Raymond Cruz is an American actor who became popular after he was cast as the ruthless drug lord Tuco Salamanca in the crime thriller “Breaking Bad”, a performance that earned him the same role in the spin-off film “Better Call Saul”. He gained further popularity through his appearance in the series “Closer”, in which he played the role of detective Julio Sanchez. His ability to bring villainous characters to life was attributed to the harsh neighborhood in which he grew up. Read on to learn more about his career and personal life.
Raymond Cruz Bio
Raymond Cruz was born on July 9, 1961, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America. He is of Mexican descent and therefore speaks English and Spanish very fluently. As a child, he grew up in a neighborhood that was predominantly brazen and where gang activities were a regular occurrence. This was to prove useful later in his acting career, as he drew inspiration from his experiences to deliver believable performances whenever he found himself in such roles. Later in his career, he also revealed that the reason he never joined a gang was simply because of his fascination with American literature. Raymond Cruz attended East Los Angeles College for his university studies.
He received his first acting role in 1987 in the film “Mail to Order” in which he played the role of Sam. He soon landed a role as a gang member in the 1988 film Twice Dead, and then he got a role in the 1990 film Gremlins 2: The New Batch, in which he played the role of a messenger. He then portrayed a gang member in the 1990 film Cold Dog Soup and also starred in the 1991 film Dead Again, as well as in the film Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (where he played the character of Montoya). In the same year, he was cast in films such as “Out For Justice”, where he played the role of Hector, and in “Perfect Times”, where he played the role of Diego. In 1992, Raymond Cruz was then cast in four blockbuster movies, including Nails (where he played the role of Paco Sanchez), Juggernaut (where he played the role of Cyclone), Man Trouble (where he played the role of Balco), and Under Siege (where he played the role of Ramirez).
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Other Movies and Series
Raymond Cruz was cast for the role of Chuy in the film, Blood in Blood out and the role of Mario in the film When the Party’s Over. Both films premiered in 1993. Television series he has appeared in include Murder, She Wrote, 1993, where he was cast as Jose Galvan, and NYPD Blue, where he was cast as Raoul/Rico (from 1995-2000). His most recent works can be seen in the series Mayans MC (2017), in which he plays the role of Che “Padre” Romero, and in the series Get Shorty (2018), in which he plays the role of Swayze.
Family – Who is His Wife?
Raymond Cruz is a man who has been in a variety of relationships throughout his life. Although he prefers to keep that side of himself out of the public eye, he has been seen with different women at different times since he became a celebrity. However, since he is married to his wife Simi Mehta, he has left the dating game to focus on his wife. His marriage to Simi Mehta took place in a private ceremony attended by several family members and friends. Although the couple does not yet have children of their own, their bond seems to be as strong as when they first married. Hopefully, they will stay together in love.
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Raymond Cruz Other Facts
When he first accepted the call to play Ariel Castro (one of America’s most hated men) in the television movie Cleveland Abduction, his wife did not want him to accept the script before she had read it and gave him the green light. Moreso revealed that most of the female staff and crew hated him while he was playing the character because of the things he had to say and do to bring the character to life.
As for his over-body statistics, Raymond Cruz, who is 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 feet) tall and weighs 53 kg (117 lbs), has never been a man who looks like a model. In fact, he sells himself because he has a natural sweetness and charisma that perfectly matches his talent as an actor.
