# Lou Diamond Phillips

Louis Diamond Phillips (né Upchurch; born February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-born American actor, director, and writer. His breakthrough came when he starred as Ritchie Valens in the biographical drama film La Bamba (1987). For his performance as Angel David Guzman in Stand and Deliver (1988), he was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture and won an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male.
Phillips made his Broadway debut with the 1996 revival of The King and I, earning a Tony Award nomination for his portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam. Phillips' other notable films include Young Guns (1988), Young Guns II (1990), Courage Under Fire (1996), The Big Hit (1998), Brokedown Palace (1999), Che (2008), and The 33 (2015).
In the television series Longmire, he played a main character named Henry Standing Bear. He played New York City Police Lieutenant Gil Arroyo on Prodigal Son on FOX from 2019 to 2021.

## Early life

Born Louis Diamond Upchurch on February 17, 1962, at the U.S. Naval Bay Subic Base in the Philippines, he is the son of Lucita Umayam Aranas and Gerald Amon Upchurch (1935–1963), a Marine KC-130 crew chief. His mother was Filipino, while his father was an American of Scots-Irish and Cherokee descent. Phillips has said "I never claimed to be a Native actor, but I do have Native blood."
Phillips was named after US Marine Lou Diamond.
Phillips's father died when he was only a year old, after which his mother remarried and adopted the Phillips surname.
Phillips was raised in Texas. He graduated from Flour Bluff High School in Corpus Christi in 1980 and from the University of Texas at Arlington with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Drama.

## Career
### 1980s

Phillips's big break came with the starring role in La Bamba (1987) in which he played early rocker Ritchie Valens. Prior to his cinematic breakthrough, he starred in the Miami Vice episode "Red Tape" (March 13, 1987), portraying detective Bobby Diaz.
In 1988, Phillips co-starred with Edward James Olmos in the inner-city high school drama Stand and Deliver, in a role for which he won the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male and was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture. He plays Angel David Guzman, a cholo gangster who is inspired by his math teacher, Jaime Escalante, to excel at calculus. Working to master the subject, he develops a friendship with his teacher. Stand and Deliver was filmed before La Bamba, but it was released a year later.
In 1988 Phillips co-starred with Emilio Estevez and Kiefer Sutherland in the Western film Young Guns, in which he plays José Chávez y Chávez, a historical Old West outlaw.

### 1990s

In 1990, he revisited the role of José Chávez y Chávez in Young Guns II.
In the mid-1990s, Phillips was a vocalist with the Los Angeles-based rock group The Pipefitters.
In 1993, Phillips was among the guests on the Randy Travis television special Wind in the Wire.
In 1996, Phillips made his Broadway debut as the King in Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II's The King and I. Phillips won a Theatre World Award, and was nominated for both a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for his performance.
In 1998, he starred as Cisco, the counterpart of the main character Melvin Smiley (played by Mark Wahlberg) in the comedy-action film The Big Hit.

### 2000s

Phillips later had a minor role in the TV sitcom George Lopez (2002–2004) as George Lopez's half-brother. He also played a role in the first season of the TV series 24 as secret government agent Mark DeSalvo, opposite former Young Guns star Kiefer Sutherland.
In 2003, he starred in a cameo role with Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett in an action-comedy film Hollywood Homicide.
Phillips played the recurring role of FBI agent Ian Edgerton in the television series Numbers. Edgerton is an FBI tracker and sniper who works as an instructor at Quantico FBI Academy when he is not working a case in the field. Phillips won the second season of the NBC reality series, I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, over pro wrestler Torrie Wilson.
On September 11, 2007, Phillips joined the touring troupe for Lerner and Loewe's Camelot in the role of King Arthur.
Phillips had a recurring role as Colonel Telford in the Stargate Universe television series during its two-season run on the Syfy channel 2009–2011. He played the would-be commander of the Destiny expedition, who is left behind when an accident launches an unsuspecting crew into deep space. The commander works from Earth to bring the crew home, often coming into conflict with the shipborne command characters.

