---
name: "Jacob Vargas"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/jacob-vargas"
fi1m_id: "jacob-vargas"
imdb_id: "nm0889846"
tmdb_id: 16429
wikidata_id: "Q962944"
roles: ["Actor"]
born: "18 August 1971"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 3
average_fi1m_score: 80
average_as: "actor"
average_over: 3
updated: "2026-10-05T00:00:06.044588+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Jacob Vargas

## Identity

Jacob Vargas

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/jacob-vargas
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** jacob-vargas
- **IMDb ID:** nm0889846
- **TMDB ID:** 16429
- **Wikidata ID:** Q962944
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Vargas, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q962944, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889846/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16429

Actor. Born 18 August 1971 in Michoacan, Mexico.

## Details

- **Work:** Actor
- **Born:** 18 August 1971, Michoacan, Mexico
- **Active:** 1995–present
- **Frequently works with:** [Erika Christensen](https://film.one/person/erika-christensen.md), [Steven Soderbergh](https://film.one/person/steven-soderbergh.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 80, as actor, over 3 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1990s 82 (1), 2000s 82 (1), 2020s 77 (1)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 80 to 79 across 3 titles
- **Score spread:** 2 at 80+, 1 at 60–79, 0 under 60
- **Lead roles:** 0 of 2 acting credits billed first or second
- **Genres:** Crime 3, Thriller 3, Comedy 1, Drama 1, Mystery 1
- **Screen time:** 6 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $323m across 2 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Vargas, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q962944, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0889846/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/16429

## Streaming the US now

- **HBO Max:** [*Kimi*](https://film.one/film/kimi.md) (77)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Biography

Jacob Vargas is a Mexican actor. Born on 18 August 1971 in Michoacán, Mexico, he was raised in Pacoima, Los Angeles, and began acting after being discovered breakdancing at the age of 12. His early television work included a role on Diff'rent Strokes.

Vargas appeared in films including American Me (1992), Mi Vida Loca (1993) and My Family (1995). In 1995 he received the first ALMA Award for Emerging Artist of the Year. He played Manolo Sanchez in Steven Soderbergh's Traffic (2000), for which the cast received a Screen Actors Guild Award.

His other credits include Jarhead (2005), Death Race (2008), Sons of Anarchy and the film Kimi (2022).

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, rottentomatoes.com.*

## On Fi1m (3)

- *Kimi* (2022), Fi1m 77, as Glasses Thug — [page](https://film.one/film/kimi.md)
- *Traffic* (2000), Fi1m 82, as Manolo Sanchez — [page](https://film.one/film/traffic.md)
- *Get Shorty* (1995), Fi1m 82, as Yayo Portillo — [page](https://film.one/film/get-shorty.md)

