Esai Morales

Esai Morales

Known for
Acting
Born
October 1, 1962 (age 64)
Birthplace
Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA

Biography

Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He has had notable roles in  Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips. His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series American Family, the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd. (2000–2002), portraying Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue (2001–2003), Joseph Adama in the science fiction series Caprica (2009–2010), Camino del Rio in the Netflix original series Ozark (2017), and the DC Comics supervillain Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the superhero series Titans (2019). Morales appeared as Gabriel, the main antagonist in the 2023 spy action film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opposite Tom Cruise, a role reprised in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in 2025.

Known For

Photos

Esai Morales photoEsai Morales photoEsai Morales photo

Filmography

—
So Much for Love

So Much for Love

Movie · as Geoffrey

—
Coyote poster

Coyote

Movie · as Hernán Barroca

—
Tumor

Tumor

Movie

—
Live 2 Die

Live 2 Die

Movie

—
Monty and the Movies poster

Monty and the Movies

Movie · as Self (archive footage)

—
Persephone poster

Persephone

Movie

—
His Heart

His Heart

Movie

—
Company Town

Company Town

TV · as Ray Dupre · 1 ep

—
The Americans

The Americans

TV · as Lee Valenzuela

2027
Dark Horse poster

Dark Horse

Movie · as Paulo Pontes

2027
Live Like That poster

Live Like That

Movie

2026
War Machine poster

War Machine

Movie · as Torres

2026
Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood poster

Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood

Movie · as self

2025
Cottonmouth poster

Cottonmouth

Movie · as Abe

2025
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning poster

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

Movie · as Gabriel

2025
Queen of Manhattan poster

Queen of Manhattan

Movie · as Papi

2025
Side Quest poster

Side Quest

TV · as Gustavo · 1 ep

2024
Crescent City poster

Crescent City

Movie · as Luke Carson

2023
Master Gardener poster

Master Gardener

Movie · as Oscar Neruda

2023
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One poster

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

Movie · as Gabriel

2023
Can't Go Home poster

Can't Go Home

TV · as Victor Castelo · 1 ep

2021
Art of Love poster

Art of Love

Movie

2021
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story poster

More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story

Movie · as Self

2021
Senior Moment poster

Senior Moment

Movie · as Diego Lozana

2020
The Wall of Mexico poster

The Wall of Mexico

Movie · as Henry Arista

2020
Find Your Groove poster

Find Your Groove

Movie · as Self

2019
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage poster

Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage

Movie · as Self

2019
Imprisoned poster

Imprisoned

Movie · as Governor Mandera

2018
Love and Other Stunts poster

Love and Other Stunts

Movie

2018
SuperFly poster

SuperFly

Movie · as Adalberto Gonzalez

2018
Titans poster

Titans

TV · as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke · 13 eps

2017
Halfway There poster

Halfway There

Movie · as Ian Sanchez

2017
Ozark poster

Ozark

TV · as Camino 'Del' Del Rio · 4 eps

2016
Never Back Down: No Surrender poster

Never Back Down: No Surrender

Movie · as Hugo Vega

2016
Casa Vita poster

Casa Vita

Movie · as Rodrigo Vita

2016
Mars poster

Mars

TV · as Mike Glenn / Lt. Michael Glenn · 6 eps

2015
Spare Parts poster

Spare Parts

Movie · as Mr. Santillan

2015
Playin' for Love poster

Playin' for Love

Movie · as Principle Jose Marti

2015
The Brink poster

The Brink

TV · as President Julian Navarro · 10 eps

2015
Adam Ruins Everything poster

Adam Ruins Everything

TV · 1 ep

2014
The Journey of a Female Comic poster

The Journey of a Female Comic

Movie

2014
Jarhead 2: Field of Fire poster

Jarhead 2: Field of Fire

Movie · as Cpt. Jones

2014
Give Me Shelter

Give Me Shelter

Movie · as Self - Animal Advocate

2014
From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season poster

From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season

Movie

2014
How to Get Away with Murder poster

How to Get Away with Murder

TV · as Jorge Castillo · 11 eps

2014
From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series poster

From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series

TV · as Amancio Malvado · 10 eps

2014
Mozart in the Jungle poster

Mozart in the Jungle

TV · as Juan Delgado · 2 eps

2014
Chicago P.D. poster

Chicago P.D.

