Rubén Blades
Born: 1948-07-16 in Panama City, Panama
Known For: Acting
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland). He is an icon in Panama and is much admired throughout Latin America, and managed to attract 18% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. He holds a law degree from the University of Panama and a master's in international law from Harvard University. He is married to singer Luba Mason. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rubén Blades, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
2026
- Campeón Gabacho
- Pedro Navaja ... (Author)
2025
- Salsa Lives as Ruben Blades
2024
- Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple as Self
- Stay Homas. The Band That Shouldn’t Exist as Self - Singer
2021
- Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York as Self (archive footage)
- Red Pill as Rocky
2019
- Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage as Self
- Operation Just Cause ... (Music)
2018
- Ruben Blades Is Not My Name as Self
- John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons as Self
2016
- Hands of Stone as Carlos Eleta
2015
- Fear the Walking Dead as Daniel Salazar
2014
- Invasion as Self
- Yo soy la salsa
2013
- The Counselor as Jefe
2012
- Safe House as Carlos Villar
- Outlaws - For Greater Glory as Président Calles
2011
2009
- Spoken Word as Cruz-Sr.
2008
2005
- The Hunters and the Hunted: The Making of 'Predator 2' as Self (archive footage)
2004
- Secuestro Express as Carla's Father
- En mi país as Self
2003
- Once Upon a Time in Mexico as Jorge, Retired FBI Agent
- Assassination Tango as Miguel
- Imagining Argentina as Silvio Ayala
- The Maldonado Miracle as Cruz
- Spin as Ernesto
2002
- Empire ... (Original Music Composer)
- Las Lunas del Auditorio as Self
- Encuentro
- Las caras lindas de Tite Curet as Self
2000
- Gideon's Crossing as Dr. Max Cabranes
- Latin Grammy Awards as Self
- All the Pretty Horses as Rocha
1999
- Cradle Will Rock as Diego Rivera
1998
1997
- The Devil's Own as Edwin Diaz
- Arthouse as Self
- Chinese Box as Jim
- From Son to Salsa
1996
- Scorpion Spring as Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
- Al compás de un sentimiento: la música de Pedro Flores
1995
- Somos un solo pueblo as Self
1994
- Color of Night as Hector
- A Million to Juan as Bartender
1993
- The X-Files as Conrad Lozano
- Life with Mikey as Angie's Dad (uncredited)
- Miracle on Interstate 880 as Pastor Beruman
1991
- The Super as Marlon
- The Josephine Baker Story as Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
- One Man’s War as Perrone
- Crazy From the Heart as Ernesto Ontiveros
- Rabbit Ears - Joseph and His Brothers as Narrator (voice)
1990
- Predator 2 as Danny Archuleta
- The Two Jakes as Mickey Nice
- Q & A ... (Original Music Composer)
- Mo' Better Blues as Petey
- The Heart of the Deal
1989
- Disorganized Crime as Carlos Barrios
- The Lemon Sisters as C.W.
- Dead Man Out as Ben
1988
- Oliver & Company ... (Songs)
- The Milagro Beanfield War as Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
- Homeboy as Doctor
- The Story of Fausta ... (Original Music Composer)
- Coverup: Behind the Iran Contra Affair ... (Music)
1987
- Fatal Beauty as Carl Jimenez
- Critical Condition as Louis
1985
- Crossover Dreams as Rudy Veloz
- The Making of Sun City as Self
- The Return of Rubén Blades as himself
1984
- Peter Knife ... (Songs)
- By the Green Trail ... (Music)
1983
- The Last Fight as Andy "Kid" Clave
- When the Mountains Tremble ... (Original Music Composer)
- Ligia Elena ... (Music)
1982
- Late Night with David Letterman as Self - Musical Guest
- Un Rey de la salsa as Self
1979
- Beats of the Heart: Salsa as Self