### 2010s

Phillips hosted the weekly series An Officer and a Movie (2011–2013) on American Heroes Channel. This series features various theatrical World War II dramas, with discussion breaks during the film in which Phillips interviews members of the US military and intelligence communities about details of the events that inspired each film.
In January 2012, he was one of eight celebrities participating in the Food Network reality series Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off. On January 29, 2012, he was announced as the winner with a Zagat score of 28 out of 30, thereby winning $50,000 for his charity.
In June 2012, Phillips began co-starring in the television series Longmire, about a modern-day sheriff in Wyoming, played by Robert Taylor. Phillips played Henry Standing Bear, a Native American, who is a longtime friend of Longmire and has a saloon/restaurant. He often helps the sheriff with cases and in dealing with the Cheyenne reservation police. They do not respect or like non-natives, especially local, state or federal law enforcement with competing authority. The series ran for six seasons to 2017.
In December 2012, Phillips was featured in Imagine Dragons' music video for "Radioactive", which eclipsed 1 billion views on YouTube.
In February 2013, Phillips appeared as star of the comedy short film Lucy in the Sky with Diamond, playing a version of himself known as the elusive and mysterious LDP—a renegade, spirit guide, and life coach who attempts to help John (John Patrick Jordan) get over a particularly disconcerting ex-girlfriend. The award-winning short was written and directed by Joey Boukadakis.
In July 2014, he replaced the injured Jason Scott Lee in Opera Australia's Melbourne production of The King and I, reprising his role as the King of Siam, playing opposite Lisa McCune as Anna Leonowens.
In 2015, he guest-starred in The Wiggles Rock and Roll PreSchool DVD and made guest appearances on their TV program on ABC.
In 2016, Phillips portrayed serial killer Richard Ramirez in The Night Stalker.

### 2020s

In 2023, Phillips competed in season nine of The Masked Singer as "Mantis". After being spared by Robin Thicke ringing the Ding Dong Keep It On Bell on "WB Movie Night", he was eliminated during the "Battle of the Saved" alongside Keenan Allen as "Gargoyle". Phillips also mentioned that he did the competition for his daughter Indigo and her friend Fluffy.
That same year, he starred opposite Malcolm McDowell in the independently-produced comedy thriller film Et Tu.

### Radio

Phillips voiced four episodes of the radio series The Twilight Zone: Vol. 1, "A Kind of a Stopwatch"; Vol. 3, "The Parallel; Vol. 10, "Miniature"; and Vol. 12, "Long Live Walter Jameson".

### Writing

Phillips co-wrote the screenplay for Trespasses and Dangerous Touch, and wrote the feature Ambition (in which he also starred on those films). In 2019, Aethon Books announced that it would be publishing Phillips' debut novel, Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira, a science fiction retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen story of the same name. It was illustrated by his wife, Yvonne Boismier.

## Personal life
### Relationships and family

During the making of Trespasses, he met Julie Cypher, an assistant director. They married on September 17, 1987, and divorced on August 5, 1990.
After their divorce, Cypher came out as lesbian. She began a long-term relationship with Melissa Etheridge.
On the set of the film Shadow of the Wolf (1992), he met Jennifer Tilly. They were briefly engaged.
In 1994, he married makeup artist Kelly Preston. They had three daughters together but separated in 2003. Their divorce was finalized in July 2007.
Phillips began dating makeup artist Yvonne Boismier in 2004. He was charged with misdemeanor domestic battery against her in 2006. They married in August 2007 and their daughter was born in October 2007. They are partners in writing and illustrating Phillips's first published novel.

### Legal troubles

On August 11, 2006, Phillips was arrested for disturbing the peace at his Los Angeles home. The charges followed loud noises coming from the house he shared with his live-in girlfriend and future wife, Yvonne Boismier. In December 2006, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace and was sentenced to three years of probation.
On November 3, 2017, Phillips was arrested in Portland, Texas, for DWI after stopping his vehicle to ask a police officer for directions. He was charged with reckless driving. Phillips was released after posting bail. In April 2018, following a plea deal, Phillips was sentenced to two years of probation.

### Poker

Phillips has been a regular poker player since college. In May 2009, Phillips placed 31st of 403 entrants in the 2009 California State Poker Championship Limit Texas hold 'em. He cashed in the $10,000 July 2009 World Series of Poker World Championship No Limit main event. In a field of 6,494, he was eliminated in the phase from 407 to 185. He started the day in 114th place among the 407 and was busted on the final hand of the day, finishing in 186th place and earning $36,626.

