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Mario Ernesto Sánchez

Biography

Mario Ernesto Sánchez (born on January 10, 1947, in San Antonio de las Vegas, Cuba; † April 10, 2025, in Miami, Florida, USA) was a Cuban actor and theater founder. In 1979, he established Teatro Avante, a Hispanic theater in Florida, and became a significant figure in promoting Latin American theater in the United States. Sánchez played various supporting roles in Hollywood films and TV series, including Invasion U.S.A. (1985), The Specialist (1994), Bad Boys (1995), and Step Up Revolution (2012). He also appeared in five episodes of the series Miami Vice and had a role in the 2006 film of the same name. Additionally, he was featured in The Truman Show as a security guard and in the British cult series Only Fools and Horses as a Colombian drug lord. As a teenager, he emigrated to the United States through Operation Pedro Pan. Over the course of his career, he received several awards for his contributions to Hispanic theater, including the Federico García Lorca Award (1995) and the Ollantay Award (1994). Sánchez passed away on April 10, 2025, at the age of 78 in Miami.

Known For

The Specialist
The Specialist
Catherine's Grove
Catherine's Grove
Staying Afloat
Staying Afloat
Sea Devil
Sea Devil

Filmography

2022 Father of the Bride
as Paco
2020 Death of a Fool
as Herman
2015 Sea Devil
as
2012 Step Up Revolution
as Ricky
2007 Burn Notice
as Campos
2006 Miami Vice
as El Tiburon
2000 Proof of Life
as Arturo Fernandez
1999 8MM
as Taxi Driver
1998 The Truman Show
as Security Guard
1997 Catherine's Grove
as Ernesto
1997 Virtual Weapon
as Emergency doctor
1997 Plato's Run
as Flaco
1996 Blood and Wine
as Artie (Fishing Ace)
1995 Bad Boys
as Drug Buyer
1994 The Specialist
as Charlie
1993 Staying Afloat
as Phillipe
1993 Moon Over Miami
as
1991 Fires Within
as Family Member
1988 Clinton and Nadine
as Rojas
1987 Wiseguy
as