Andy García

Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), known professionally as Andy García, is a Cuban-born American actor, director and musician. He first rose to prominence acting in Brian De Palma's ''The Untouchables'' (1987) alongside Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, and Robert De Niro. He continued to act in films such as '' Stand and Deliver'' (1988), and '' Internal Affairs'' (1990). He then starred in Francis Ford Coppola's ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990) as Vincent Mancini alongside Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Eli Wallach. He won a Latin Grammy in 2005 and received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.

He continued to act in Hollywood films such as Stephen Frears' ''Hero'' (1992), the romantic drama '' When a Man Loves a Woman'' (1994), and the action thriller '' Desperate Measures'' (1998). In 2000, he produced and acted in the HBO television film, '' For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story'' (2000), where he received a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award nominations. He also starred in Steven Soderbergh's ''Ocean's Eleven'' (2001) and its sequels, ''Ocean's Twelve'' (2004) and ''Ocean's Thirteen'' (2007). In 2005, García directed and starred in the film '' The Lost City'' alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. He also starred in ''New York, I Love You'' (2008), the dramedy '' City Island'' (2009), the romantic comedy ''At Middleton'' (2013), and the crime thriller '' Kill the Messenger'' (2014). In recent years he has had a career resurgence in such films as ''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'', '' Book Club'', '' The Mule'' (all 2018), the HBO television movie ''My Dinner with Hervé'' (2018), and ''Father of the Bride'' (2022).

Early life

García was born Andrés Arturo García Menéndez in Havana, Cuba. His mother, Amelie Menéndez, was a teacher of English and his father, René García Núñez, was an attorney in Cuba. García has two older siblings, a sister named Tessi and a brother named René. His family moved to Miami, Florida, when García was 5 years old after the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion. Over a period of several years, they built up a million-dollar perfume/fragrance company. García was raised as a Roman Catholic and attended Miami Beach Senior High School, where he played on the basketball team. During his last year in high school, he became ill with mononucleosis, which convinced him to pursue a career in acting. He began his acting career by taking a drama class with Jay W. Jensen in his senior year. He graduated from Florida International University.

Career

1980s

García began acting at Florida International University but soon went to Hollywood. He had a short role alongside Angela Lansbury in the first episode of '' Murder, She Wrote'' as "1st white tough", in 1984. He played the role of a gang member in the first episode of TV series ''Hill Street Blues''. He appeared in a supporting role in ''The Mean Season'' in 1985, alongside Kurt Russell.

In 1987, Garciá received an acting breakthrough in Brian De Palma's crime drama ''The Untouchables''. The film starred Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Patricia Clarkson, and Robert De Niro. The film, adapted by David Mamet, film follows Eliot Ness as he forms the Untouchables law enforcement team to bring Al Capone to justice during Prohibition era within the United States. The film received widespread critical acclaim and was a financial success. The film received four Academy Award nominations including a win for Connery's performance.

In 1989, García acted in the Ridley Scott action thriller '' Black Rain'' with Michael Douglas. The film received mixed reviews from critics but was a financial success earning $134 million.

1990s

In 1989, Francis Ford Coppola cast García as Vincent Mancini, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, in ''The Godfather Part III'' (1990). The film stars Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, and Eli Wallach. The film concludes the story of Michael Corleone, the patriarch of the Corleone family, who attempts to legitimize his criminal empire. The film also includes fictionalized accounts of two real-life events: the 1978 death of Pope John Paul I and the Papal banking scandal of 1981–82, both linked to Michael Corleone's business affairs. Despite the film being both a critical and financial success, it has not lived up to the reputation of the first two Godfather films. However, the film did earn seven Academy Award nominations including for Best Picture. García himself earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination.

In the 1990s, García appeared in the Mike Figgis film '' Internal Affairs'', in which he engages in a battle of wits with a corrupt fellow police officer, played by Richard Gere. In 1992, he played a cynical everyman in Stephen Frears' ''Hero'' starring Dustin Hoffman, Geena Davis, and Joan Cusack. In 1994, he played the enabling husband of an alcoholic played by Meg Ryan in '' When a Man Loves a Woman''. In 1995, he portrayed a tragic criminal in '' Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead'' alongside Christopher Lloyd, Steve Buscemi and Christopher Walken. He also starred as a hotshot lawyer in the Sidney Lumet drama ''Night Falls on Manhattan'' alongside Richard Dreyfus, and James Gandolfini. In 1998 he played a cop trying to save his gravely ill son in the action thriller '' Desperate Measures'' starring Michael Keaton, and Marcia Gay Harden. He played mobster Lucky Luciano in ''Hoodlum'' alongside Tim Roth, and Laurence Fishburne.

2000s

In 2000, García starred and produced the HBO film, '' For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story''. The film shines a light on the jazz scene in Cuba and the life of trumpeter and composer Arturo Sandoval. The project also starred Gloria Estefan as Maria, and Charles S. Dutton as jazz legend Dizzy Gillespie. For his performance he received Primetime Emmy Award and Golden Globe Award nominations.

