Prison Breaker

Background:

“I have always loved acting since I was a child.. and working here [Prison Break], I hope.. will open up more opportunities for me in the future.” Amaury Nolasco.

Making his first ever credited TV/movie appearance in a 1999 episode of the HBO sitcom “Arli$$,” Puerto Rico-born actor Amaury Nolasco is probably best recognized by TV viewers for his role as Fernando Sucre on the FOX serial drama/thriller “Prison Break” (2005-2008). He has also guest-starred in such TV series as "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," "ER," "George Lopez," and "CSI: NY."

On the big screen, moviegoers could catch Nolasco in the films "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003), "The Librarians" (2003), "Mr 3000" (2004), "The Benchwarmers" (2006), "Transformers" (2007), "Street Kings" (2008), and "Max Payne" (2008). He will next be seen alongside Columbus Short, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno, Skeet Ulrich, and Milo Ventimiglia in an upcoming drama/thriller film called "Armored."

This 5' 10½" player with brown hair and brown eyes was recently included in the prestigious list of the 26 guys to watch in 2004 published by USA Today, alongside such talents as Justin Timberlake, Ashton Kutcher, Josh Harnett and Jake Gyllenhaal, to name a few. He has been romantically linked to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres and is now dating Jennifer Morrison.

Puerto Rico Native

Childhood and Family:

On December 24, 1970, Amaury Nolasco Garrido was born in Puerto Rico, where he studied biology at the University of Puerto Rico in an effort to become a doctor. After being bitten by the acting bug, he moved to New York City and trained at the American British Dramatic Arts School. He has also studied at The Marjorie Ballentine Studio.

Nolasco later moved to Los Angeles to further his acting career and worked at the popular club the Conga Room. He has been romantically linked to former Miss Universe Dayanara Torres and is now dating Jennifer Morrison.

When he is not working, Nolasco enjoys playing golf and tennis.

2 Fast 2 Furious

Career:

Originally planning of becoming a doctor, Amaury Nolasco began acting after being hired by a casting to director to appear in a commercial. He was subsequently bitten by the acting bug and headed to New York to study the craft at the American-British-Dramatic-Arts School.

After having an uncredited role in Eric Schaeffer's romantic drama film "Fall" (1997), the aspiring actor made his first ever credited TV/movie appearance in a 1999 episode of the HBO sitcom, “Arli$$.” Also in that year, he was spotted as a guest in CBS science-fiction/drama series "Early Edition."

Entering the new millennium, Nolasco appeared in the TV movie "The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood," starring Tom Wopat, John Schneider, and Catherine Bach, and guest starred in an episode of USA Network's TV series "The Huntress," which was inspired by a book about the real bounty hunter, Dottie Thorson, and is also a belated sequel to the 1980 Steve McQueen film, "The Hunter." He was also cast in Takeshi Kitano's crime/drama/thriller "Brother."

In the following years, Nolasco appeared as a guest in an episode of CBS crime drama television series "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation," NBC hit medical drama "ER," ABC sitcom "George Lopez," UPN sitcom "Eve," and CBS police procedural drama "CSI: NY."

He also could be seen in the films "Final Breakdown" (2002; starring Regina King), a drama by Jeff Byrd and Jeffrey W. Byrd, "2 Fast 2 Furious" (2003; with Paul Walker, Tyrese Gibson, Eva Mendes, Devon Aoki, and Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges), John Singleton's second installment of "The Fast and the Furious" film series, "The Librarians" (2003; featuring William Forsythe, Burt Reynolds, Erika Eleniak, and Christopher Atkins), an action/thriller by Mike Kirton, and "Mr 3000" (2004; starring Bernie Mac), a baseball drama/comedy helmed by Charles Stone III.

“It's one of those shows that keeps you looking forward to next week. OK. Are they gonna get out? What’s gonna happen? Or this or that, and basically that’s how it works for me as well. I get so excited because I wanna know what happens to me next.” Amaury Nolasco (on “Prison Break”).

From 2005 to 2008, Nolasco played his most prominent role to date, as Fernando Sucre, Michael (played by Wentworth Miller) and Lincoln's (played by Dominic Purcell) ally to escape the prison so he could reunite with his girlfriend, on FOX serial drama/thriller "Prison Break." His performance in the show has earned him several award nominations, including Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Television Series at the ALMA Awards in 2006 and 2008, as well as TV - Choice Sidekick at the Teen Choice Awards in 2006.

About his "Prison Break" character, Nolasco commented, “What I love about him is that he has a human touch. He has a human touch... Hopefully your learn to love him. He's a bad guy but hopefully you learn to love him.”

And about shooting “Prison Break” in a real prison, he recalled, “The minute you walk in you feel this energy and this cloud of all the spirits that are probably going by.”

He also talked about the success of the TV series, “We knew we had something great. I mean, I, I yeah, well from the get-go. We knew from the script we had something great. I just didn't know it was gonna take off that well. It has a phenomenal group of writers. Really, as an actor, the light falls - its a dream to work with these people.”

During his "Prison Break" tenure, moviegoers could catch Nolasco in Dennis Dugan's baseball comedy "The Benchwarmers" (2006; starring Rob Schneider, David Spade, and Jon Heder) and Michael Bay's Oscar-nominated live-action film adaptation of the toy franchise, "Transformers" (2007; starring Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox). He was also cast in David Ayer's action-crime film "Street Kings" (2008) with Keanu Reeves, Hugh Laurie, and Forest Whitaker and supported Mark Wahlberg in John Moore's noir action film based on the 2001 video game, "Max Payne" (2008).

Nolasco has completed his newest film, "Armored," a drama/thriller helmed by Nimród Antal and featuring Columbus Short, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno, Skeet Ulrich, and Milo Ventimiglia.

Awards:
---