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Andy García
Born	Andrés Arturo García y Menéndez April 12, 1956 (1956-04-12) (age 52) Havana, Cuba
Spouse(s)	Marivi Lorido Garcia (1982-)

Andy García (born Andrés Arturo García on April 12, 1956) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor. He became known in the late 1980s and 1990s, having appeared in several successful Hollywood films, including The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables and When a Man Loves a Woman. More recently, he has starred in Ocean's Eleven and its sequels, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen.

Biography

Early life

García was born in Bejucal, La Habana Province, Cuba. His mother, Amelie (née Menéndez), was an English teacher, and his father, René García Núñez, was an avocado farmer and attorney in Cuba and later owned a fragrance business in the United States.¹² García has an older brother, Rene. When Garcia was five years old, the family moved to Miami, Florida after the failed Bay of Pigs Invasion. Over a period of several years they built up a million-dollar perfume company. García was raised as a 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,³ which convinced him to pursue a career in acting.

Career

García began acting at Florida International University, but soon went to Hollywood. He started to perform in very short roles, working part-time as waiter and in a warehouse. His chance arose when he was offered a role as a gang member in the first episode of the popular TV series Hill Street Blues. Director Brian de Palma liked his performance in the 1986 movie 8 Million Ways to Die and engaged him the following year for The Untouchables, which made Garcia a popular Hollywood actor. In 1989, Francis Ford Coppola was casting The Godfather Part III. The character Vincent Corleone, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, was an exceptional part which many actors wanted. Garcia was not the only one of the few actors capable of carrying the part, but he also bore a resemblance to Robert De Niro, who played the role of young Vito Corleone, Vincent's grandfather, in The Godfather Part II. The role thus went to Garcia, who earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance and became an internationally acclaimed star.

In the following years, García has performed in a wide variety of films. He has appeared also in several TV films. While not in the same vein of movie stars dominating the box office, Garcia has remained equally strong in both leading and supporting roles. One of his more well-known films was the 2001 remake of Ocean's Eleven, in which he played Terry Benedict, the ruthless Las Vegas mogul who just happens to be seeing the estranged wife (Julia Roberts) of George Clooney's character. García reprised the role in the 2004 sequel, although many noted that the part was significantly smaller than the one he played in the first film. He also starred as a much larger role than in the second but smaller than the first in Ocean's Thirteen (2007). He has finished and released The Lost City which he co-wrote, directs, and stars in, alongside Dustin Hoffman and Bill Murray. Upon its release, The Lost City sparked controversy among many in Latin America due to its negative portrayal of the Cuban Revolution, and Che Guevara in particular, who continues to have substantial popularity in Latin America.

Personal life

Andy García at the Incirlik hospital, Incirlik Air Base Turkey, December 7, 2001.

In 1982, Garcia married María Victoria Lorido.⁴ He is the father of three daughters and one son: Dominik (b. 16 August 1983), Daniella (b. 3 January 1988), Alessandra (b. 20 June 1991) and Andres (b. 28 January 2002).⁵⁶ The García family lives in Los Angeles and Miami.

Garcia's niece Jackie was the longtime girlfriend of the late Washington Redskins safety Sean Taylor, who was shot by intruders in their Miami-area home on November 26, 2007 and who died from his wounds on November 27, 2007. The two were home with their 18-month old daughter Jackie when the incident took place. Garcia attended Taylor's funeral, and released a statement to the Miami Herald calling Taylor a hero for saving the life of his niece and their infant daughter.⁷

Filmography

Awards and nominations

Academy Awards

• 1991: Nominated, "Best Actor in a Supporting Role" - The Godfather Part III

ALMA Awards

• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film" - "Night Falls on Manhattan"
• 1998: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film" - The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca
• 1999: Won, "Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film in a Crossover Role" - Desperate Measures
• 2000: Nominated, "Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film" - Just the Ticket
• 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Host of a Variety or Awards Special" - 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards (shared w/Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez & Jimmy Smits)
• 2002: Won, "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture" - Ocean's Eleven
• 2006: Won, "Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures"
• 2007: Nominated, "Outstanding Director for a Motion Picture" - The Lost City

Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards

• 2005: Nominated, "Best Acting Ensemble" - Ocean's Twelve (shared w/co-stars)

DVD Exclusive Awards

• 2003: Nominated, "Best Audio Commentary" - Ocean's Eleven (shared w/Brad Pitt & Matt Damon)

Emmy Awards

• 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie" - For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story
• 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Made for Television Movie" - For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story(shared w/Jellybean Benitez & Celia D. Costas)

Golden Globe Awards

• 1991: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture" - The Godfather Part III
• 2001: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV" - For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story

Imagen Foundation Awards

• 2006: Nominated, "Best Actor" - The Lost City
• 2006: Won, "Best Director" - The Lost City

MTV Movie Awards

• 1995: Nominated, "Most Desirable Male" - When a Man Loves a Woman

Nostros Golden Eagle Awards

• 1997: Won, "Outstanding Performer in Film"

Phoenix Film Critics Society Awards

• 2002: Nominated, "Best Acting Ensemble" - Ocean's Eleven (shared w/co-stars)

Satellite Awards

• 2001: Nominated, "Best Performance by an Actor in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television" - For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story

Teen Choice Awards

• 2007: Nominated, "Choice Movie Chemistry" - Ocean's Thirteen (shared w/co-stars)

Hollywood Walk of Fame

• 1995: "Star on the Walk of Fame" - 7000 Hollywood Blvd.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Andy Garcia

External links

• Andy Garcia at the Internet Movie Database
• Andy Garcia at the TCM Movie Database
• Andy García at Yahoo! Movies
• Watch: Andy Garcia interviewed at the 2006 Miami Film Festival on independentfilm.com
• Andy Garcia interview for Smokin’ Aces