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.

Most Known For

Miami Vice

as Morales

Miami Vice

as Jimmy

Miami Vice

as Diplomat Roberto

Miami Vice

as Paco

Miami Vice

as Jorge

Burn Notice

as Campos

21 Jump Street

as Guardia Leader

The Truman Show

as Security Guard

Wiseguy

Bad Boys

as Drug Buyer

8MM

as Taxi Driver

Step Up Revolution

as Ricky

Miami Vice

as El Tiburon

The Specialist

as Charlie

Proof of Life

as Arturo Fernandez

Invasion U.S.A.

as Victor

Moon Over Miami

Father of the Bride

as Paco

Blood and Wine

as Artie (Fishing Ace)

Virtual Weapon

as Emergency doctor