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Danny Trejo (born May 16, 1944) is an American actor who has appeared in many Hollywood movies. A native of the East Los Angeles section of Pocoina, Danny Trejo spent his formative years in the California penal system, scoring drugs, fighting and smoldering in solitary, all fine research for the many roles he would later play. Despite heroin addiction and alcoholism, he became an undefeated lightweight and welterweight boxing champ at San Quentin before joining a 12-step program and straightening his life out prior to his parole in 1969. Outside, Trejo's speaking ability made him a star on the AA and NA (Narcotics Anonymous) circuit, and it was in his capacity as a drug counselor that he answered the call of someone desperately wanting to stay clean and came to the set of "Runaway Train" (1985). Asked to do some extra work, he took off his shirt, exposing his jail house tattoos, and the sight of Trejo's heavily inked torso jogged acclaimed prison novelist Eddie Bunker's memory that they had served time together in San Quentin. Bunker, remembering him as fighter in the joint, pulled him into a boxing scene with Eric Roberts" The tattoos combined with a face like chewed leather and several cavernous scars have kept him busy ever since playing thugs and cons and menacing villains, Trejo (pronounced Treh-ho), a Mexican American, was born Dan Trejo, Jr. in Los Angeles, the son of Alice Rivera and Dan Trejo, a construction worker. He is a cousin of filmmaker Robert Rodriguez and a native of the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. As a youth, he roamed the streets around his home area, committing various crimes and became addicted to drugs. He was in and out of jail many times as a teenager. Danny Trejo was in and out of jail for 11 years. While serving time in San Quentin, he won the lightweight and welterweight boxing titles. Imprisoned for armed robbery and drug offenses, he successfully completed a 12-step rehabilitation program that changed his life. While speaking at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985, Trejo met a young man who later called him for support. Trejo went to meet him at what turned out to be the set of Runaway Train (1985). Trejo was immediately offered a role as a convict extra, probably because of his tough tattooed appearance. Also on the set was a screenwriter who did time with Trejo in San Quentin. Remembering Trejo's boxing skills, the screenwriter offered him $350 per day to train the actors for a boxing match. Director Andrei Konchalovsky saw Trejo training Eric Roberts and immediately offered him a featured role as Roberts' opponent in the film. Trejo has subsequently appeared in many other films, usually as a tough criminal or villain. While on the streets, Trejo developed talent as a boxer and considered taking up boxing as a profession. That ambition was dashed by a lengthy prison sentence. While serving time in San Quentin State Prison, he became the California state prison champion in both the lightweight and welterweight divisions. During this time, Trejo became a member of a twelve-step program, which he credits with his success in overcoming drug addiction. While speaking at a recovery meeting in 1985, Trejo met a young man in the movie business. His newfound friend invited him to the set of Runaway Train, where Trejo was offered a job as an extra. Edward Bunker, himself a former convict and well-respected crime author who was writing the screenplay for the film, recognized Trejo, whom he had done time with at San Quentin. Remembering Trejo's boxing skills, he offered Trejo $350 per day to train Eric Roberts, one of the movie's stars, for a boxing scene. Director Andrei Konchalovsky liked Trejo's work and decided to offer him a prominent role in the film. Since then, Trejo has become a very busy actor in both films and television, acting alongside some of Hollywood's most famous actors, including Johnny Depp, Nicolas Cage, Charles Bronson, George Clooney, Edward Furlong, John Malkovich, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Val Kilmer, and Antonio Banderas. Trejo has often appeared in five or more movies per year in various genres. Major releases in which he has acted include Blood in Blood Out, Anaconda, xXx, Desperado, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Heat, From Dusk Till Dawn, Con Air, Six Days Seven Nights, Spy Kids, The Replacement Killers, Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, MFE Souls Day, The Devil's Rejects, Valley of Angels, Delta Farce, Grindhouse, and Rob Zombie's Halloween. Trejo is known for his very distinctive appearance. In addition to his