Top 50 Most Popular Cuban Actors Of All Time

Roberto Sanchez Gallinat was first seen making an appearance in an episode of the television series The Metropolitan Opera Presents in 1983.

The actor has played in the Pro-Basketball League in Europe while in the Navy, and is known to have participated in more than 100 television and film projects.

Sanchez made headlines when he co-starred alongside actors such as Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Vin Diesel, and Eva Mendez in the second installment of the Fast & Furious franchise.

Ever since he appeared in the aforementioned action flick, he has proven to be a reliable screen performer who can try to fit into any role.

Jordi Vilasuso is a Cuban-American actor who is recognized for originating the role of Tony Santos on the CBS soap opera Guiding Light.

For his portrayal of Santos in the aforementioned show, he won the Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Younger Actor in a Drama Series in 2003.

Vilasuso has also participated in other well-known television shows such as All My Children, Days of Our Lives, and The Young and the Restless.

He has been married to actress Kaitlin Riley since the August of 2012. The couple is blessed with two daughters.

An actor and film director, he first rose to prominence after playing a significant role in Brian De Palma's The Untouchables.

He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the third installment of The Godfather franchise.

At the dawn of the new millennium, he was seen both producing and acting in the HBO television film For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story.

His character projection in the aforementioned project ended up fetching him a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award nomination.

The man has always tried to promote Cuban art. In fact, he was awarded a Latin Grammy for Best Traditional Tropical Latin Album for producing Cuban artist Cachao's record, titled Ahora sí.

While 2022 saw him starring in the comedy Big Gold Brick, he was also seen sharing the screen with Gloria Estefan in the HBO max romantic comedy Father of the Bride.

Jorge Perugorría Rodríguez is a Cuban actor, film director, and painter who is perhaps best known for playing the role of Diego in Strawberry and Chocolate.

Of late, the actor has been seen performing in Steven Soderbergh's Che with Benicio del Toro and the original Netflix series Four Seasons in Havana.

Jorge has been a student of both theater and civil engineering. He is known to have helped with the establishment of Havana’s Public Theatre in the early 1990s.

Steven Bauer has been making his presence felt within the entertainment industry since the second half of the 1970s.

Best known for playing the part of the Cuban drug lord Manny Ribera in the cult classic 1983 crime drama Scarface, he also played drug cartel leader Eladio Vuente in series such as Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, respectively.

For his performance in the Al Pacino-starrer Scarface, Bauer was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor.

If you wish to see his recent work, you can find him appearing as an ex-Mossad agent turned private investigator Avi in Ray Donovan; a series that premiered on Showtime.

Add to that the fact that the man was seen making his presence felt in the American version of Queen of the South.

Best known for his portrayal of the Dunder Mifflin accountant Oscar Martinez on the much-loved series The Office, Oscar Nunez made his television debut in 2000 in the series Curb Your Enthusiasm.

He is credited with creating and co-starring in the Comedy Central series Halfway Home. Furthermore, he is known to have appeared in a series of State Farm commercials.

Nunez commenced his comedy career in New York and is said to have performed in over 300 shows with The Shock of the Funny theater company.

Desi Arnaz was an actor, bandleader, and film and television producer who had been participating in motion pictures since the 1940s.

Popular for playing Ricky Ricardo on the American television sitcom I Love Lucy, he is known to have featured in several feature films during the 1940s.

His portrayal of a jive-loving California National Guardsman in Bataan was appreciated by critics. In the film, he was seen with popular actor Robert Taylor.

The man is known to have formed his own band right after having finished high school. Sooner than later, he started to make a name for himself in Miami.

Not only after he started his journey as a bandleader, he was hired for several tours, one of which led him to the United States of America. In New York City's club scene, Arnaz and his orchestra went on to become a hit.

Tony Plana is a Cuban-American actor and director who is best known for playing Betty Suarez's father, Ignacio Suarez, on the hit television show Ugly Betty.

Even though he is known to a wider audience for his roles in feature films and television, Plana is popular for having displayed his terrific acting and directing skills on the stage as well.

The actor can be seen performing in feature films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Three Amigos, Goal!, and Lone Star, to mention a few.

Jorge Garcia, who is of Cuban and Chilean descent, made his professional acting debut in the motion picture Raven's Ridge in 1997.

While he first rose to prominence by playing Hector Lopez on the television show Becker, he found wider recognition after having portrayed Hugo "Hurley" Reyes in the famous series Lost.

The smart actor is known to have tried his hands at wrestling in high school, where he was nicknamed "Baby-Faced Killer." Garcia can also be seen on shows such as Once Upon a Time, Alcatraz, and Hawaii Five-0.

