Andy García
García at the 2009 Deauville American Film Festival
Born	Andrés Arturo García Menéndez April 12, 1956 (1956-04-12) (age 53) Havana, Cuba
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1978–present
Spouse(s)	Marivi Lorido García (1982–present)

Andrés Arturo García Menéndez (born April 12, 1956), professionally known as Andy García, is a Cuban 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, and The Lost City.

García was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Vincent Mancini in The Godfather Part III.

Early life

García was born Andrés Arturo García Menéndez in Havana, Cuba, with a dead conjoined twin on his left shoulder, which was later surgically removed.¹ His mother, Amelie 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.²³ García has an older brother, René. When García 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 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,⁴ which convinced him to pursue a career in acting. He began his acting career taking a drama class with Jay W. Jensen in his senior year at Miami Beach Senior High School.

Career

At the flight line tower, İncirlik Air Base, Turkey, December 7, 2001.

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. His solid supporting role in 1985's The Mean Season alongside Kurt Russell, which brought García wider visibility, although the film fared poorly at the box office. 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 García a popular Hollywood actor.

In 1989, Francis Ford Coppola was casting The Godfather Part III. The character of Vincent, the illegitimate son of Sonny Corleone, was an exceptional part in a highly anticipated film. García was one of many capable actors who wanted to be cast, but he also bore a resemblance to the young Al Pacino. He won the part, earned an Academy Award nomination as Best Supporting Actor for his performance and became an internationally acclaimed star.

Garcia followed that with films such as 1990's Internal Affairs, in which he engages in a war of wills with a corrupt fellow police officer played by Richard Gere. In the years to come, he performed in a wide variety of theatrical and TV films. He has remained equally strong in both leading and supporting roles.

He played a conflicted good samaritan in Hero (1992), the enabling husband of an alcoholic woman in When a Man Loves a Woman (1994), a doomed criminal called Jimmy the Saint in the offbeat Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead (1995), a crusading lawyer in the drama Night Falls on Manhattan (1997) and a cop trying to save his gravely ill son in the action thriller Desperate Measures (1998).

One of his most well-known performances came as Terry Benedict, a Las Vegas hotel owner whose casino is robbed in 2001's Ocean's Eleven, a remake of the 1960 Rat Pack caper movie. García reprised the role for the 2004 sequel, although the part was significantly smaller than the one in the first film. He also appeared briefly in Ocean's Thirteen (2007).

In 2005, he released The Lost City, which he co-wrote, directs, and starred 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 in particular Che Guevara, who continues to have substantial popularity there. He was also present at the Cannes festival for his role in this movie.

Personal life

At the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival with Julianna Margulies (left) and his daughter Dominik Garcia-Lorido.

In 1982, García married María Victoria Lorido.⁵ He is the father of three daughters and one son: Dominik (b. August 16, 1983), Daniella (b. January 3, 1988), Alessandra (b. June 20, 1991) and Andres (b. January 28, 2002).⁶⁷ The García family lives in Los Angeles and Miami.

García'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. García 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.

Filmography

Other awards and nominations

ALMA Awards

• 2001: Nominated, "Outstanding Host of a Variety or Awards Special" - 1st Annual Latin Grammy Awards (shared w/Gloria Estefan, Jennifer Lopez & Jimmy Smits)
• 2006: Won, "Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures"

Nostros Golden Eagle Awards

• 1997: Won, "Outstanding Performer in Film"

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Andy Garcia

• 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
• Lisa Bradshaw, "Andy Garcia - Film star returns to Ghent after 22 years: "I've come full circle"" - article in Flanders Today