Clifton Collins Jr.

Clifton Collins Jr.

Collins Jr. in 2013
Born Clifton Craig Collins Jr.
(1970-06-16) June 16, 1970
Los Angeles, California
Other names Clifton Gonzalez Gonzalez
Occupation Actor
Years active 1990–present

Clifton Craig Collins Jr. (born June 16, 1970) is an American actor.[1] He has appeared in films such as Traffic, Capote, Star Trek, Pacific Rim and Triple 9. He has also appeared in a variety of television shows, such as The Event, Westworld and Thief, for which he received an Emmy Award nomination in 2006.

Early life

Collins was born in Los Angeles, California. He is the grandson of actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez. He has sometimes been credited as Clifton Gonzalez-Gonzalez to honor his grandfather. He is of German and Mexican descent.[2]

Career

He first broke through the mainstream in 1997 with a performance as gang thug César Sánchez in the film One Eight Seven. In 1998, he was in Ray Bradbury's cult film The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit. He next portrayed a gay hitman named Francisco "Frankie Flowers" Flores for the Mexican drug cartels in Steven Soderbergh's 2000 ensemble drama Traffic.[3] For his portrayal of a USMC prisoner in the 2001 film The Last Castle Collins was nominated for the 2002 American Latino Media Arts (ALMA) Award for Best Supporting Actor in a motion picture. In 2002, he played the role of Buddy in the film Confessions of an American Girl. In 2005, Collins won rave reviews for his subtle portrayal of killer Perry Smith in the fact-based film Capote, which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2006. He starred in the 2005 film Dirty alongside Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. Collins starred on FX Networks' series Thief and received an Emmy nomination.[4] Collins also played a supporting role on FX Networks' series The Shield, as undercover ICE agent Hernan. He also has a small role in 2006's Babel, directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu.

In 2007, Collins took the lead role in the indie feature The Perfect Game, playing former baseball player Cesar Faz, who coaches a local Mexican youth league team, leading them all the way to the Little League World Series.[5]

In 2008, Collins directed two music videos for the country music group, Zac Brown Band: "Chicken Fried" and "Whatever It Is".

Collins starred in the comedy Sunshine Cleaning with Amy Adams, Emily Blunt and Alan Arkin. He played Winston, the owner of a cleaning supply shop who builds meticulously detailed model airplanes with only one arm. Collins played the part with one arm thrust tied behind his back.[6] In 2009's Star Trek, Collins plays Ayel, a Romulan, second in command to the villain Nero.

In 2009, Clifton joined Adrien Brody, Forest Whitaker and Elijah Wood in the psychological thriller "The Experiment".[7]

Collins starred in Extract, a 2009 film by director Mike Judge. Collins Jr. co-produced the film National Lampoon's TV: The Movie in which he played Officer Sanchez alongside Jacob Vargas in TJ COPS. He also voiced the fictional video game character Cesar Vialpando in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. In 2009, he played Romeo in the film The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day.[8]

In 2010, Collins joined the cast of NBC's drama The Event as Thomas.[9]

In 2015, HBO's science fiction drama Westworld added Collins as Lawrence, a charming but lethal outlaw, with a knack for maneuvering and negotiating the various criminal elements.[10]

