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Gary Perez (born April 12, 1962) is an American television, film, and stage actor. Gary began his pursuit in the performing arts by attending the School of Performing Arts, where he studied ballet. He is of Puerto Rican descent and considers himself a Nuyorican.
Early career
Perez began his career doing off-broadway theater at INTAR, where he was cast in Luis Santeiro's OUR LADY OF THE TORTILLA, directed by Max Ferra. Because Max liked Gary, he gave him the keys to INTAR's other space, INTAR 2, located on 52nd St in NYC. Intar 2 would later become the original home of Latino Actors Base founded by Perez, John Ortiz, David Deblinger, and Paul Calderon. Latino Actors Base became known as LAByrinth Theater Company.
One of Gary Perez's first television jobs was in the soap opera world with As The World Turns (1995-2002), where he recurred as Detective Joe Ramirez. Later he'd go on to play on Cosby, New York Undercover, NYPD Blue, and Third Watch. He was cast in one of his first movies by Spike Lee in Crooklyn where he played "Juan" the Bodega man. In another notable film, but for television, he was cast to play opposite Frank Langella in the Nickelodeon Network's Cry Baby Lane.
Gary then moved on to work recurring roles on acclaimed shows such as The Sopranos as FBI Agent Marquez and on another HBO hit OZ, as the head of the parole board, Luis Ruiz.
Theater
Perez made his Broadway debut in 2023 with the Pulitzer Prize-winning play - Between Riverside and Crazy by Stephen Adly Guirgis. Directed by Austin Pendleton, at the Helen Hayes Theater, playing LT. Dave Caro.
He has worked with many other top writers, including Pulitzer Prize winners - John Patrick Shanley, Nilo Cruz, and Lynn Nottage. He has also worked with multiple award-winning directors that include Anna D. Shapiro, Tony Taccone in Jose Rivera's Cloud Tectonics, Brian Kulick, and Jo Bonney at such theaters as Steppenwolf, Yale Rep in yet another Jose Rivera play Boleros for the Disenchanted, Second Stage Theater, McCarter Theater, La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, New York Theater Workshop and The Public Theater. Perez was nominated for a JEFF Award for his portrayal of Cousin Julio in Steppenwolf's historic first all-Latino cast of The Mother Fucker with the Hat - directed by Anna D. Shapiro.
Television and film
Gary has aimed much of his career toward working in front of the camera, doing the film Illegal Tender and a lead role opposite friend and long-time LAB member Florencia Lozano in Life After You.
In addition, he has had many television Guest Star roles in shows such as Without a Trace, Numbers, The Unit, Lie to Me, Prime Suspect, Awake, The Closer, Person of Interest, NCIS: Los Angeles, Madam Secretary, Chicago PD, Blue Bloods, Homeland, New Amsterdam, Law & Order: SVU, Instinct, Prodigal Son, Tommy, Little America, The Resident, the critically acclaimed Netflix show directed by Ava DuVernay, When They see Us, as Manuel Santana, and several episodes of Law & Order playing various roles but more recently as Judge Bolden.
Some notable television appearances have been recurring roles on 13 Reasons Why as Arturo Padilla, The Last Ship, The Blacklist, City on a Hill, and just wrapped (upcoming TV series) Fatal Attraction for Paramount Plus, as Rolando Cabral opposite Joshua Jackson, and the CBS Police Drama East New York.
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