Freddy Rodriguez (actor)

Freddy Rodriguez (born January 17, 1975) is an American actor known for playing the characters Hector Federico "Rico" Diaz on HBO's Six Feet Under and El Wray in Robert Rodriguez's Planet Terror. In 2007 he was a recurring cast member on the series Ugly Betty as Giovanni "Gio" Rossi. He starred as Dr. Michael Ragosa in the first two seasons of the NBC drama The Night Shift (2014–15). In 2016, Rodriguez became a main cast member in the CBS courtroom drama Bull.
== Early life ==
Rodriguez was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Puerto Rican parents - a housewife mother and a janitor father.[1][2][3] He was raised Roman Catholic in Chicago's Bucktown neighborhood.[4][5] When he was 13, Freddy discovered a theater program for inner-city youth,[6] which led to a scholarship to the Pulaski International School of Chicago, which he attended through 8th grade.
== Career ==
His first recognizable roles in films came in 1995, as Pedro Aragon, Jr., in A Walk in the Clouds with Keanu Reeves and Giancarlo Giannini and as a Vietnam veteran in Dead Presidents with Larenz Tate and Chris Tucker. Rodriguez went on to roles such as Ninja in The Pest, an obnoxious jock in Can't Hardly Wait and Carla's brother Marco on Scrubs. As a voice actor, he contributed the voice of Más y Menos on Teen Titans.
Rodriguez portrayed Federico Diaz on the hit HBO series Six Feet Underthroughout its five seasons. For this role he received two Screen Actors Guild Awards for Best Ensemble in a Drama Series, an Emmy nomination for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series, and a further three SAG nominations (also in the ensemble category).
In 2005, Rodriguez played a vicious inner city drug dealer named Hector in the movie Havoc, and a jockey in the film Dreamer, co-starring Dakota Fanning. In 2006, appeared in the film Poseidon, as a waiter, as well as played Reggie, a character who only exercised one half of his body, in M. Night Shyamalan's film Lady in the Water, and starred alongside Eva Longoria and Christian Bale in Harsh Times, his first leading role in a major theatrical release. He was seen in an episode of the hit hospital television show ER, where he played a dying comic inspired by Bill Hicks.
Rodriguez starred alongside Roselyn Sanchez in the 2003 movie Chasing Papi, playing "Victor" (directed by Linda Mendoza). He played busboy José Rojas in the 2006 film Bobby. He starred as El Wray in Planet Terror, Robert Rodriguez's portion of the double-feature film, Grindhouse (2007), and played the role of Gustavo Brambila in the true-life story Bottle Shock (2008). He appeared in the music video for the Santana song "Into the Night" and also made a cameo appearance as a pilot/flight attendant in the music video for the song "Glamorous" by Fergie. He starred in the popular video game Saints Row as the voice of Angelo Lopez and in the latest Merry Mixit Gap Christmas Commercial videos.[7]
On July 13, 2007, Rodriguez was added to the cast of the ABC comedy series Ugly Betty, in which he played Giovanni Rossi, a sandwich shop owner who became the love interest for Betty Suarez (played by America Ferrera). He made his debut on the series at the start of the second season, appeared in an episode of the third season and reprised the role again late in the fourth season, which was the series' final one.[8]
He played the character of CIA special operative Rick Martinez on the CBS show CHAOS. He also starred in the NBC summer series The Night Shift as Michael Ragosa.
Since 2016, Rodriguez has starred as attorney and former New York City prosecutor Benny Colón in the CBS courtroom drama Bull.
== Filmography ==
=== TV ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
2018 	Elena of Avalor 	El Mistico 	Episode: "The Return of El Captain"
2016–present	Bull 	Benny Colón 	Main cast, ongoing
2015 	Ultimate Spider-Man 	Miguel O'Hara / Spider-Man 2099	2 Episodes
2014–15 	The Night Shift 	Dr. Michael Ragosa 	22 Episodes
2014 	Teen Titans Go! 	Más y Menos 	Episode: Mas y Menos, voice
2014 	Family Guy 	Handy Manny 	Episode: Herpe the Love Sore
2013–present	Teen Titans Go! 	Más y Menos 	
2013 	Young Justice: Invasion	Eduardo "Ed" Dorado, Jr. 	voice
2013 	Kaijudo 	Hector Chavez 	28 Episodes, voice
2013 	Perception 	Wesley Sumter 	2 Episodes
2011–13 	Generator Rex 	César Salazar 	17 Episodes, voice
2011 	CHAOS 	Rick Martinez 	13 Episodes
2010–2012 	Handy Manny 	Reuben Garcia 	Episode: Wedding Day, voice
2007–2010 	Ugly Betty 	Gio 	12 Episodes
2007 	ER 	Simon 	Episode: Dying is Easy
2005–2006 	Teen Titans 	Más y Menos 	5 Episodes, voice
2005 	American Dad! 	Hector 	Episode: Not Particularly Desperate Housewife, voice
2004 	Static Shock 	Fade 	Episode: Army of Darkness
2003–2004 	Scrubs 	Marco Espinosa 	3 Episodes
2001–2005 	Six Feet Under 	Federico 	63 Episodes
1999 	Party of Five 	Albert 	3 Episodes
1999 	Oh, Grow Up 	Deke 	
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2013	CBGB 	Idaho 	
2013	Fort Bliss 	Garver 	
2012	Seal Team Six: The Raid on Osama Bin Laden 	Trench 	
2012	Soldiers of Fortune 	Reed 	
2008	Little Spirit: Christmas in New York 	Leo's Father 	
2008	Nothing like the Holidays 	Jesse Rodriguez 	
2008	Bottle Shock 	Gustavo Brambila 	
2007	Planet Terror 	El Wray 	
2007	Grindhouse 	El Wray 	
2006	Scooby-Doo! Pirates Ahoy! 	Rupert Garcia 	
2006	Bobby 	Jose 	
2006	Lady in the Water 	Reggie 	
2006	Poseidon 	Marco Valentin 	
2005	Harsh Times 	Mike Alonzo 	
2005	Dreamer: Inspired by a True Story 	Manolin 	
2005	Havoc 	Hector 	
2004	¡Mucha Lucha!: The Return of El Maléfico 	El Silver Mask Jr., El Portero	direct to video
2003	Dallas 362 	Rubin 	
2003	Victor and Eddie 	Eddie 	
2003	Chasing Papi 	Victor 	
2003	Pledge of Allegiance 	Sean Macintyre 	
2001	Beyond the City Limits 	Topo 	
2000	For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story	Leonel 	
1999	Payback 	Valet 	
1998	Can't Hardly Wait 	Jock 	
1998	Shock Television 	Eddie 	
1998	Joseph's Gift 	Joseph Keller 	
1998	My Brother Jack 	Joey Casale 	
1997	The Pest 	Ninja 	
1996	Seduced by Madness: The Diane Borchardt Story 	Michael Maldonado 	
1995	A Walk in the Clouds 	Pedro Aragon, Jr. 	
1995	Dead Presidents 	Jose 	
1994	The Fence 	Young Terry Griff