Rubén Blades

Panamanian-born performer RUBEN BLADES has had a thriving career in music, movies, television and even politics, having received numerous Grammy Awards for his music and Emmy nominations for his work as an actor.

Safe House marks his return to the entertainment business after working for the Panamanian government. Blades also stars, opposite Andy Garcia and Catalina Sandino Moreno, in the historical drama Cristiada.

Blades began his movie career in the early 1980s with The Last Fight, for which he wrote the title song. He also wrote the score for the film When the Mountains Tremble. His first major success was the independent film Crossover Dreams, which he also co-wrote, and he was the subject of the documentary The Return of Rubén Blades.

The other movies Blades filmed in the'80s include Critical Condition, Fatal Beauty, The Lemon Sisters and The Milagro Beanfield War. In the '90s, he appeared in Mo'Better Blues, The Two Jakes, The Devil's Own, Color of Night, Chinese Box, The Super, Predator 2 and Cradle Will Rock.

Blades' other film credits include Once Upon a Time in Mexico; Salma Hayek's directorial debut, The Maldonado Miracle, for which Blades received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Performer in a Children/Youth/Family Special; Imagining Argentina; Secuestro express; Spin; All the Pretty Horses; Empire; and Assassination Tango.

His television credits include starring in HBO's Dead Man Out, One Man's War and The Josephine Baker Story, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. Blades received a second Emmy nod for Crazy From the Heart. His other television credits include the telefilm Miracle on Interstate 880 and the series Gideon's Crossing in a lead role, opposite Andre Braugher.

Blades returned from a sold-out European tour playing to capacity crowds in Great Britain, Holland, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Spain, Italy and France. He also played additional dates in Peru, Panama, Colombia and Puerto Rico and performed at the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival (where Stevie Wonder and Sting also played), the Tilles Center for the Performing Arts and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center. The multifaceted performer is also editing his first book of poetry.

Blades won a CableACE award as Best Actor for his portrayal of a death row inmate, opposite Danny Glover, in HBO's Dead Man Out and starred on Broadway in Paul Simon's controversial musical The Capeman.

© 2012 Universal Pictures