heavily lined face (usually sporting a long mustache), he has displayed the large tattoo on his chest for many roles (the tattoo depicts a woman wearing a sombrero). He often plays thugs or lowlife characters, although he has displayed range as a good guy with films such as Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids trilogy, Bubble Boy and an amusing guest appearance on the USA Network series Monk with art imitating life as a convict roommate to Tony Shalhoub's undercover detective. He also appeared in an episode of Desperate Housewives in Season 2, sent by Carlos to help Gabrielle deal with her grief of losing her unborn baby (another good-guy character). He also plays the characters Enrique and Octavio on King of the Hill. His role on King of the Hill was referenced in the HBO series Unscripted in which he appears in a quick cameo. The independent film Champion was released in 2005, documenting Trejo's life and featuring appearances by friends and associates from the film industry. Trejo appears as a playable character in Def Jam: Fight for NY, a fighting game to which the actor lent his voice and likeness. He had previously lent his voice to Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories for the character Umberto Robina, who also resembles Trejo. He also appeared in, Jack's Law, written by Jeff Hawker and directed by Gil Medina; Trejo played the main character, Jack Santos, whose life is torn apart by the murder of his wife and daughter. The undercover vice cop takes a turn to the dark side, but a planned sequel suggests he lives through it. In May of 2007, Trejo appeared as Mexican gangster Carlos Santana in the comedy movie Delta Farce, where three army reservists end up battling Trejo's gang of bandits, after they end up in Mexico instead of Iraq where they are supposed to be deployed. In regards to his continued growth as a professional actor, he still can't believe how fortunate he's been. "I'm so blessed. I'm still scared that somebody's going to wake me up and say, 'Hey, we're still in prison. Let's go to chow'". Trejo will next voice the character of Rico in Rob Zombie's upcoming animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto as well as star alongside Steven Seagal in Urban Justice. Many of Trejo's characters in Robert Rodriguez movies have been named after knives or sharp instruments: Machete in Spy Kids, Razor Charlie and Razor Eddie in the From Dusk Till Dawn movies, and Navajas (Spanish for knives) in Desperado. He also plays another character called Machete in a trailer made for Rodriguez's film collaboration with Quentin Tarantino, Grindhouse. He is set to star in a full theatrical version of the film of the same name, based on the character. If you're a movie character, you don't want to run into Danny Trejo. It's usually bad news. Even in kids' movies, he's a little scary. You recognize his hardened face and chest full of tattoos, but you couldn't meet a much nicer guy in real life. Every time Trejo walks a red carpet, he's smiling and happy to be there. With Machete as the standout trailer in Grindhouse, now everyone is clamoring to see him play a good guy. He's still got a slew of roles, including the Halloween remake, possibly Sin City 2 and the recent Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horrors. Trejo has said that he is amazed when he walks the streets where he used to commit crimes and children ask him for autographs. He also pointed out that he often chooses to play bad guys to teach younger audiences that bad guys often die or go to prison, and that one should try to live a decent life. Trejo has played by the name Machete 4 times in theaters. Three times in the Spy Kids franchise and In the fake trailer of Planet Terror. Trejo is married to Debbie Trejo. He has three children: Danny Boy (b. 1981, from a previous marriage), Gilbert (b. 1988), and Louis Baydala (b. 1990). A scarred face, a long, thin moustache, and a muscular body with large tattoos render Trejo one of the most distinctive character actors of our time. Has two sons: Danny Boy (b. 1981) from an earlier marriage, Gilbert (b. 1988) and one daughter Danielle (b. 1994). He is one of the most prolific of American actors, having usually done at least 4 films a year since the 1990s. In 2002 alone, he did 9 films and, in 2005, he will be seen in at least 10. His character's name in Heat (1995) was Trejo. Is the only actor to appear in all three of the From Dusk Till Dawn movie series. Trejo spent much of the 1960s in jail - Tracy (1963-65), San Quentin (1965-68), Soledad (1968-69). He and director Robert Rodriguez are second cousins. |
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