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Jimmy Smits

Jimmy Smits Biography

Actor

Jimmy Smits, born on July 9, 1955, is a renowned American actor. He is known for his outstanding performances in television and film, particularly for his roles in 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' and 'Total Recall'. Smits' acting career spans a variety of roles, from police officers to lawyers, showcasing his versatile talent.

Jimmy Smits, born on July 9, 1955, is a renowned American actor. He is known for his outstanding performances in television and film, particularly for his roles in 'Law & Order: Special Victims Unit' and 'Total Recall'. Smits' acting career spans a variety of roles, from police officers to lawyers, showcasing his versatile talent.

Related Quotes

“Celebrity hits like a bomb. So you have to find what makes you stable in the storm. Then, no matter what's happening around you, no matter what the hype or the publicity, you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.”

Author:Jimmy Smits

“I never thought television would or could be a long-term commitment.”

Long Term Television Commitment Long Term

Author:Jimmy Smits

“I'm an actor. I love to act. That's my job. I'll leave the politicking to others.”

Author:Jimmy Smits

“There's something so familial and intimate between a boxer and his trainer.”

Intimate Trainers Boxers

Author:Jimmy Smits

“For minority actors, developing our own projects has to be the eventual path. We have a lot of stories to tell and a really unique voice. But none of that is going to be heard as long as we're just the hired hands, acting.”

Long Stories Hands Actors Voice Acting Path Heard Projects Unique Developing Minorities Unique Voices

Author:Jimmy Smits

“You have to be like a sponge and use what you can and how it relates because TV is fluid. Things change on a week-to-week basis. Those are the things that I do with every character. If I'm involved in a boxing movie, I go see fights and learn about boxing. It's part of what we do.”

Ifs Character Use Fighting Week Tvs Involved Bases Relate Boxing Things Change Fluid Sponges

Author:Jimmy Smits

“People don't walk around thinking of themselves as bad people. You're part of the environment that you grow up in, and there can be decency in that. I always try to find a little glimmer of that, in anything that I do, because you can find places where there's humor or lightness in something that's deep and profound, and that tends to resonate more and make people more human. As an actor and performer, I think it resonates more with the audience when you do have the payoff.”

People Thinking Trying Humans Littles Actors Grows Walks Audience Growing Up Environment Profound Performers Decency Bad People Lightness Payoff

Author:Jimmy Smits

“It's great to be able to play the bad guy role because you always get a lot to do, but I'm always looking at the why. How does a person get to that particular point? It's those little cogs in the wheel that make it interesting for me to play. Ultimately, I hope for the audience to be engaged with it because it is going to take a turn.”

Littles Persons Doe Play Able Guy Turns Interesting Roles Audience Particular Engaged Wheels Bad Guys Cogs

Author:Jimmy Smits

“I'm always sitting down and talking to people that are doing independent features. It depends on the project and the quotient of the people that are involved. There are a lot of different reasons [to do something], like a particular script that resonates with me, in a particular way. It may not so much even be about the part, but what the script has to say.”

People Way May Different Reason Talking Particular Depends Involved Projects Sitting Down And Independent Scripts Features Sitting Down

Author:Jimmy Smits

“There are a lot of doors that still get shut, and there are a lot of walls to still breach. But, the stuff that does come across to me, or that I hear about or read about, that I'm willing to go out there and fight for, I still have to go audition. I do have a certain leeway to choose, from that group, what I want to say, as an artist.”

Want Doe Stills Artist Certain Fighting Stuff Doors Groups Willing Wall Auditions Breach

Author:Jimmy Smits

“What struck me more than anything is how the people that are involved in government start out from a place of really wanting to do well, no matter what kind of political spectrum they're on, how they have to hold onto that warm fuzzy place in their heart while they're stuck in the machine.”

People Heart Kind Political Stuck

Author:Jimmy Smits

“There are no right and wrong ways to work in this business, but there are some basic common-sense practices. Work very, very hard and always be prepared; never give up; and once you get the job, give them more than they ever expected: - Shine!”

Way Giving Hard Jobs Common Practice Giving Up Shining Prepared Expected Common Sense Be Prepared Not Giving Up Never Giving Up Wrong Way Never Give Up On Something

Author:Jimmy Smits

“It's less about the physical training, in the end, than it is about the mental preparation: boxing is a chess game. You have to be skilled enough and have trained hard enough to know how many different ways you can counterattack in any situation, at any moment.”

Knows Way Different Ends Hard Enough Moments Games Situation Know How Training Chess Preparation Different Ways Boxing Motivational Sports Chess Game Boxing Champions Physical Training

Author:Jimmy Smits

“I've been very lucky to work on a wide variety of projects, including two long-run and top-10 dramatic television shows. That is why it is so important to offer a helping hand to the next generation of young Latinos coming up behind me.”

“I am a firm believer in education and have worked very hard to tell young Latinos that they must go to college and that, if possible, they should pursue an advanced degree... I am convinced that education is the great equalizer.”

Ifs Should Hard Young Education College Degrees Convinced Believer Pursue Firm Latino Equalizer

Author:Jimmy Smits

“I've been in California for about 15 years now. You're always in your car and insulated. I miss New York so much.”

Years Car Missing New York California Missing You

Author:Jimmy Smits

“If you're afraid to live your life in a glass bubble, how can you do what we do in this industry?”

Ifs Industry Glasses Bubbles Live Your Life

Author:Jimmy Smits

“In my college years, I worked as a union labor organizer. I was just one of the many workers trying to do my part to help the community.”

Trying Years Helping Community College Labor Unions Workers Just One Organizer Labor Union College Years

Author:Jimmy Smits

“Just give me a good role that allows me to hone my craft and I am a pretty happy camper.”

Giving Roles Give Me Crafts Campers

Author:Jimmy Smits

“You have to find what makes you stable in the storm. Then, no matter what's happening round you, no matter what the hype or the publicity, you can still manage to make leaps in your work as an artist.”

Stills Matter Artist Happenings No Matter What Rounds Storm Manage Leap Stable Publicity Hype

Author:Jimmy Smits

About the Author

Born: July 9, 1955
Known for: Actor
Quotes: 20

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Actors Hard Ifs Long People Projects Way Artist Audience Boxing

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