Esai Morales
Known for acting · Born 1 October 1962 · 63 · Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
140 credits
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.
Known for
NYPD Blue
1993
Titans
2018
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning
2025
War Machine
2026
Caprica
2010
Criminal Minds
2005
How to Get Away with Murder
2014
Chicago P.D.
2014
La Bamba
1987
Rapa Nui
1994
NCIS: Los Angeles
2009
Atlas Shrugged: Part II
2012
Acting (136)
2027Live Like ThatFilm
2026War MachineTorresFilm
2026Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in HollywoodselfFilm
2026Dark HorsePaulo PontesFilm
2025Mission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningGabrielFilm
2025Side QuestGustavoSeries
2025CottonmouthAbeFilm
2025Queen of ManhattanPapiFilm
2024Crescent CityLuke CarsonFilm
2023Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part OneGabrielFilm
2023Master GardenerOscar NerudaFilm
2023Can't Go HomeVictor CasteloSeries
2021More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita StorySelfFilm
2021Senior MomentDiego LozanaFilm
2021Art of LoveFilm
2020The Wall of MexicoHenry AristaFilm
2020Find Your GrooveSelfFilm
2019ImprisonedGovernor ManderaFilm
2019Raúl Juliá: The World’s a StageSelfFilm
2018TitansSlade Wilson / Deathstroke · 13 episodesSeries
2018SuperFlyAdalberto GonzalezFilm
2018Love and Other StuntsFilm
2017OzarkCamino 'Del' Del Rio · 4 episodesSeries
2017Halfway ThereIan SanchezFilm
2016Never Back Down: No SurrenderHugo VegaFilm
2016MarsMike Glenn / Lt. Michael Glenn · 6 episodesSeries
2016Casa VitaRodrigo VitaFilm
2015Spare PartsMr. SantillanFilm
2015The BrinkPresident Julian Navarro · 10 episodesSeries
2015Adam Ruins EverythingSeries
2015Playin' for LovePrinciple Jose MartiFilm
2014Chicago P.D.Chief Lugo · 6 episodesSeries
2014How to Get Away with MurderJorge Castillo · 11 episodesSeries
2014From Dusk Till Dawn: The SeriesAmancio Malvado · 10 episodesSeries
2014Jarhead 2: Field of FireCpt. JonesFilm
2014Mozart in the JungleJuan Delgado · 2 episodesSeries
2014The Journey of a Female ComicFilm
2014Give Me ShelterHimself - Animal AdvocateFilm
2014From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First SeasonFilm
2013Return to BabylonAssistant Director (scenes deleted)Film
2013Saving Westbrook HighMannyFilm
2012Major CrimesDeputy Manuel DiazSeries
2012Atlas Shrugged: Part IIFrancisco d'AnconiaFilm
2012Seattle SuperstormTom FosterFilm
2011Fairly LegalAaron Davidson · 6 episodesSeries
2011Gun Hill RoadEnrique RodriguezFilm
2011We Have Your HusbandEduardo ValsecaFilm
201117th PrecinctLiam ButterfieldFilm
2010CapricaJoseph Adama · 18 episodesSeries
2010CherryWesFilm
2010King of the AvenueNatasFilm
2009NCIS: Los AngelesLouis Ochoa · 7 episodesSeries
2009The LinePelonFilm
2009Celebrity Ghost StoriesSelfSeries
2009Celebrity HablaSelfFilm
2008Kill Kill Faster FasterMarkieFilm
2007Burn NoticeErnie PaseoSeries
2007The CureJorgeFilm
200724: Day six DebriefAgent Jorge Ramirez · 5 episodesSeries
2007The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation'SelfFilm
2006JerichoMajor Edward Beck · 7 episodesSeries
2006Fast Food NationTonyFilm
2006VanishedMichael Tyner · 11 episodesSeries
2006How to Go Out on a Date in QueensFrankieFilm
2006The Virgin of JuarezFather HerreraFilm
2005Criminal MindsMateo Cruz · 6 episodesSeries
2005FreddieCarlosSeries
2005Once Upon a WeddingPinedaFilm
2005Lethal SeductionRick Benes / David LopezFilm
2005American FusionJoseFilm
2004On Air with Ryan SeacrestSelfSeries
2004SudburyGary HalletFilm
2003Real Time with Bill MaherSelfSeries
2003The Adventures of Tom Thumb and ThumbelinaVargas Mouse (voice)Film
2003Celebrities UncensoredSelfSeries
2003ABC's 50th Anniversary CelebrationSelfFilm
2002CSI: MiamiStephen MadsenSeries
2002Paid in FullLuluFilm
2002George LopezManny LopezSeries
2002The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American CinemaFilm
2002American FamilyEsteban GonzalezSeries
2000Curb Your EnthusiasmFranciscoSeries
2000Dora the ExplorerPapi (voice)Series
2000American VirginJim the DirectorFilm
2000A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales StoryJuan Miguel GonzalezFilm
2000Doomsday ManMikeFilm
1999Law & Order: Special Victims UnitJimmy VazquezSeries
1999Atomic TrainNoris MacKenzie · 2 episodesSeries
1999Family LawMr. SantiagoSeries
1999Southern CrossPhilip SolanoFilm
1998The Wonderful Ice Cream SuitDominguezFilm
1998Circle of DeceitJeff SilvaFilm
1998L.A. DoctorsVince DuraldeSeries
1997The HungerTonySeries
1997Dog WatchMurrowFilm
1996Death in GranadaRicardoFilm
1996Scorpion SpringAstorFilm
1996The Real ThingCollinFilm
1996Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena StoryFederico PenaFilm
1995The Outer LimitsFrank KeltonSeries
1995My FamilyChuchoFilm
1995Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14Tony ArcherFilm
1995Somos un solo puebloSelfFilm
1994In the Army NowSgt. SternFilm
1994Rapa NuiMakeFilm
1994The Burning SeasonJairFilm
1994Don't Do ItCharlesFilm
1993NYPD BlueTony Rodriguez · 87 episodesSeries
1993Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has BegunKennyFilm
1993The WaiterJuliusFilm
1992FreejackRipperFilm
1992UltravioletNicholas WalkerFilm
1992Bay City StoryFilm
1990Naked TangoZico BorensteinFilm
1989Tales from the CryptPuckSeries
1989Bloodhounds of BroadwayHandsome JackFilm
1987La BambaBob MoralesFilm
1987The PrincipalRaymi RojasFilm
1986On Wings of EaglesRashid · 2 episodesSeries
1985The Twilight ZoneSeries
1985The EqualizerOfficer Miguel CanterraSeries
1985Rainy Day FriendsNeekos ValdezFilm
1984Miami ViceFelipe Cruz, Pete RomanoSeries
1983Bad BoysPaco MorenoFilm
1982FameSeries
1982Forty DeuceMitchellFilm
1982American PlayhouseHandsome JackSeries
—So Much for LoveGeoffreyFilm
—CoyoteHernán BarrocaFilm
—TumorFilm
—Live 2 DieFilm
—Monty and the MoviesSelf (archive footage)Film
—PersephoneFilm
—His HeartFilm
—Company TownRay DupreSeries
—The AmericansLee ValenzuelaSeries
Directing (1)
2000Doomsday ManSecond Unit DirectorFilm
Production (3)
—CoyoteProducerFilm
—Live 2 DieProducerFilm
—His HeartExecutive ProducerFilm