Writing

He wrote his first book, Prison Ramen: Recipes and Stories from Behind Bars with Gustavo "Goose" Alvarez in 2015.[11]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1991 Grand Canyon Carlos' friend No. 2
1993 Fortress Nino Gomez
Menace II Society Vato No. 2
Poetic Justice Mailroom supervisor
1994 The Stoned Age Tack
1995 One Tough Bastard Jarhead No. 2
Dead Presidents Betancourt
1996 Sgt. Bilko Soldier No. 2
1997 One Eight Seven Cesar Sanchez
The Bad Pack Townsman 1
1998 The Replacement Killers Loco
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit Martinez
1999 My Sweet Killer Unknown
Light It Up Robert 'Rivers' Tresmont
2000 Road Dogz Raymo Serrano
Price of Glory Jimmy Ortega
Tigerland Pvt. Miter
Traffic Francisco Flores Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
2001 The Last Castle Cpl. Ramon Aguilar
2002 The Rules of Attraction Rupert
American Girl Buddy
2003 I Witness Claudio Castillo
Undefeated Loco Television movie
2004 Mindhunters Vince Sherman
2005 Life of the Party Kipp
Capote Perry Smith Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture
Dirty Officer Armando Sancho
2006 TV: The Movie Unknown
Rampage: The Hillside Strangler Murders Kenneth Bianchi
Babel Officer at Border Crossing
Little Chenier T-Boy Trahan Phoenix Film Festival Award for Best Cast
2008 Under Still Waters Jacob
2009 Sunshine Cleaning Winston
Horsemen Stingray
The Perfect Game Cesar Faz
Crank: High Voltage El Huron
Star Trek Ayel Boston Society of Film Critics Award for Best Cast
Brothers Major Cavazos
Extract Step
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day Romeo
2010 The Experiment Nix
Scott Pilgrim vs. The World Vegan Police Uncredited cameo
2011 The FP CC Jam
Freeloaders Vic
2012 Hellbenders Lawrence
2013 Pacific Rim Ops Tendo Choi
Parker Ross
2014 Transcendence Martin
2015 Stung Sydney
Man Down Charles
2016 Triple 9 Jorge Rodriguez
Transpecos Hobbs
And Punching the Clown
2017 Weightless Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1990 Freddy's Nightmares Mickey Episode: "Interior Loft"
1990 The Flash Javier O'Hara Episode 5: "Double Vision", credited as Clifton Gonzalez Gonzalez
1991 Jake and the Fatman Roberto Episode: "Street of Dreams"
1995 Madman of the People Jorge Episode: "Notes from the Underground"
1996 Walker, Texas Ranger Fito 2 episodes
1997 Crisis Center Nando Taylor 6 episodes
ER Mr. Brown Episode: "Tribes"
NYPD Blue Jimmy Cortez Episode: "I Love Lucy"
2000–2001 Resurrection Blvd. James Garcia 3 episodes
2002 The Twilight Zone Andy Perez Episode: "Last Lap"
2003 Alias Javiar Parez 3 episodes
2006 Thief Jack "Bump" Hill 6 episodes
Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie
2007 The Shield Hernan 2 episodes
Masters of Science Fiction Frendon Blythe Episode: "Little Brother"
2008 Fear Itself Richard 'Family Man' Brautigan Episode: "Family Man"
2010 Southland Detective Ray Suarez Episode: "The Runner"
2010–2011 The Event Thomas 13 episodes
2011 CSI: NY Raymond Harris 2 episodes
Pound Puppies Scar / Weasel Voice
Episode: "Rebel Without a Collar"
2013 Red Widow James Ramos 8 episodes
The Blacklist Hector Lorca Episode: "The Stewmaker"
2015 Ballers Maximo Gomez 3 episodes
2016–present Westworld Lawrence 10 episodes

Video games

Year Title Voice role
2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas Cesar Vialpando

References

  1. "Clifton Collins Jr. Biography". filmreference.com. Retrieved October 23, 2013.
  2. Beale, Lewis (April 13, 2010). "Clifton Collins Jr. feels safe at home with his Mexican heritage in 'The Perfect Game'". Daily News Latino. Retrieved June 9, 2012.
  3. Roger Ebert (January 1, 2001). "Traffic Movie Review".
  4. "And the nominees are ...". July 7, 2006. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  5. Lyford, Kathy (June 4, 2007). "Clifton Collins Jr. to star in 'Game'". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  6. Wolcott, Gary (April 16, 2009). "Q & A with Clifton Collins Jr. of 'Sunshine Cleaning'". Tri-City Herald. Retrieved August 21, 2009.
  7. Kroll, Justin (July 5, 2009). "Clifton Collins Jr.". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  8. Debruge, Peter (October 29, 2009). "Review: 'The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day'". Variety. Retrieved January 31, 2016.
  9. "Clifton Collins Jr. Joins The Event". TVGuide.com.
  10. "Westworld".
  11. "Prison Ramen: Recipes and Stories from Behind Bars".

External links

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