Biography
Sal Lopez (also Sal López) is a Mexican-American actor and producer, born on November 8, 1954, in Mexico. He grew up in a bilingual home in South Central Los Angeles, the second of eight boys born to immigrant parents. He is a founding member of The Latino Theater Company, where he has co-created theater for over 38 years, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He is married to Urbanie Lucero and has two children, residing in Silver Lake, Los Angeles.
Lopez started his career after landing a key role in the hit play Zoot Suit (1982), which led to an open call by Stanley Kubrick for Full Metal Jacket (1987), in which he played T.H.E. Rock. Other notable film credits include American Me (1992, as Edward James Olmos's father), Selena (1997), Silver City (2004, directed by John Sayles), The Astronaut Farmer (2007, with Billy Bob Thornton), Logan (2017), Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022), and F1 (2025). His television credits span Nip/Tuck, CSI, ER, NYPD Blue, Melrose Place, The Shield, Westworld, and Queen of the South. On stage, Lopez has performed in numerous productions with The Latino Theater Company, including one-man shows like This Is A Man's World, Premeditation, and August 29th, and the lead in La Virgen Dios Inantzin, performed annually at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. He has received an ALMA Award for Outstanding Individual Performance and a DramaLogue Award, and produced and starred in the independent film Luminarias (1999).
Filmography (108)
The Rip
2026
You Know I Love You
2026
Roses on the Vine
2025
Baby Blue
2025
Delfino's Journey
2025
Atropia
2025
F1
2025
Seven Cemeteries
2024
Doctor Odyssey
2024
Centurion: The Dancing Stallion
2023
Moe
2023
The Hyperions
2022
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
2022
The Old Ways
2021
Spiked
2021
Velvet Buzzsaw
2019
El Chicano
2019
Culture Shock
2019
Acuitzeramo
2019
The Devil Has a Name
2019
Chalino
2019
Too Old to Die Young
2019
Barry
2018
Monday Nights at Seven
2016
Westworld
2016
Lopez
2016
Chance
2016
Road to Juarez
2015
Code Black
2015
An Evergreen Christmas
2014
Go for Sisters
2013
The Bridge
2013
Last Man Standing
2011
Addicto de Salsa
2009
Castle
2009
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
2008
American Son
2008
The Astronaut Farmer
2007
Life
2007
Lost in Plainview
2006
ESL: English as a Second Language
2005
El padrino: The Latin Godfather
2004
Silver City
2004
Paparazzi
2004
Entourage
2004
Batman: Mystery of the Batwoman
2003
Nip/Tuck
2003
The Lyon's Den
2003
The Handler
2003
Tremors
2003
The Banger Sisters
2002
Hunter: Return to Justice
2002
Hammerlock
2002
The Shield
2002
CSI: Miami
2002
Missing Pieces
2001
Luminarias
2000
Price of Glory
2000
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
2000
Flypaper
1999
Snoops
1999
The Magnificent Seven
1998
Selena
1997
The End of Violence
1997
Nightman
1997
Out to Sea
1997
King of the Hill
1997
The New Batman Adventures
1997
After the SIlence
1996
Dangerous Minds
1996
Journey
1995
...And the Earth Did Not Swallow Him
1995
Blue Tiger
1994
There Goes My Baby
1994
Touched by an Angel
1994
ER
1994
Return of the Living Dead III
1993
River of Rage: The Taking of Maggie Keene
1993
Mr. Jones
1993
American Me
1992
From the Files of Joseph Wambaugh: A Jury of One
1992
Cold Heaven
1992
Melrose Place
1992
Lookwell
1991
Down the Drain
1990
Cartel
1990
El Diablo
1990
Shades of L.A.
1990
Pucker Up and Bark Like a Dog
1989
Full Metal Jacket
1987
Born in East L.A.
1987
Million Dollar Mystery
1987
Corridos! Tales of Passion and Revolution
1987
Dolly
1987
Wiseguy
1987
Matlock
1986
Get Out of My Room
1985
The Glitter Dome
1984
Hunter
1984
T. J. Hooker
1982
Zoot Suit
1981
Hill Street Blues
1981
Midnight Madness
1980
240-Robert
1979
Diff'rent Strokes
1978
CHiPs
1977
Hallmark Hall of Fame
1951
Kubrick's War: The Making of Full Metal Jacket
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