# Rick Gonzalez

Rick Gonzalez (born June 30, 1979) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as Timo Cruz in the motion picture Coach Carter, as Spanish in Old School, as Ben Gonzalez on the CW supernatural drama television series Reaper, and as Naps In Roll Bounce. From 2016–2020, he portrayed the superhero vigilante character Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog on the CW superhero drama series Arrow. In 2021, he starred in the TV series adaptation of The Lost Symbol. In 2022, he joined the cast of Law & Order: Organized Crime as Detective Bobby Reyes.

## Early life

Gonzalez was born in New York City, of Puerto Rican descent. His parents met in Washington, DC, where they married. They moved and settled down in the Bushwick section of Brooklyn where they raised Gonzalez. His parents were later divorced. He attended elementary and junior high school while living in Brooklyn. Ever since he was a young child, Gonzalez would put on improvised "shows" for his family and participate in all of his school's plays. His teachers were instrumental in convincing Gonzalez to apply and try out for LaGuardia High School of the Performing Arts, on which Fame was based, in Manhattan. He did as suggested and was accepted. In 1997, he graduated and began to pursue a career in acting.

## Career

Gonzalez started his acting career in New York, where he landed a small role in the made for television movie Thicker Than Blood (1998) as Sanchez. In 1999, he made his feature movie debut as Ricky in the movie Mambo Cafe, which was released in the year 2000. He followed that by participating in the film Prince of Central Park (2000) before heading for Los Angeles, California.
In Hollywood, he landed a small part as a gangbanger in the 2001 film Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. He followed that with the roles of Rudy Bonilla in The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid and as the sex-crazed Primo in the 2003 movie Biker Boyz. In 2005, he played the role of Timo Cruz in the movie Coach Carter. Gonzalez also appeared in Twista's video "Hope", which is the lead single off the Coach Carter movie soundtrack. He played the male lead in Mashonda's "Back of Tha Club" video; and has also starred in the video to the Obie Trice song "Snitch", where he plays a member of a group who successfully pull off a bank robbery, and then snitches on them. Gonzalez was also in Red Cafe's video for "All Night Long" which was also in the Coach Carter movie soundtrack.
Gonzalez has appeared in the 2003 comedy Old School (alongside Luke Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Will Ferrell) as "Spanish", Laurel Canyon (2003) as Wyett, Subway Cafe (2004) as Vincent Young, War of the Worlds (2005) as Vincent, Roll Bounce (2005) as Naps, Pulse (2006) as Stone, First Snow (2006) as Andy Lopez, Illegal Tender (2007) as Wilson DeLeon Jr., What We Do Is Secret (2007) as Pat Smear. He also appears in Apartment 143 as Paul Ortega.
His TV guest appearances have been in Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2000), Touched by an Angel (2001) as Ramone, ER (2001) as Jorge Escalona, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (2002) as Tomas, The Shield (2002), CSI: Miami (2006), Castle (2010), Lie to Me (2010), and Bones (2011). Most recently, he co-starred in the CW television series Reaper as Ben Gonzalez. Gonzalez had a blog about the 2008 MLB Post Season and was nicknamed the "October Gonzo". He co-starred in Lady Gaga's 2011 music video for her single "Judas" where he portrays Jesus. In 2013, Gonzalez appeared in the NCIS episode "Oil & Water", as Lenny Machaca. In 2022, Gonzalez joined the cast of Law & Order: Organized Crime as Detective Bobby Reyes.