TV · as Chief Lugo · 6 eps

2013
Saving Westbrook High poster

Saving Westbrook High

Movie · as Manny

2013
Return to Babylon poster

Return to Babylon

Movie · as Assistant Director (scenes deleted)

2012
Seattle Superstorm poster

Seattle Superstorm

Movie · as Tom Foster

2012
Atlas Shrugged: Part II poster

Atlas Shrugged: Part II

Movie · as Francisco d'Anconia

2012
Major Crimes poster

Major Crimes

TV · as Deputy Manuel Diaz · 1 ep

2011
Gun Hill Road poster

Gun Hill Road

Movie · as Enrique Rodriguez

2011
We Have Your Husband poster

We Have Your Husband

Movie · as Eduardo Valseca

2011
17th Precinct poster

17th Precinct

Movie · as Liam Butterfield

2011
Fairly Legal poster

Fairly Legal

TV · as Aaron Davidson · 6 eps

2010
Cherry poster

Cherry

Movie · as Wes

2010
King of the Avenue poster

King of the Avenue

Movie · as Natas

2010
Caprica poster

Caprica

TV · as Joseph Adama · 18 eps

2009
The Line poster

The Line

Movie · as Pelon

2009
Celebrity Habla poster

Celebrity Habla

Movie · as Self

2009
NCIS: Los Angeles poster

NCIS: Los Angeles

TV · as Louis Ochoa · 7 eps

2009
Celebrity Ghost Stories poster

Celebrity Ghost Stories

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2008
Kill Kill Faster Faster poster

Kill Kill Faster Faster

Movie · as Markie

2007
The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation' poster

The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation'

Movie · as Self

2007
The Cure poster

The Cure

Movie · as Jorge

2007
Burn Notice poster

Burn Notice

TV · as Ernie Paseo · 1 ep

2007
24: Day six Debrief poster

24: Day six Debrief

TV · as Agent Jorge Ramirez · 5 eps

2006
Fast Food Nation poster

Fast Food Nation

Movie · as Tony

2006
The Virgin of Juarez poster

The Virgin of Juarez

Movie · as Father Herrera

2006
How to Go Out on a Date in Queens poster

How to Go Out on a Date in Queens

Movie · as Frankie

2006
Jericho poster

Jericho

TV · as Major Edward Beck · 7 eps

2006
Vanished poster

Vanished

TV · as Michael Tyner · 11 eps

2005
Once Upon a Wedding poster

Once Upon a Wedding

Movie · as Pineda

2005
American Fusion poster

American Fusion

Movie · as Jose

2005
Lethal Seduction poster

Lethal Seduction

Movie · as Rick Benes / David Lopez

2005
Freddie poster

Freddie

TV · as Carlos · 1 ep

2005
Criminal Minds poster

Criminal Minds

TV · as Mateo Cruz · 6 eps

2004
Sudbury poster

Sudbury

Movie · as Gary Hallet

2004
On Air with Ryan Seacrest poster

On Air with Ryan Seacrest

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2003
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina poster

The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina

Movie · as Vargas Mouse (voice)

2003
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration poster

ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration

Movie · as Self

2003
Celebrities Uncensored poster

Celebrities Uncensored

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2003
Real Time with Bill Maher poster