## Activism

Phillips serves on the advisory council of The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, an organization that "champions diversity by educating, connecting, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and leaders in entertainment and media." As noted above, he was born in the Philippines and he is half Filipino through his mother.
Indian Country Today has reported that Phillips is part Cherokee on his father's side. He has remained close to the Native American community. In 1990, Phillips organized a concert called "The Winds of Life" to benefit Native American causes.
In 1991 he was adopted by an Oglala Lakota Sioux family in a traditional ceremony. His Lakota name translates to "Star Keeper".
Phillips is also a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism. In 2020, he appeared in the NoH8 LGBTQ equality campaign.
Phillips endorsed Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

## Awards and achievements

* 1989 – Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male (Stand and Deliver, 1988)
* 1989 – Golden Globe Award nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (Stand and Deliver, 1988)
* 1989 – Western Heritage Award Bronze Wrangler Theatrical Motion Picture (Young Guns, 1988). Shared with John Fusco (producer), Christopher Cain (producer), Charlie Sheen (actor), Emilio Estevez (actor), Kiefer Sutherland (actor)
* 1993 – Oxfam America award for his dedication toward ending world hunger
* 1994 – Houston International Film Festival Gold award for Best Theatrical Feature Film for Ultimate Revenge
* 1996 – Tony Award nominee for Best Actor on Broadway (The King And I)
* 1996 – Theater World Award: The King and I
* 1996 – New York Outer Critics Circle: Outstanding Broadway Debut Award of an Actor, The King & I
* 1997 – Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Supporting Actor – Adventure/Drama (Courage Under Fire, 1996)
* 1997 – Lone Star Film & Television Award for Best Supporting Actor (Courage Under Fire, 1996)
* 2001 – Filipinas magazine "Achievement award for Entertainment"
* 2003 – Cinemanila Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (Philippines)
* 2005 – Asia Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Entertainment and Arts
* 2009 – I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!: King of the Jungle
* 2012 – Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off: Winner
* 2024 – Los Angeles IFS Film Festival Award for Best Actor (Et Tu, 2023)