Popular for the emotional intensity and humor that he brought to his roles in European genre features, he was a student of Lee Strasberg and studied method acting at the Actors Studio in New York City.

While Milan was seen playing supporting roles in drama films during the late 1950s and early 1960s, he revamped into a dynamic leading actor in a series of Spaghetti Western motion pictures during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Not a lot of film buffs know that he was also a student of Lee Strasberg and that he studied Method acting at the Actors Studio in New York City.

As you know, the studio is known to have welcomed a number of performers who went on to become film stars later in their careers.

Born in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Peter Bergman is an actor who is best known for appearing in projects such as The Young and the Restless, All My Children, and The Bold and the Beautiful.

The actor has been married to Mariellen Bergman with two children. He originally auditioned for the part of Dr. Jeff Martin in All My Children and ended up portraying Dr. Cliff Warner in the same.

Bergman has been a recipient of three Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series trophies at the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Georg Stanford Brown may be recognized as an American performer today, but the actor and filmmaker had actually taken birth in Havana, Cuba.

After playing a few uncredited roles in mainstream motion pictures, he was acknowledged for his portrayal of Officer Terry Webster on the ABC police television series The Rookies.

For his meticulous direction of the final episode ("Parting Shots") of season 5 of Cagney & Lacey, Brown received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

This Cuban-born American actor and playwright made his feature film debut at the beginning of the 1980s. Since then, he has gone on to establish himself as a dependable small screen performer.

He left Cuba with his parents during the Cuban Revolution when he was just two years old. The family eventually settled down in California where the actor continues to reside today.

After having made small and insignificant appearances on television shows, he earned the opportunity to play a significant role in a series called Nurses.

Yotuel Omar Manzanares Romero, who is popularly known as Yotuel, is a Cuban singer, composer, and actor who is best known for having appeared in popular motion pictures such as The Fast and the Furious, The Fate of the Furious, and Bad Boys II.

He is, at present, the lead singer and co-writer of the 2003 Latin Grammy Award-winning Platinum album-selling rap group called Orishas.

Romero has worked in three television series and a few feature films. He started performing rap music quite early in his life.

César Évora is a Cuban actor who kick-started his professional acting career in his home country. He appeared in more than ten movies before moving to Mexico in the 1990s.

The actor and his wife Vivian have three children who are named Rafael, Mariana, and Carla, respectively. And, even though the family hails from Cuba, they reportedly feel at ease in Mexico.

Évora got the opportunity to play the leading man for the first time in Si Dios Me Quita La Vida in 1995, opposite Daniela Romo.

He has headlined projects such as Luz Clarita, Gente Bien, and El Privilegio de Amar and has, therefore, established himself as one of the most reliable leading men in the Cuban entertainment industry.

He acquired Mexican citizenship in 1999.

Francisco Gattorno made his acting debut in the mid-1980s. He's best known for his work in projects such as Italian Bride, Cañaveral de pasiones, and Desert Lovers.

The actor is married with two kids to Belmaris González Suazo. Previously, the Cuban-Mexican celebrity had tied the knot with Cynthia Klitbo.

Cesar Romero was born to Cuban parents in New York City. Nicknamed "The Latin Lover" and popular for his distinctive mustache, he was an active film, radio, and television personality for almost six decades.

Best remembered for playing the iconic Joker on the Batman television series, some of Romero's finest screen roles showed him portraying Latin lovers, historical figures in costume dramas, and characters in light domestic comedies.

A registered Republican, he was openly involved in the U.S. Senate race in California in 1964.

Otto Sirgo is a veteran Cuban actor and director of Mexican telenovelas and theater. The son of Cuban actor Otto Sirgo and Mexican actress Magda Haller, he was married to an actor named Maleni Morales himself, until her demise in 2020.

The actor is known to have starred in Recien Cazado along with Jaime Camil and Gabriela Vargas. Also, he is best known for his work on projects such as Quiero amarte, With You, Without You, Niña... amada mía, and Dust to Dust, among others.

Even though he was born in Cuba, he is relatively better known as a seasoned performer in Mexico.

Eddie Cibrian has been a part of the entertainment industry since the first half of the 1990s.

He was born to Cuban parents in Burbank, California, and is best known for playing a number of popular television roles.

Some of Cibrian's finest performances came in television shows such as Sunset Beach, Third Watch, Invasion, and CSI: Miami.

The actor is also known to have sung in the soul-pop boy band 3Deep from 1998 to 2001.

