John Ortiz as José Yero

JOHN ORTIZ (José Yero) is an award-winning actor who is equally at home on stage, in feature films and in television. Ortiz can next be seen on stage at The Public Theater in School of the Americas. Ortiz plays a wounded and imprisoned Che Guevara in his final days, and the play follows his conversations with a schoolteacher who he inspires while waiting to learn whether his destiny lies with the CIA or the murderous Bolivian dictator. School of the Americas opened July 6, 2006 and runs through July 23, 2006. Ortiz recently completed production on New Line Cinema's Pride and Glory, opposite Colin Farrell, and Nuyorican Production's El Cantante, opposite Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony, portraying legendary salsa musician Willie Colón.  Both films are due for release in late 2006 or early 2007. Ortiz recently starred opposite Antonio Banderas in Liz Friedlander's debut film Take the Lead for New Line Cinema.  Ortiz's other film credits include Steven Spielberg's Amistad; Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way, opposite Al Pacino and Sean Penn; Narc, opposite Jason Patric and Ray Liotta; and Ron Howard's Ransom. Ortiz is the co-founder and co-artistic director (along with acclaimed actor Philip Seymour Hoffman) of LAByrinth Theater Company, where he has produced and performed in many productions including The Last Days of Judas Iscariot; the New York and London productions of Jesus Hopped the `A' Train, both of which were directed by Hoffman; and Guinea Pig Solo, all at the Public Theater. Ortiz won the Obie Award for Best Actor in the off-Broadway production of References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot.  He was also awarded a Drama Desk nomination for Jesus Hopped the `A' Train. Other New York theater credits include the Broadway production of Anna in the Tropic; The Skin of our Teeth, with John Goodman at the Public Theater; Cloud Tectonics at Playwrights Horizons; The Persian and Merchant of Venice, both directed by Peter Sellers and performed in such cities as Paris, London, Berlin and Edinburgh. Regionally, he has performed at the Mark Taper Forum, The Goodman, Hartford Stage, Arena Stage, Yale Repertory, South Coast Repertory and Cincinnati Playhouse. On television, Ortiz played the lead in CBS' Clubhouse.  He spent two seasons on the ABC series The Job with Denis Leary and was a lead in Fox's Lush Life. Born and raised in Brooklyn, he currently resides there with his wife and is a self-described “huge sports fan” who follows the Yankees and the Knicks. Filmography Miami Vice (2006) Jose Yero Take the Lead (2006) Mr. Temple Pride and Glory (2003) Ruben Santiago Narc (2002) Octavio Ruiz Pinero (2001) Gang Member Before Night Falls (2000) Juan Abrau The Opportunists (2000) Ismail Espinoza The Last Marshal (1999) Side Streets (1998) Ramon Yanes Amistad (1997) Montes Ransom (1996) Roberto SGT. Bilko (1996) Luis Clemente El Cantante Willie Colon