### Music

On May 24, 2011, Gonzalez released his mixtape album hosted by DJ G-Spot titled "The Invisible Man" citing "I called it the invisible man because of my frustration trying to get my music career going for at least 7 years and feeling ignored by the industry. So I felt invisible to them (music industry)." He also appeared on the song "Bully Rap" off of Sean Price's last album Mic Tyson, it was released on October 30, 2012.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2000 | Mambo Café | Ricky |
| 2000 | Prince of Central Park | Gangbanger |
| 2001 | Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles | Gang Banger |
| 2002 | The Rookie | Rudy Bonilla |
| 2002 | Laurel Canyon | Wyatt |
| 2003 | Biker Boyz | Primo |
| 2003 | Old School | Spanish |
| 2004 | Subway Cafe | Vincent Young |
| 2005 | Coach Carter | Timo Cruz |
| 2005 | War of the Worlds | Vincent |
| 2005 | Roll Bounce | Naps |
| 2006 | First Snow | Andy Lopez |
| 2006 | Pulse | Stone |
| 2006 | For Your Consideration | Chillaxin' Host |
| 2007 | Game of Life | Gerardo |
| 2007 | What We Do Is Secret | Pat Smear |
| 2007 | Illegal Tender | Wilson DeLeon Jr. |
| 2007 | In the Valley of Elah | Phone Technician |
| 2008 | The Promotion | Ernesto |
| 2008 | Pride and Glory | Eladio Casado |
| 2010 | Flying Lessons | Benji |
| 2011 | Apartment 143 | Paul Ortega |
| 2012 | The Guilt Trip | Mark |
| 2013 | Make Your Move | Rene |
| 2014 | Commencement | N/A |
| 2014 | Victor | Pablo |
| 2015 | November Rule | Nick |
| 2016 | 179th Street | Chelo Santiago |
| 2017 | Deuces | Papers |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1997 | F/X: The Series | N/A | Episode: "Spanish Harlem" |
| 1998 | Thicker Than Blood | Sanchez | Television film |
| 2000 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Alfonso Cardenas | Episode: "The Third Guy" |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel | Ramone | Episode: "Living the Rest of My Life" |
| 2000–2001 | Boston Public | Juan Figgis | 4 episodes |
| 2001 | Nash Bridges | Hector | Episode: "Slam Dunk" |
| 2001 | ER | Jorge Escalona | Episode: "Quo Vadis?" |
| 2002 | The Shield | Lucas | Episode "Pay in Pain" |
| 2002 | Buffy the Vampire Slayer | Tomas | Episode: "Help" |
| 2006 | CSI: Crime Scene Investigation | Marcus | Episode: "Poppin' Tags" |
| 2006 | CSI: Miami | Hector Rivera | Episode: "Backstabbers" |
| 2007–2009 | Reaper | Ben Gonzalez | Main role |
| 2009 | Medium | Juan Espinosa | Episode: "The Future's So Bright" |
| 2010 | Castle | Mickey Carlson | Episode: "The Third Man" |
| 2010 | Cold Case | Tut' 82 | Episode: "Bombers" |
| 2010 | Lie to Me | Raul Campos | Episode: "Headlock" |
| 2010 | Dark Blue | Manny Aguilar | Episode: "Shelter of the Best" |
| 2010 | The Whole Truth | Ronnie Soto | Episode: "Cold Case" |
| 2011 | Traffic Light | Charlie | Episode: "No Good Deed" |
| 2011 | The Protector | Jamie Sosa | Episode: "Help" |
| 2011 | The Closer | Bruno Perez | Episode: "Star Turn" |
| 2011 | Bones | Rick Cortez | Episode: "The Prince in the Plastic" |
| 2012 | Bad Girls | Rodrigo | Television film |
| 2012-2014 | Dark Prophet | DJ Rashnu | 2 episodes |
| 2013 | Blue Bloods | Ricky | Episode: "The Bitter End" |
| 2013 | Ironside | Platano | Episode: "Uptown Murders" |
| 2013 | NCIS | Lenny Machacha | Episode: "Oil & Water" |
| 2014 | Rush | Manny Maquis | Main role |
| 2015 | Battle Creek | Omar | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2015 | Mr. Robot | Isaac Vera | 2 episodes |
| 2016 | Bad Dad Rehab | Pierre | Television film |
| 2016–2020 | Arrow | Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog | Recurring role (Season 5); Main role (seasons 6–8) |
| 2017, 2020 | Legends of Tomorrow | Rene Ramirez / Wild Dog | 2 episodes |
| 2021 | The Lost Symbol | Alfonso Nunez | Main role |
| 2022–present | Law & Order: Organized Crime | Det. Bobby Reyes | Main role (season 3–present) |