Esai Morales
Biography
Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He has had notable roles in Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips. His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series American Family, the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd. (2000–2002), portraying Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue (2001–2003), Joseph Adama in the science fiction series Caprica (2009–2010), Camino del Rio in the Netflix original series Ozark (2017), and the DC Comics supervillain Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the superhero series Titans (2019).
Morales appeared as Gabriel, the main antagonist in the 2023 spy action film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opposite Tom Cruise, a role reprised in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in 2025.
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Full filmography
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Jimmy Vazquez
- Criminal Minds (2005) as Mateo Cruz
- CSI: Miami (2002) as Stephen Madsen
- Real Time with Bill Maher (2003) as Self
- Chicago P.D. (2014) as Chief Lugo
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) as Louis Ochoa
- NYPD Blue (1993) as Tony Rodriguez
- Curb Your Enthusiasm (2000) as Francisco
- War Machine (2026) as Army Officer Torres
- Miami Vice (1984) as Felipe Cruz
- Miami Vice (1984) as Pete Romano
- How to Get Away with Murder (2014) as Jorge Castillo
- Burn Notice (2007) as Ernie Paseo
- Titans (2018) as Slade Wilson / Deathstroke
- Ozark (2017) as Camino 'Del' Del Rio
- Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning (2025) as Gabriel
- The Equalizer (1985) as Officer Miguel Canterra
- Dora the Explorer (2000) as Papi (voice)
- Mozart in the Jungle (2014) as Juan Delgado
- Major Crimes (2012) as Deputy Manuel Diaz
- Tales from the Crypt (1989) as Puck
- The Twilight Zone (1985)
- The Outer Limits (1995) as Frank Kelton
- Fame (1982)