The newest Person of the Week is a great character actor, in the tradition of previous POTW character players Warren Oates and Barry Newman.

Luis Guzman, in fact, was in The Limey (for which he received an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor) with previous POTW Barry Newman. The Limey was directed by Steven Soderberg and Soderberg has used Guzman very strategically in three of his most recent films: The Limey (1999) Out of Sight (1998) and Traffic (2000).

Guzman has also worked with Sidney Lumet on Family Business (1989) Guilty as Sin (1993) and Q & A (1990); and with Paul Thomas Anderson on Boogie Nights (1997) and Magnolia (1999); and in Brian De Palma Carlito's Way (1993), and Snake Eyes (1998).

The former social worker has become a well-known character actor, appearing in nearly four dozen films.

Born in Puerto Rico, he grew up in Manhattan. He graduated from City College, after which he worked as a youth counselor at the Henry Street Settlement House while performing in street theater and independent films.

His first big break was a guest appearance on the NBC series Miami Vice. Guzmán has since made guest appearances on many television shows, including ABC's NYPD Blue, NBC's Law & Order, and HBO's Oz.

Guzmán's other films include Anthony Minghella's Mr. Wonderful, John Badham's The Hard Way, Roger Donaldson's Cadillac Man, Ridley Scott's Black Rain, Joseph Ruben's True Believer, and John Cornell's "Crocodile" Dundee II. He has recently costarred in five films to be released in 2001: Ron Underwood's Pluto Nash (starring Eddie Murphy), Tom DiCillo's Double Whammy, D.J. Caruso's The Salton Sea, Kevin Reynolds's remake of The Count of Monte Cristo, and Michael Bregman's Table One.

Of course not enough has been said, and not enough is known. I am hard at work in re contacting Mr. Guzman's people as we speak...

An Interview with Mr. Guzman from December 1999

Filmography