and his most recent movie appearance, 2018's Who We Are Now.

Personal Life[]

Smits has two sisters. He was married to his wife Barbara from 1980 until their divorce in 1987, they have two children; Taina (born 1973) and Joaquin (born 1983), before his marriage ended Smits became involved with actress Wanda DeJesus (CSI: Miami, Santa Barbara) and they have been together since 1986.

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