Real Time with Bill Maher

TV · as Self · 1 ep

2002
Paid in Full poster

Paid in Full

Movie · as Lulu

2002
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema poster

The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema

Movie

2002
CSI: Miami poster

CSI: Miami

TV · as Stephen Madsen · 1 ep

2002
George Lopez poster

George Lopez

TV · as Manny Lopez · 1 ep

2002
American Family poster

American Family

TV · as Esteban Gonzalez · 1 ep

2000
Doomsday Man poster

Doomsday Man

Movie · as Mike

2000
American Virgin poster

American Virgin

Movie · as Jim the Director

2000
A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story poster

A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story

Movie · as Juan Miguel Gonzalez

2000
Curb Your Enthusiasm poster

Curb Your Enthusiasm

TV · as Francisco · 1 ep

2000
Dora the Explorer poster

Dora the Explorer

TV · as Papi (voice) · 1 ep

1999
Southern Cross poster

Southern Cross

Movie · as Philip Solano

1999
Family Law poster

Family Law

TV · as Mr. Santiago · 1 ep

1999
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit poster

Law & Order: Special Victims Unit

TV · as Jimmy Vazquez · 1 ep

1999
Atomic Train poster

Atomic Train

TV · as Noris MacKenzie · 2 eps

1998
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit poster

The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit

Movie · as Dominguez

1998
Circle of Deceit poster

Circle of Deceit

Movie · as Jeff Silva

1998
L.A. Doctors poster

L.A. Doctors

TV · as Vince Duralde · 1 ep

1997
Dog Watch poster

Dog Watch

Movie · as Murrow

1997
The Hunger poster

The Hunger

TV · as Tony · 1 ep

1996
Death in Granada poster

Death in Granada

Movie · as Ricardo

1996
Scorpion Spring poster

Scorpion Spring

Movie · as Astor

1996
The Real Thing poster

The Real Thing

Movie · as Collin

1996
Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story poster

Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story

Movie · as Federico Pena

1995
My Family poster

My Family

Movie · as Chucho

1995
Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14 poster

Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14

Movie · as Tony Archer

1995
Somos un solo pueblo poster

Somos un solo pueblo

Movie · as Self

1995
The Outer Limits poster

The Outer Limits

TV · as Frank Kelton · 1 ep

1994
Rapa Nui poster

Rapa Nui

Movie · as Make

1994
In the Army Now poster

In the Army Now

Movie · as Sgt. Stern

1994
Don't Do It poster

Don't Do It

Movie · as Charles

1994
The Burning Season poster

The Burning Season

Movie · as Jair

1993
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun poster

Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun

Movie · as Kenny

1993
The Waiter

The Waiter

Movie · as Julius

1993
NYPD Blue poster

NYPD Blue

TV · as Tony Rodriguez · 87 eps

1992
Freejack poster

Freejack

Movie · as Ripper

1992
Ultraviolet poster

Ultraviolet

Movie · as Nicholas Walker

1992
Bay City Story

Bay City Story

Movie

1990
Naked Tango poster

Naked Tango

Movie · as Zico Borenstein

1989
Bloodhounds of Broadway poster

Bloodhounds of Broadway

Movie · as Handsome Jack

1989
Tales from the Crypt poster

Tales from the Crypt

TV · as Puck · 1 ep

1987
La Bamba poster

La Bamba

Movie · as Bob Morales

1987
The Principal poster

The Principal

Movie · as Raymi Rojas

1986
On Wings of Eagles poster

On Wings of Eagles

TV · as Rashid · 2 eps

1985
Rainy Day Friends poster

Rainy Day Friends

Movie · as Neekos Valdez

1985
The Twilight Zone poster

The Twilight Zone

TV · 1 ep

1985
The Equalizer poster

The Equalizer

TV · as Officer Miguel Canterra · 1 ep

1984
The Great Love Experiment

The Great Love Experiment

Movie · as Miguel Rados

1984
Miami Vice poster

Miami Vice

TV · as Felipe Cruz, Pete Romano · 1 ep

1983
Bad Boys poster

Bad Boys

Movie · as Paco Moreno

1982
Forty Deuce poster

Forty Deuce

Movie · as Mitchell

1982
Fame poster

Fame

TV · 1 ep

1982
American Playhouse poster

American Playhouse

TV · as Handsome Jack · 1 ep