Faizon Andre Love was first seen on the television show L.A. Friday in 1989.

The Cuban-born American actor and comedian is best known for playing a part in mainstream comedy features such as The Meteor Man, Don't Be a Menace, Friday, B*A*P*S, Elf, The Replacements, Made, and Couples Retreat.

He is also known to have voiced the character of Sean "Sweet" Johnson in the video game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

Love started his career within the entertainment industry as a stand-up comedian at age 15. He made his film debut with Bebe's Kids.

This well-regarded Cuban character actor was best known for making numerous film and television appearances throughout his successful screen career. He is remembered for his character play in the children's television show The Electric Company from 1971-1977.

The actor's Broadway credits include projects such as Narrow Road to the Deep North, The Good Woman of Setzuan, Beggar on Horseback, and Camino Real. Ávalos also marked his presence in sitcoms such as Highcliffe Manor, Condo, E/R, and Barney Miller.

Sergio Corrieri was a Cuban screen performer who was best known for his work in features such as Memories of Underdevelopment, The Man from Maisinicu, and Soy Cuba.

For his adroit performance in The Man from Maisinicu, he won a well-deserved award for Best Actor at the 8th Moscow International Film Festival.

A member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba from 1980, Corrieri was also majorly involved with the Cuban Institute of Cinematographic Art and Industry (ICAIC) since its foundation in 1959.

Alexis Valdés is a multi-faceted personality. Besides being an actor, he is also known to be a comedian, monologist, film producer, playwright, poet, singer, and screenwriter.

Born in Havana, Cuba, he holds a degree in thermal engineering from Havana's Polytechnic José Antonio Echeverría. He gained fame after having portrayed Bandurria in the Cuban TV series Los pequeños fugitivos (The Little Fugitives).

After having worked in Cuba for over 10 years, he decided to move to Spain. There, he became a well-known performer courtesy of his performance in programs like El Club De La Comedia (The Comedy Club).

This Cuban actor may have started his professional acting career by playing a handful of uncredited roles but he soon established himself as a prolific screen performer.

Orestes Matacena started his career at a very young age. He is known to have played the antagonist in Hollywood Studio features such as The Mask and Diggstown.

A true film auteur, he worked incredibly hard to produce and direct a feature film from a screenplay that he had penned, titled Tainted.

Ruben Rabasa is an actor and writer who made his acting debut in a motion picture, titled Bla, Bla, Bla, in 1978.

He is best known for his work in credits such as Amigos, I Think You Should Leave with Tim Robinson, and Police Academy 5: Assignment: Miami Beach.

Even though he may not have been recognized as the main lead in his career, he has been seen playing significant supporting characters in some of his better feature films.

Millard Fillmore Mitchell is a Cuban actor who was born to American parents. He was seen playing a handful of uncredited roles in the movies at the beginning of his career.

A popular stage and radio actor in the 1930s in New York, he was seen playing sharp characters in his projects following the culmination of the Second World War.

The actor won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor - Motion Picture for his performance in the movie My Six Convicts.

Millard was known to be a heavy smoker; a habit that eventually ended up costing him his life at the age of 50.

Before turning to acting, Carlos Leon used to serve as a personal trainer of celebrities. He made his acting debut on the television show Nash Bridges in 1996.

It is said that the actor was considered for the role of Captain David Aceveda on The Shield. He has appeared on Broadway, including "Aunt Dan and Lemon."

Leon can also be seen making his presence felt in film and television projects such as Clinton Road, Blue Bloods, Person of Interest, and Ugly Betty.

Raúl Esparza was first seen making his presence felt on the television show South Beach, in 1993. He is the only member of his family who wasn't born in Cuba.

However, he does consider himself to be Cuban-American and is truly proud of his heritage. A stage, screen, and voice actor, Esparza has also tried his hands at singing.

He is best known for his character projection of the New York Assistant District Attorney (ADA) Rafael Barba in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

For his performance as Bobby in the 2006 Broadway revival of Company, he was nominated for a Tony Award.

William Levy made his professional acting debut in the television show Olvidarte Jamás in 2006. He is an actor and former model who sudied business administration on a baseball scholarship at St. Thomas University for two years.

Soon after, he traveled to Los Angeles to study acting and continued his acting studies in Miami and Mexico City. After having worked as a model for some time, he participated in a couple of reality shows and plays.

The year 2008 saw Levy making his motion picture debut in the Viviana Cordero directorial venture, Retazos de Vida.

David Fumero made his feature film debut in 2007's Greetings from the Shore. However, he had featured in a couple of short films and a Mariah Carey music video prior to making his big screen debut.

