Richard Cabral
{{Short description|American actor (born 1984)}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Richard Cabral
| image = Richard Cabral by Gage Skidmore.jpg
| caption = Cabral at the 2018 San Diego Comic-Con
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1984|8|28}}
| birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| other_names = Baby Jokes
| education =
| occupation = Actor
| years_active = 2009–present
| spouse = {{marriage|Janiece Sarduy|2014|2020|end=div}}
| children =
}}
Richard Cabral (born August 28, 1984) is an American actor, occasional producer and writer. He is best known for his roles on Mayans M.C. on FX, the ABC television series American Crime, which earned him a Primetime Emmy Award nomination in 2015, and the Fox television series Lethal Weapon.
Early life
Cabral grew up in East Los Angeles, in a second-generation Mexican-American family. He became active in gang activity from an early age.{{cite web|url=http://www.latinpost.com/articles/79733/20150917/former-mexican-gang-member-richard-cabral-stars-on-abc-s-american-crime.htm|title=Former Mexican Gang Member Richard Cabral Reveals How He Left Streets to Star in ABC's 'American Crime'|work=Latin Post}} He said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight that his family had been a part of the gang scene since the 1990s. He was a documented member of Varrio 213 in Montebello (East Los Angeles), California. When he was a child, he was separated from his family. He was incarcerated at the age of 13 for stealing a wallet.{{cite web|last=Del Barco|first=Mandalit|date=16 September 2015|title=How Former Gang Member Richard Cabral Went From Prison To Prime Time|url=https://www.npr.org/2015/09/16/440516605/how-former-gang-member-richard-cabral-went-from-prison-to-prime-time|work=NPR}} Cabral developed an addiction to crack cocaine by the age of 15.{{cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/news/162451_american_crime_star_richard_cabral_reveals_his_past_of_crack_addiction_life_gangs/|title='American Crime' Star Richard Cabral Reveals His Past of Crack Addiction, Life in Gangs|work=Entertainment Tonight}} He obtained his GED as a teenager but once again got in trouble with the law. He was sentenced to prison for violent assault with a deadly weapon (shooting), and was released at the age of 25.
Career
Cabral's entertainment career started in the Chicano Rap music scene as a member of the chicano rap group "Charlie Row Campo". He created several albums and features under the moniker "Baby Jokes", or "Joker". The music mostly depicted negative, gang-related street tales.
While Cabral was trying to turn his life around, his friends recommended he seek out the services of Homeboy Industries, a gang-intervention program based in Los Angeles. There he auditioned and landed his first role, which led him to further his skills through acting classes and seminars. In 2009, he began to act, with Cabral appearing in the television show Southland. In 2010, he appeared in the music video for Bruno Mars' single "Grenade".{{Cite web|last=Chestang|first=Rafael|date=2015-04-08|title='American Crime' Star Richard Cabral Reveals His Past of Crack Addiction, Life in Gangs {{!}} Entertainment Tonight|url=https://www.etonline.com/news/162451_american_crime_star_richard_cabral_reveals_his_past_of_crack_addiction_life_gangs|access-date=2021-07-20|website=www.etonline.com|language=en-US}}
In 2015, Cabral starred in the mini-series American Crime, in which he portrayed the character Hector Tontz.{{cite web|url=http://abc.go.com/shows/american-crime/cast/hector-tontz|title=Richard Cabral as Hector Tontz - American Crime|work=ABC}} For his role, Cabral was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or a Movie at the 2015 Primetime Emmy Awards.
In 2016, Cabral co-wrote with Robert Egan a one-man show called Fighting Shadows, about his experiences as a former gang member who spent years in and out of prison.{{cite web|url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/los-angeles/article/FIGHTING-SHADOWS-with-Emmy-Nominee-Richard-Cabral-to-Play-Rosenthal-Theater-20160318|title=FIGHTING SHADOWS with Emmy Nominee Richard Cabral to Play Rosenthal Theater|work=Broadway World}}
Awards
In 2013, Cabral won the Lo Maximo award from Homeboy Industries, which honors HI service recipients who give back to the community.{{cite web|last1=Homeboy Industries|title=Richard Cabral - Lo Maximo 2013 - Homeboy Industries|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQd7epltlxo|website=YouTube|accessdate=2 October 2016}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | A Better Life | Marcelo Valdez |
| 2012 | End of Watch | 'Demon' |
| 2013 | Snitch | 'Flaco' |
| 2013 | The Counselor | 'The Green Hornet' |
| 2014 | Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones | Arturo Lopez |
| 2014 | Walk of Shame | Gang Member |
| 2016 | Blood Father | 'Joker' |
| 2017 | Khali the Killer | Khali |
| 2018 | Breaking In | Duncan |
| 2018 | Peppermint | Salazar |
| 2018 | All Creatures Here Below | Hugo |
| 2019 | Windows on the World | Domingo |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" | |||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| rowspan="3" |2009, 2011 | rowspan="3" |Southland | 'Joker' Ruiz | Episode: "Derailed" |
| Cholo #2 | Episode: "Code 4" | ||
| 'Leprechaun' | 3 episodes | ||
| 2011 | Body of Proof | Jorge | Episode: "Hunting Party" |
| 2012 | Luck | Store Clerk | Episode: "#1.3" |
| 2012 | "The Big Bang Theory" | Court Scene; Groom | Episode: "The Countdown Reflection" |
| 2013 | Chicago Fire | Inmate Rios | Episode: "A Hell of a Ride" |
| 2014 | Bosch | Jimmy Uribe (uncredited) | Episode: "Chapter One: 'Tis the Season" |
| 2014 | Key and Peele | Eduardo | Episode: "Terrorist Meeting" |
| rowspan="3" |2015–2017 | rowspan="3" |American Crime | Hector Tonz | 11 episodes |
| Sebastian De Le Torre | 5 episodes | ||
| Isaac Castillo | 5 episodes | ||
| 2016–2017 | Lethal Weapon | Detective Alex Cruz | 8 episodes |
| 2018–2022 | Mayans M.C. | Johnny 'Coco' Cruz | 35{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3450051/|title=Richard Cabral | Actor, Producer, Writer|website=IMDb|accessdate=13 March 2024}} episodes
Writer: "Dialogue With the Mirror" |
| 2019 | Into the Dark | Santo Cristobal | Episode: "Culture Shock" |
| 2023 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Ivan "Dutch" Hernandez | Episode: Dutch Tears |
| 2023 | Twisted Metal | Loud | Recurring role |
=Music Videos=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Year | Song | Band |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | Good Girls Bad Guys | Falling In Reverse |
| 2010 | Grenade | Bruno Mars |
=Discography=
| class="wikitable sortable" | ||
| Year | Song | Artist |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | East Side Classics | Jasper Loco & Baby Jokes |
| 2010 | Gutter Tales | Jasper Loco & Baby Jokes |
| 2011 | Life On The Streets | Baby Jokes |
| 2012 | Wanted | Baby Jokes |
Awards and nominations
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Award ! Category ! Nominated work ! Result |
|---|
| rowspan="2"| 2015
| Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie | rowspan="3"| {{center|American Crime}} | {{Nom}} |
| 19th OFTA Television Awards
| Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries | {{Nom}} |
| 2016
| Best Ensemble – Television Series {{small|(shared with the ensemble)}} | {{Won}} |
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{IMDb name|3450051|Richard Cabral}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cabral, Richard}}
Category:American male television actors
Category:Male actors from Los Angeles
Category:Writers from Los Angeles
Category:21st-century American writers
Category:American male writers