Raoul Max Trujillo(born May 8, 1955[1]) is an American actor, dancer, choreographer and theater director.[2]A former soloist with theNikolaisDance Theatre,[3]he is the original choreographer and co-director for theAmerican Indian Dance Theatre.[4][5]His career spans more than 45 years in film, television and theatre. He has also hosted a series of dancing programs, and is aCritics' Choice Awardnominee.
Raoul Trujillo | |
|---|---|
 Trujillo in Los Angeles California on July 3, 2019 | |
| Born | Raoul Max Trujillo May 8, 1955 |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, dancer, choreographer, theatre director |
| Years active | 1977–present |
Trujillo is best known for playing Zero Wolf, a ruthlessMayanslave catcherand the mainantagonistofMel Gibson'sApocalypto(2006), and for playing theIroquoischief Kiotsaeton in the filmBlack Robe.He has appeared in numerous high-profile and acclaimed films, includingThe New World,Cowboys and Aliens,Riddick,Blood Father,Sicario,and its sequelSicario: Day of the Soldado.He also starred in dozens of television programs in both supporting and starring roles, includingTrue Blood,Lost Girl,Da Vinci's Demons,Salem,The Blacklist,andJamestown.[6]He most recently starred onMayans M.C.as Che "Taza" Romero.[7][8]
Career
editHe started work in the theatre as a scenic painter and landed his first job in 1977 as an actor/dancer in a production ofEquus.He began dancing inLos Angelesin 1978 at theUniversity of Southern Californiaand saw his first modern dance and ballet productions;Pilobolus,Martha GrahamandRudolf Nureyev.The next two years, he trained extensively with theToronto Dance Theatreand Nikolais/Louis Dance Lab inNew York Cityon scholarships. He was asked to join Nikolais Dance Theatre under the direction of the masterAlwin Nikolais,who became his mentor and he began touring the world. He also learned scenic, costume and lighting design during this time from 1980 to 1987. After leaving the company, he began his solo work as dancer and choreographer and commenced his journey into shamanic ceremonials and incorporating native myths and legends in his work.
After the first decade of performing as a dancer, Trujilo became the choreographer and co-director for theAmerican Indian Dance Theatre,the first professional native dance company incorporating traditional dance with contemporary retelling of myths and legends. He choreographed, "The Shaman's Journey", for theAsia Societyin New York and later was adapted into a short film forPBSonAlive from Off Center.He went on to join creative partners Alejandro Roncerria andRené HighwayinToronto.This work resulted in creating successful theatre pieces forNative Earth Performing Arts.His work with Roncerria continued and he helped establish the Aboriginal Dance Project at theBanff Centreto further train Indigenous dancers from all over the world. In 2002, he received the CANCOM Ross Charles award in Canada to attend the Banff Center's screenwriters workshop for aboriginal storytellers.
Trujilo began his screen acting career in 1988 in Canada, and currently holds over 107 film and television credits. He choreographed the dances, ceremonies and rituals forTerrence Malick'sThe New World,as well as acting in the role ofTomocomo.
Filmography
editFilm
editTelevision
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | Counterstrike | Rojo | Episode: "Dead in the Air" |
| 1990 | The Hitchhiker | James | Episode: "Tough Guys Don't Whine" |
| 1990 | Street Legal | Raoul Hidalgo | Episode: "Double Agenda" |
| 1990 | E.N.G. | Lucas Green | Episode: "A Long Way from Hopeful" |
| 1992 | The Broken Cord | Emil Bearheart | Television film |
| 1993 | Gross Misconduct | Andy Greenberg | |
| 1993 | Medicine River | Floyd | |
| 1993–95 | Destiny Ridge | Sam Whitehorse | Main role; Seasons 1-2 |
| 1994 | Trial at Fortitude Bay | Simon Amituq | Television film |
| 1995 | Black Fox | Running Dog | Miniseries |
| 1995 | The Invaders | Carlos Suarez | |
| 1996 | JAG | Arturo | Episode: "Sightings" |
| 1996 | Lonesome Dove: The Series | Gabe LaRoche | Episode: "Bounty" |
| 1996 | Renegade | Ricardo Pena | Episode: "Hog Calls" |
| 1996 | The Sentinel | Spirit Guide | Episode: "Flight" |
| 1997 | Sisters and Other Strangers | Jimmy Coyote | Television film |
| 1997 | Silk Stalkings | Ernesto | Episode: "Silent Witness" |