The actor and former fashion model is best known for portraying Cristian Vega in One Life to Live. By the end of 2007, Fumero married his One Life to Live co-star Melissa Fumero, who was seen playing the character of Adriana Cramer on the show.

This Cuban actor and model made his acting debut in a television series Protagonistas de novela in 2002.

Moreno lives in Miami with his wife and 3 children and has been seen in telenovelas such as Amor Descarado, La Mujer en el espejo, and La viuda de blanco.

Of late, the actor could seen playing the lead male character of Billy Flynn in the Mexican version of the hit Broadway musical Chicago.

Aside from motion pictures and television shows, Pedro has strived to make his presence felt in theater as well.

Yul Vazquez is a Cuban-American actor, producer, and musician who commenced his acting career during the first half of the 1990s.

Known for having co-starred on Broadway with Chris Rock in The Motherf**ker With the Hat, he is best known for his work in popular motion pictures such as Runaway Bride, Bad Boys II, War of the Worlds, American Gangster, The A-Team, and Captain Phillips.

When it comes to television shows, Vazquez can be seen playing a part in The Good Wife, Severance, and Russian Doll.

Orlando Miguel made his professional acting debut in 1995 in a series Lazos de amor.

Starring alongside Lucero in the aforementioned show, he was seen playing the character of Osvaldo Larrea in the same.

Miguel is primarily known to be a television and theatre actor who made his presence felt in quite a few television series and telenovelas ever since his small-screen debut in the mid-1990s.

Those who hail from Cuba know Jencarlos Canela rather well. This is because, besides being a screen performer, he is also a well-known singer and composer.

Best known for his work in features such as The Man from Toronto, A Chance to Love, and Telenovela, he received the Artist of the Year Award at the 2013 awards show Premios Juventud.

The actor made his English-language television debut by appearing in Eva Longoria's NBC show Telenovela. In 2020, he was seen playing the character of Uncle Victor in a Netflix series The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia.

Cuban actor Rene Lavan made his debut on Broadway in 2005 when he performed in the critically acclaimed play "Latinologues". It was essentially a satirical comedy about everyday life in the United States of America.

He is best known to the American audience for having portrayed Javier on One Life to Live for the ABC network.

While working in the series, he was offered to play the sensational main lead in Leon Ichaso's critically acclaimed motion picture Bitter Sugar.

The actor became a household name in Spanish-speaking homes after his work in telenovelas such as Morelia, Maria Belen, and Enamorada.

Alberto Guerra commenced his acting career in Telemundo's Vale Todo. Of late, he was seen working on the Netflix original series Crime Diaries: The Candidate.

Also known for starring in titles such as El Señor de los Cielos, Ladrón de Corazones, and Ingobernable, the actor has been married to Zuria Vega since the November of 2014.

He has received one nomination for Favorite Lead Actor at the Your World Awards in 2017.

Dan Ades made his acting debut on the television show 12 O'Clock High in 1966. He was born in Havana, Cuba.

He was best known for his work as an actor in credits such as Aguirre, the Wrath of God, Real Genius, and Tequila Sunrise.

Throughout his career, Ades participated in more than 30 television and film projects. The actor passed away on May 30, 1992, in Los Angeles, California, United States of America.

This Cuban-American actor and comedian was first seen on the television show Gabriel's Fire in 1990. He attended the Academy Of Dramatic Arts in New York City and is recognized for being one of the members of the recurring cast of comedians on the sketch comedy series MADtv.

Nelson is also known for playing the role of Flavius in the smash-hit The Hunger Games franchise of feature films.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Emiliano Díez made his acting debut in a television show, titled The 100 Lives of Black Jack Savage, in 1991.

Best known for his performances in projects such as Elena of Avalor, George Lopez, and Gang Related, the actor is also known to have appeared in television commercials, radio, and soap operas.

Later in his career, he started doing American movies and television shows and could be seen participating in projects such as Everybody Loves Raymond, SeaQuest DSV, Fortune Hunter, Sins of the City, Nostromo, Gang Related, and Bates Motel.

Anibal de Mar was a Cuban actor who was best known for playing the part of El Tremendo Juez in the radio show La Tremenda Corte.

The show continues to be broadcast by several Latino-American radio stations. He is known to have formed a formidable team with another iconic comedian, Leopoldo Fernández.

The two joined hands to transform into the popular musical-comedy duo of Pototo and Filomeno. Anibal commenced his artistic career in 1934 and made his feature film debut with La serpiente roja in 1937.