He portrayed the arrogant Las Vegas casino owner Terry Benedict in Steven Soderbergh's ''Ocean's Eleven'' (2001), a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper movie starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, and Julia Roberts. The film was a massive commercial success earning $450 million at the box office. He also appeared in the sequel, ''Ocean's Twelve'' (2004) and in the third film, ''Ocean's Thirteen'' (2007).

He co-wrote, directed, and starred in '' The Lost City'' alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. In 2006, he appeared in the last episode of the Turkish TV series '' Kurtlar Vadisi'', along with Sharon Stone. In 2008, he starred in the first segment of ''New York, I Love You'' which was directed by Jiang Wen starring Hayden Christensen and Rachel Bilson.

2010s

García has been slated to direct the film ''Hemingway & Fuentes'' about famous writer Ernest Hemingway, co-written by García and Hemingway's niece Hilary Hemingway. Originally, announced stars included Anthony Hopkins, Annette Bening and García himself. Filming was originally to have begun in January 2013, but due to delays, Hopkins left the project and García announced that the role of Hemingway would be played by actor Jon Voight.

García has had a recent career resurgence in film. He starred in four films in 2018. He starred in the critical and box office success ''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'' as Fernando Cienfuegos alongside '' Cher'', Amanda Seyfried, Lily James, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgaard and Pierce Brosnan. The film is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, with the critics consensus reading, "''Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again'' doubles down on just about everything fans loved about the original -- and my my, how can fans resist it?" When asked about singing with Cher, García told NBC's ''Today'' show, "It was sublime. One thing is to act with Cher who is a great actress and then to be asked to sing with her".

García also starred in the Paramount romantic comedy, '' Book Club'', alongside Diane Keaton, Candice Bergen, Jane Fonda and Mary Steenburgen. The film was a box office success grossing over $89 million worldwide against its $10 million budget.

He also starred in Clint Eastwood's drama film, '' The Mule'' alongside Eastwood, Bradley Cooper, Dianne Wiest, Laurence Fishburne and Michael Peña. It has grossed $166 million and received positive reviews from critics, who called it "poignant and charming" and praised Eastwood's performance.

He also appeared in the acclaimed HBO movie ''My Dinner with Hervé'' alongside Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan. Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 83% with the site's critical consensus reading, "''My Dinner with Hervé'' offers a standard narrative on celebrity and infamy but formidable performances by Peter Dinklage and Jamie Dornan find the dimensionality and pathos of Hervé Villechaize the man." The film received a Critics Choice Television Award nomination for Best Movie/Miniseries.

2020s

In 2020, Garcia starred in Charles McDougall's comedic film '' Ana'' and the Thor Freudenthal's critically acclaimed coming of age drama '' Words on Bathroom Walls''. The following year he made an uncredited cameo in the comedy film ''Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar'' starring Kirsten Wiig and Jamie Dornan. That same year he starred in the action films '' Redemption Day'' and the Guy Ritchie film ''Wrath of Man''. In 2022 he starred in the comedy ''Big Gold Brick''. He also starred in the romantic comedy film ''Father of the Bride'' opposite Gloria Estefan which was released on HBO Max. The film is a remake of the ''Father of the Bride'' franchise starring Steve Martin. ''Time'' praised Garcia on his comedic turn writing, "Garcia carries the film ably with his gruff elegance". He will appear in the action film ''The Expendables 4'' portraying a CIA agent.

Personal life

In 1982, García married Marivi Lorido. The couple has four children: three daughters, including actress Dominik García-Lorido and a son. The family divide their time between Toluca Lake, Los Angeles and Key Biscayne, Florida.

García has expressed, on a number of occasions, his distaste for the communist regime that has ruled Cuba since the revolution that occurred there from 1953 to 1959. Following Fidel Castro's death in November 2016, García criticized his legacy, stating: "It is necessary for me to express the deep sorrow that I feel for all the Cuban people...that have suffered the atrocities and repression caused by Fidel Castro and his totalitarian regime."

García is Catholic, and a naturalized citizen of the United States.

Filmography

Film

Television

Awards and nominations

Miscellaneous awards

Other honors

* 1995: Received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
* 2002: Desert Palm Achievement Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival
* 2006: Received the Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures from The American Latino Media Arts Award
* 2019: Medalla de Oro al Mérito en las Bellas Artes

See also

* List of Cuban Americans
* List of people from Miami

References

External links and further reading

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* Andy Garcia a
The Independent Institute

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garcia, Andy
1956 births
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American entertainers of Cuban descent
American male film actors
American male television actors
American Roman Catholics
Cuban emigrants to the United States
Cuban anti-communists
American anti-communists
Florida International University people
Hispanic and Latino American male actors
Living people
Male actors from Miami
Miami Beach Senior High School alumni
People from Havana
People from Toluca Lake, Los Angeles