Andy Garcia

Andy Garcia (born Andres Arturo Menendez, 12.4.1956)

Andy Garcia is a Cuban-American film actor. Amongst his most famous performances are his roles in The Godfather: Part III, The Untouchables and When a Man Loves a Woman.

Andy Garcia: Childhood

Andy Garcia was born in Havana, Cuba, to Amelie Menéndez and René García Núñez. In Cuba, his father was an attorney as well as an avocado farmer. In America, he went on to own a fragrance business. Their family moved to the USA when Andy was five years old. He attended Miami Beach Senior High School and was raised as a Roman Catholic. Garcia started acting after taking a drama class in his senior year of high school.

Andy Garcia: Acting Career

Andy Garcia started acting at Florida International University, though he soon progressed to Hollywood. His break came when he was offered a part in the TV series Hill Street Blues. This was followed by a decent performance in The Mean Season, alongside Kurt Russell.

After watching Garcia in 8 Million Ways to Die, Brian de Palma selected him to appear in The Untouchables, along with Kevin Costner, Sean Connery and Robert de Niro. The screenplay had been adapted by David Mamet.

When Francis Ford Coppola was casting The Godfather Part III in 1989, he selected Andy Garcia to play the role of Sonny Corleone. Garcia beat a number of actors to the role and was noted for his resemblance to a young Al Pacino. The film also starred Sofia Coppola, Diane Keaton and Talia Shire. Garcia was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor for his role and his public profile received a significant boost. In 1990, Andy Garcia appeared in Internal Affairs, with Richard Gere, Laurie Metcalf and William Baldwin. Two years later, he landed the role of the good Samaritan in Hero, opposite Geena Davis and Dustin Hoffman. Then, in 1994, Andy Garcia took on another significant role in When a Man Loves a Woman, playing the husband of an alcoholic woman, alongside Meg Ryan

1995 saw Andy Garcia playing the role of Jimmy the Saint in Things to do in Denver When You're Dead. The cult crime film also starred Christopher Lloyd and Steve Buscemi. In Night Falls on Manhattan, Garcia took on the role of a crusading lawyer, opposite James Gandolfini and Richard Dreyfuss. The following year, he starred in Desperate Measures with Michael Keaton and Marcia Gay Harden.

Andy Garcia's career took another upturn at the turn of the century when he was cast in Ocean's Eleven, the hugely popular remake of the Rat Pack caper film. The original film starred Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. The modern remake also boasted an all-star cast, including Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Matt Damon and Julia Roberts. Ocean's Eleven was followed by Ocean's Twelve and then Ocean's Thirteen, though the size of Andy Garcia's roles diminished as the franchise progressed. 2005 was the year that Andy Garcia released The Lost City, which he co-wrote, directed and also starred in, along with Bill Murray and Dustin Hoffman. The film depicted a negative view of the Cuban Revolution and Che Guevara and was received with a great deal of controversy in Latin America.

Andy Garcia starred with his daughter, Dominik Garcia-Lorido in the 2009 film City Island, which also stars Emily Mortimer.

Andy Garcia: Personal Life

Andy Garcia married María Victoria Lorido in 1982. They have four children: Dominik, Daniella, Alessandro and Andres.