Luis Oquendo was a Cuban-American actor who was recognized for being an active radio performer before he shifted his focus to television and film.

Even though he did not make a lot of screen appearances throughout his career, he did reach the pinnacle of popularity when he played grandfather Antonio in the PBS series ¿Que Pasa USA? during the second half of the 1970s.

Born in Havana, Cuba, he decided to permanently immigrate to Florida in 1965.

Pedro Sicard made his feature film debut in 1985's Una Novia para David. He moved to Mexico in the early 1990s and wasn't too keen on continuing his studies.

Instead, it is said that he spent most of his hours during the day playing computer games like the Grand Theft Auto (GTA).

Sometime later in his career, he is reported to have signed a contract with TV Azteca in order to feature as one of the main characters in their telenovela "La duda".

Joey "CoCo" Diaz is a talented Cuban-American stand-up comedian, actor, and podcaster who has been a part of show business since the tender age of 10.

Known for his gravelly voice, he started pursuing stand-up comedy full-time with the dawn of the  1990s. However, he started making regular appearances in feature films and television shows after having moved to Los Angeles in 1995.

Diaz can be seen participating in mainstream projects such as My Name Is Earl, The Longest Yard, Spider-Man 2, Grudge Match, and The Many Saints of Newark.

Leopoldo Fernández was a Cuban actor, composer, and comedian who was best known for his work in projects such as ¡Olé... Cuba!, Fantasmas del Caribe, and Las virgenes de la nueva ola.

Born Leopoldo Augusto Fernández Salgado, he did not work in a lot of motion pictures or television shows. However, he was the creator and performer of the radio and TV program La Tremenda Corte.

The popularity of the aforementioned program was such that it continues to be presented on radio and offered on CD, VHS, and DVD.

Jorge Luis Pila is an actor whose mother hails from the Czech Republic and father from Cuba. He is known for his work on projects such as Missing, The Return, and Falling Angel.

The actor made his debut in Al norte del corazón and has been seen performing in Telenovelas such as La Patrona and Yacaranday.

While Jorge started his career as a model in Cuba, he soon moved to Mexíco where he not only continued to work as a model but also became a professional dancer.

Soon after, he was seen going on tours with Mexícan singer Yuri for her many concerts for over two solid years.

Mario Cimarro is a Cuban actor who made his acting debut on the television show Acapulco, cuerpo y alma in 1995.

The actor has traveled to nations such as the United States of America, Argentina, Venezuela, and Colombia. He is known to have worked with some of the well-known actors, directors, and producers of those countries.

Cimarro made his big screen debut in the Baz Luhrmann directorial venture Romeo & Juliet, in which he was seen sharing the screen with actors Leonardo Dicaprio and Claire Danes.

He is also known to have featured in quite a few Latin-American cultural iconic series over the years.

Born in Sancti Spíritus, Cuba, Victor Rivers made his feature film debut in 1984's Fear City. He is best known for starring in projects such as The Mask of Zorro, The Air I Breathe, and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.

The tall and dynamic Hispanic hunk has been married to Mim Eichler Rivas with one child. He is listed as a Distinguished and Notable Alumnus of Florida State University.

Rivers can be seen making an appearance in shows and films such as Better Call Saul, Modern Family, Law & Order: LA, and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, among others.

Eduardo de Ceano-Vivas y Sabau, who was known within the Cuban entertainment industry as Eduardo Vivas, was the son of Spanish army personnel.

Even though his family moved to Madrid after the independence of Cuba, the actor returned to his native land after he had already become a well-known stage performer.

Vivas participated in the creation of the first Sindicato de Actores, "Actors' Guild" of Spain. He made over 30 feature films with several Mexican movie production companies.

A member of SAG-AFTRA and an alumnus of the Stella Adler Academy of Acting & Theater, Carlo Arrechea is a Cuban-born bilingual actor who is pretty much on the rise at the moment.

While the actor was most recently seen making his U.S. primetime debut in the hit television series S.W.A.T., he also participated in the successful Nickelodeon Latin America series Grachi for three seasons.

Arrechea began his acting career in his native country before immigrating to the United States of America in search of better opportunities.

He has featured in several television commercials, theatrical presentations, and short and full-length feature films, thus far.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Javier Valcárcel made his acting debut by featuring in the 1990 play Las Criadas by Jean Genet.

After having participated in the television series Divina Obsesión in 1992, he was seen making his presence on other shows such as The Forgiveness of Sins, Sin of Love, Target Women, All Woman, and Little Women.

Also, he has participated in several plays so far in his acting career.