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1984 | Time Bomb | Terrorist | TV movie |
| 1984 | Interface | Punk #1 | |
| 1986 | Trespasses | Drifter | |
| 1987 | La Bamba | Ritchie Valens | |
| 1987 | The Three Kings | "Tag" | TV movie |
| 1988 | Stand and Deliver | Angel David Guzman | |
| 1988 | Young Guns | José Chávez y Chávez | |
| 1988 | Dakota | John Dakota | |
| 1989 | Disorganized Crime | Ray Forgy | |
| 1989 | Renegades | Hank Storm | |
| 1990 | The First Power | Detective Russell Logan | |
| 1990 | A Show of Force | Jesus Fuentes | |
| 1990 | Demon Wind | Demon | |
| 1990 | Young Guns II | José Chávez y Chávez | |
| 1990 | Arduous Moon | Bob | Short |
| 1991 | Harley | Harley | |
| 1991 | Ambition | Mitchell Osgood | |
| 1991 | The Dark Wind | Officer Jim Chee | |
| 1992 | Shadow of the Wolf | Agaguk | |
| 1993 | Extreme Justice | Detective Jeff Powers | |
| 1994 | Dangerous Touch | Mick Burroughs | |
| 1994 | Teresa's Tattoo | Wheeler | |
| 1994 | Sioux City | Jesse Rainfeather Goldman | |
| 1994 | Boulevard | Hassan | |
| 1994 | Override | Cal | |
| 1995 | Hourglass | Ray Lucas | Video |
| 1995 | The Wharf Rat | Petey Martin | TV movie |
| 1996 | Undertow | Jack Ketchum | TV movie |
| 1996 | Courage Under Fire | Staff Sergeant John Monfriez | |
| 1998 | The Big Hit | Cisco | |
| 1998 | Another Day in Paradise | "Jewels" | |
| 1999 | Brokedown Palace | Roy Knox | |
| 1999 | In a Class of His Own | Ricardo "Rich" Donato | TV movie |
| 1999 | Bats | Sheriff Emmett Kimsey | |
| 1999 | Crucible of Empire | Emilio Aguinaldo (voice) | |
| 2000 | Supernova | Yerzy Penalosa | |
| 2000 | Picking Up the Pieces | Officer Alfonso | |
| 2000 | A Better Way to Die | William Dexter | |
| 2001 | Hangman | Detective Nick Roos | TV movie |
| 2001 | Knight Club | Dirk Gueron | |
| 2001 | Route 666 | Deputy U.S. Marshal Jack La Roca | |
| 2002 | Lone Hero | Bart | |
| 2002 | Malevolent | Jack Lucas | |
| 2002 | Stark Raving Mad | Gregory | |
| 2003 | K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments | Natha (voice) | Short |
| 2003 | Absolon | Agent Walters | |
| 2003 | Hollywood Homicide | Wanda | |
| 2003 | Red Water | John Sanders | TV movie |
| 2004 | The Trail to Hope Rose | Keenan Deerfield | TV movie |
| 2005 | Gone, But Not Forgotten | Alan Page | TV movie |
| 2005 | Murder at the Presidio | Chief Warrant Officer James Chandler | TV movie |
| 2005 | Alien Express | Vic Holden | TV movie |
| 2006 | El Cortez | Manny DeSilva | |
| 2006 | Fingerprints | Doug | |
| 2006 | Striking Range | Eugene "Vash" Vasher | |
| 2007 | Termination Point | Dr. Daniel Winter | TV movie |
| 2007 | The Bet | Henry | Short |
| 2008 | Death Toll | Mayor Padial | |
| 2008 | Never Forget | Frank Hill | |
| 2008 | Lone Rider | Bobby Hattaway | TV movie |
| 2008 | Che | Mario Monje | |
| 2009 | Love Takes Wing | Ray Russell | TV movie |
| 2009 | Carny | Atlas | TV movie |
| 2009 | Angel and the Badman | "Quirt" Evans | TV movie |
| 2010 | Transparency | David | |
| 2010 | The Invited | Garrett | |
| 2011 | Metal Tornado | Michael Edwards | TV movie |
| 2012 | Filly Brown | Jose Tonorio | |
| 2012 | Lucy in the Sky with Diamond | LDP | Short |
| 2013 | Sanitarium | James Silo | |
| 2014 | Sequoia | Colin | |
| 2014 | The Wisdom to Know the Difference | Carlos | |
| 2015 | The 33 | Luis "Don Lucho" Urzúa | |
| 2015 | Sky | Duane | |
| 2016 | The Night Stalker | Richard Ramirez | TV movie |
| 2017 | Created Equal | Monsignor Renzulli | |
| 2017 | Cop and a Half: New Recruit | Detective Simmons | TV movie |
| 2017 | Quest | Gus | |
| 2017 | The Last Train | Gunner | |
| 2017 | Avenge the Crows | Casper | |
| 2018 | Urban Country | Warden Tono | |
| 2019 | Big Kill | Johnny Kane | |
| 2020 | Adverse | Dr. Cruz | |
| 2022 | Constantine: The House of Mystery | Spectre (voice) | Video |
| 2022 | Easter Sunday | Himself | |
| 2022 | Aztec Warrior God, Emergence | Narrator | Short |
| 2023 | Et Tu | Brent | |
| 2024 | Justice League: Crisis on Infinite Earths | Owlman/Spectre (voice) | |
| 2024 | Get Fast | The Cowboy | |
| 2024 | Werewolves | Dr. Aranda | |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1985 | Dallas | Sidewalk Thug | Episode: "Rock Bottom" |
| 1987 | Miami Vice | Detective Bobby Diaz | Episode: "Red Tape" |
| 1992 | General Motors Playwrights Theater | "Clash" | Episode: "Avenue Z Afternoon" |
| 1993 | Tales from the Crypt | Jerry | Episode: "Oil's Well That Ends Well" |
| 1993 | The Untold West | The Narrator (voice) | Episode: "Outlaws, Rebels and Rogues" |
| 1997 | Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child | Coatl (voice) | Episode: "The Shoemaker and the Elves" |
| 1998 | Mad TV | Himself | Episode: "Episode #3.22" |
| 1998 | The Outer Limits | Captain Cotter McCoy | Episode: "Identity Crisis" |
| 1998 | Adventures from the Book of Virtues | Martín (voice) | Episode: "Charity" |
| 1998 | Spin City | Nate | Episode: "An Officer and a Gentleman" |