| 1997 | House of Frankenstein | Woody | Miniseries |
| 1998 | Witness to Yesterday | Tecumseh | Episode: "Tecumseh" |
| 1998 | The Adventures of Sinbad | Korla | Episode: "The Guardians" |
| 1999 | La Femme Nikita | Chris Ferriera | Episode: "Looking for Michael" |
| 1999 | War of 1812 | Tecumseh | Miniseries |
| 2000 | The Avengers: United They Stand | Namor(voice) | Episode: "To Rule Atlantis" |
| 2000 | Canada: A People's History | Iroquois Warrior | Episode: "When the World Began" |
| 2000 | The Secret Adventures of Jules Verne | The Inquisitor | Episode: "The Inquisitor" |
| 2001 | Largo Winch | Jacob Santos | Episode: "Just Cause" |
| 2001 | MythQuest | Tezcatlipoca | Episode: "Quetzalcoatl" |
| 2003 | Adventure Inc. | Agent Harami | Episode: "Secret of the Sands" |
| 2003 | Betrayed | Bill Lebret | Television film |
| 2003 | Veritas: The Quest | Ramiro | Episode: "Mummy Virus" |
| 2003 | Freedom: A History of Us | Matthew Lyon(voice) | Episode: "Revolution" |
| 2004 | Frankenfish | Ricardo Alma | Television film |
| 2005 | Into the West | Red Cloud | Miniseries |
| 2007 | Tin Man | Raw | Miniseries |
| 2008 | True Blood | Longshadow | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2009 | The Unit | Father Sebastian | Episode: "The Spear of Destiny" |
| 2009 | In Plain Sight | Felix Calderon | Episode: "Jailbait" |
| 2010 | Triassic Attack | Dakota | Television film |
| 2011 | Moby Dick | Queequeg | Miniseries |
| 2011 | Neverland | Holy Man | |
| 2011–12 | Heartland | Renard | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2011–12 | Lost Girl | The Garuda | Guest role; 3 episodes |
| 2013 | Longmire | Grady Littlefoot | Episode: "Tuscan Red" |
| 2013 | Strike Back | Miguel Gomez | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Republic of Doyle | Eli Kane | Episode: "Bon Cop, Bueno Cop" |
| 2014 | Da Vinci's Demons | Topa Inca Yupanqui | Supporting role; Season 2 |
| 2014 | Manhattan | Javier | Episode: "Spooky Action At a Distance" |
| 2014 | The Wrong Mans | Carlos Espinoza | Supporting role; Series 2 |
| 2015 | Major Crimes | Javier Mendoza | Episode: "Internal Affairs" |
| 2015 | Banshee | Sani Crow | Episode: "All the Wisdom I Got Left" |
| 2015 | Saints & Strangers | Massasoit | Miniseries Nominated-Critics Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Movie/Miniseries |
| 2015 | Salem | The Shaman | Recurring role; 4 episodes |
| 2016 | The Blacklist | Mato | Recurring role; 3 episodes |
| 2016 | MacGyver | Joaquin "El Noche" Sancola | Episode: "Can Opener" |
| 2016 | Frontier | Machk | Guest role; 3 episodes |
| 2017 | Get Shorty | Josias | Guest role; 2 episodes |
| 2017–19 | Jamestown | Opchanacanough | Main role |
| 2018–2022 | Mayans M.C. | Che "Taza" Romero | Main role; 40 episodes |
| 2019 | Hawaii Five-0 | Alejandro Vega | Episode: "Ho'opio 'ia e ka noho ali'i a ka ua" |
As himself
edit- Chiefs(TV mini-series documentary) (2002)
- Making 'The New World'(video documentary) - Himself (2006)
- Becoming Mayan: Creating Apocalypto(video documentary short) - Himself (2006)
- Beyond the Yellow Brick Road: The Making of Tin Man(TV documentary) - Himself (2007)
- Wild Horses and Renegades(documentary) - as Speaker (2007)
References
edit- ^Mike Rose, cleveland com (May 8, 2023)."Today's famous birthdays list for May 8, 2023 includes celebrities Olivia Culpo, Domhnall Gleeson".cleveland.RetrievedJune 2,2024.
- ^de Valois, C."Raoul Trujillo Info - Official Website and Fanclub".raoultrujilloinfo.Archived from the original on February 6, 2023.RetrievedApril 17,2018.
{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: unfit URL (link) - ^"ABQjournal: N.M. Native Raoul Trujillo Brings Indigenous Culture to the Silver Screen".abqjournal.RetrievedApril 17,2018.
- ^SEGAL, LEWIS (June 3, 1987)."Indian Company: New Look For Tribal Dancing".Los Angeles Times.ISSN0458-3035.RetrievedApril 17,2018.
- ^"Featured Articles about American Indian Dance Theatre - Page 2 - latimes".Los Angeles Times.RetrievedApril 17,2018.[dead link]
- ^"Trujillo".Gary Goddard Agency.July 8, 2015.RetrievedMay 27,2019.
- ^"Raoul Max Trujillo as Che 'Taza' Romero | Mayans MC | FX".fxnetworks.RetrievedMay 27,2019.
- ^Petski, Denise (October 20, 2017)."'Mayans M.C.': Raoul Trujillo Cast In FX's 'Sons Of Anarchy' Spinoff Pilot ".Deadline.RetrievedMay 27,2019.