| 1999 | Behind the Music | Himself | Episode: "The Day the Music Died" |
| 2001 | Arli$$ | Himself | Episode: "Fielding Offers" |
| 2001 | Night Visions | Tom Fallor | Episode: "Dead Air/Renovation" |
| 2001–02 | Wolf Lake | Detective/Officer John Kanin | Main Cast |
| 2002 | 24 | Mark DeSalvo | Recurring Cast: Season 1 |
| 2002 | Resurrection Blvd. | Harry Tran | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2002 | The Twilight Zone | Ritchie Almares | Episode: "The Pool Guy" |
| 2003 | Storyline Online | Himself | Episode: "The Polar Express" |
| 2003 | The Handler | Andy Torres | Episode: "Jar of Spiders" |
| 2003 | George Lopez | George Lopez | Guest Cast: Season 2-3 |
| 2004 | World Poker Tour | Himself | Episode: "Hollywood Home Game II" |
| 2004 | VH1 Goes Inside | Himself | Episode: "Awesome Movie Songs" |
| 2005 | Jack & Bobby | Juan Roberto Alba | Episode: "Legacy" |
| 2005 | The Triangle | Meeno Paloma | Main Cast |
| 2005–10 | Numbers | Ian Edgerton | Guest: Season 1-2, Recurring Cast: Season 3 & 5-6 |
| 2006 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Victor Paul Gitano | Episode: "Fault" |
| 2007 | WWE Raw | Himself | Episode: "World Tag Team Championship Gauntlet Match" |
| 2007 | Psych | FBI Special Agent Lars Ewing | Episode: "Psy vs. Psy" |
| 2009 | Whatever Happened To? | Himself | Episode: "Hunks on the Road" |
| 2009 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! | Himself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 2 |
| 2009 | 2009 World Series of Poker | Himself | Main Guest |
| 2009 | The Beast | Capone | Episode: "Capone" |
| 2009–11 | Stargate Universe | Colonel David Telford | Recurring Cast |
| 2010 | American Dad! | Rusty (voice) | Episode: "There Will Be Bad Blood" |
| 2011 | Chuck | Augusto Gaez | Episode: "Chuck Versus the Cat Squad" |
| 2011 | Happily Divorced | David | Episode: "A Kiss Is Just a Kiss" |
| 2011–12 | An Officer and a Movie | Himself/Host | Main Host |
| 2011–13 | Cougar Town | Himself | Recurring Cast: Season 2, Guest: Season 4 |
| 2012 | Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off | Himself/Contestant | Contestant: Season 1 |
| 2012 | The Aquabats! Super Show! | The Spirit of The Sun | Episode: "Eagle Claw!" |
| 2012 | Southland | Officer Danny Ferguson | Recurring Cast: Season 4 |
| 2012–17 | Longmire | Henry Standing Bear | Main Cast |
| 2013 | Ironside | Stuart White | Episode: "Hidden Agenda" |
| 2014 | Hell's Kitchen | Himself | Episode: "7 Chefs Compete" |
| 2015 | Another Period | Yengundo | Episode: "Funeral" |
| 2015–20 | Blindspot | Saúl Guerrero | Recurring Cast: Season 1, Guest: Season 5 |
| 2016 | The Crossroads of History | Taino Chief | Episode: "Columbus" |
| 2016–20 | Elena of Avalor | Victor Delgado (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2017 | Hawaii Five-O | Wes Lincoln | Episode: "Ka Laina Ma Ke One" |
| 2017 | Training Day | Thurman Ballesteros | Episode: "Sunset" |
| 2017 | The Ranch | Clint | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2017 | Brooklyn Nine-Nine | Jeff Romero | Episode: "The Big House Pt. 1 & 2" |
| 2017 | You're the Worst | Himself | Episode: "Dad-Not-Dad" |
| 2017 | Graves | - | Episode: "They Die Happier" |
| 2018 | Criminal Minds | Sheriff Clifford Mason | Episode: "Submerged" |
| 2018 | NCIS: New Orleans | Deputy Chief Gossett | Episode: "Checkmate, Part I & II" |
| 2018 | Goliath | Oscar Suarez | Recurring Cast: Season 2 |
| 2018–20 | Blue Bloods | Luis Delgado | Guest: Season 9, Recurring Cast: Season 10 |
| 2019 | The Lion Guard | Surak (voice) | Recurring Cast: Season 3 |
| 2019–21 | Prodigal Son | Gil Arroyo | Main Cast |
| 2020 | Family Guy | Tribe Leader (voice) | Episode: "Pawtucket Pat" |
| 2021 | Trese | Mayor Sancho Santamaria (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2022 | Search Party | John | Episode: "The Gospel of Judas" |
| 2022 | The Cleaning Lady | Joe Fabroa | Episode: "Kabayan" |
| 2022 | Bull | Colonel Victor Taggart | Episode: "The Hard Right" |
| 2022–24 | Firebuds | Chief Bill Bayani (voice) | Recurring Cast |
| 2023 | The Masked Singer | Himself / "Mantis" | Season 9 contestant |
| 2023 | Quantum Leap | Shepherd Barnes | Episode: "Nomads" |
| 2024 | The Legend of Vox Machina | Gentry (voice) | Episode: "Cloak and Dagger" |

### Music videos

| Year | Artist | Title | Role |
| 1987 | Los Lobos | "La Bamba" | Himself |
| 1989 | Melissa Etheridge | "The Angels" | Himself |
| 1989 | Michael Jackson | "Liberian Girl" | Himself |
| 1991 | Sesame Street | "Monster in the Mirror" | Himself |
| 2012 | Imagine Dragons | "Radioactive" | Ringleader |
| 2020 | Brian Evans | "It's A Beautiful Game" | Himself |

### Video games

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2004 | X-Men Legends | Forge |
| 2005 | X-Men Legends II: Rise of Apocalypse | Forge |
| 2024 | Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 | Daniel Livingstone |