## Complete filmography (101)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *National Treasure: Edge of History* (2022), series, as Rafael
- *Satanic Hispanics* (2022), as El Jefe
- *Surfside Girls* (2022), series, as Bob
- *Kimi* (2022), as Glasses Thug — Fi1m 77, [page](https://film.one/film/kimi.md)
- *Plan B* (2021), as Pastor Pedro
- *Billy D and the Hall of Feathered Serpents featuring Money Shot by Puscifer* (2021), as Bartesian
- *Princess of the Row* (2020), as Donald
- *GAME ON: A Comedy Crossover Event* (2020), series, as Tony Ochoa
- *Solar Opposites* (2020), series, Actor
- *Mr. Iglesias* (2019), series, as Tony Medina
- *The Public* (2019), as Ernesto Ramirez
- *Peel* (2019), as Chuck
- *Endgame* (2018), as Alberto
- *Mayans M.C.* (2018), series, as Allesandro Montez
- *Mosaic* (2018), series, as Horacio
- *Beyond Skyline* (2017), as Garcia
- *Philip K. Dick's Electric Dreams* (2017), series, as Mario
- *Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life* (2016), as Animation Voice (voice)
- *Marvel's Luke Cage* (2016), series, as Domingo Colon
- *Crossing Point* (2016), as Jesus
- *The Tell-Tale Heart* (2016), as Adams
- *Colony* (2016), series, as Carlos
- *The 33* (2015), as Edison 'Elvis' Peña
- *Complications* (2015), series, as Ramon
- *Hand of God* (2014), series, as Julio Farkas (uncredited)
- *The Journey of a Female Comic* (2014), Actor
- *Water & Power* (2014), as Asuncion Garcia
- *Heaven Is for Real* (2014), as Michael
- *Cesar Chavez* (2014), as Richard Chavez
- *Red Sky* (2014), as Jorge 'P-Dawg' Vasquez
- *Go for Sisters* (2013), as Navajas
- *Blue* (2012), series, as Roy
- *Young Justice* (2010), series, as Sebastian Cardona / Cisco Ramon (voice)
- *Devil* (2010), as Ramirez
- *The Good Guys* (2010), series, as Tico
- *The Odds* (2010), as Sergio Vargas
- *Sleep Dealer* (2008), as Rudy Ramirez
- *The Mentalist* (2008), series, as Chief Rick Anaya — Fi1m 71, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-mentalist.md)
- *Sons of Anarchy* (2008), series, as Allesandro Montez — Fi1m 67, [page](https://film.one/tv/sons-of-anarchy.md)
- *Death Race* (2008), as Gunner
- *Love Lies Bleeding* (2008), as Detective Billy Jones
- *Moonlight* (2007), series, as Guillermo
- *The Death and Life of Bobby Z* (2007), as Jorge Escobar
- *Burn Notice* (2007), series, as Omar Hernandez
- *Are We Done Yet?* (2007), as Mike the Plumber
- *The Hills Have Eyes 2* (2007), as Crank
- *Bobby* (2006), as Miguel
- *National Lampoon's TV: The Movie* (2006), as Tijuana Cop 2 / Announcer / Charlotte · Co-Producer
- *Psych* (2006), series, as Juan Lava
- *The Virgin of Juarez* (2006), as Detective Lauro
- *Jarhead* (2005), as Juan Cortez
- *The Wendell Baker Story* (2005), as Reyes Morales
- *Numb3rs* (2005), series, as Victor Borrego
- *Medium* (2005), series, as Eduardo Garcia
- *Flight of the Phoenix* (2004), as Sammi
- *CSI: NY* (2004), series, as Luis Torres
- *Memoirs of an Evil Stepmother* (2004), as Vincent Enano
- *Cold Case* (2003), series, as Angelo Rivera (2009)
- *Kingpin* (2003), series, Actor
- *E.D.N.Y.* (2003), Director, Writer
- *CSI: Miami* (2002), series, as Felix Medina
- *Greetings from Tucson* (2002), series, as Ernesto Tiant
- *Road Dogz* (2002), as Danny Pacheco · Executive Producer
- *Watching Ellie* (2002), series, as Miguel
- *Dragonfly* (2002), as Victor
- *Truth Be Told* (2002), as Gonzalez
- *The Proud Family* (2001), series, as Punch Alto (voice)
- *Dr. Dolittle 2* (2001), as Pepito (voice)
- *Six Feet Under* (2001), series, as Manuel 'Paco' Bolin — Fi1m 86, [page](https://film.one/tv/six-feet-under.md)
- *Come and Take It Day* (2001), as Miguel
- *Traffic* (2000), as Manolo Sanchez — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/traffic.md)
- *Max Steel* (2000), series, as Dr. Roberto Martinez (voice)
- *Next Friday* (2000), as Joker
- *The Hi-Lo Country* (1998), as Delfino Mondragon
- *Santa Fe* (1997), as Jesus
- *Romy and Michele's High School Reunion* (1997), as Ramon
- *Selena* (1997), as A. B. Quintanilla
- *Clueless* (1996), series, Actor
- *The Pretender* (1996), series, as Javi Padillo
- *Malibu Shores* (1996), series, as Benny
- *Get Shorty* (1995), as Yayo Portillo — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/film/get-shorty.md)
- *JAG* (1995), series, as Corporal Cortez
- *Crimson Tide* (1995), as Sonarman #2
- *My Family* (1995), as Young Jose
- *Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child* (1995), series, as Prince Luis (voice)
- *ER* (1994), series, as Diablo — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/er.md)
- *Mi Vida Loca* (1994), as Ernesto
- *Huck and the King of Hearts* (1994), as Pedro
- *Fatal Instinct* (1993), as Flower Delivery Man
- *Airborne* (1993), as Snake
- *Gas Food Lodging* (1992), as Javier
- *American Me* (1992), as Paulito - Age 15
- *Seeds of Tragedy* (1991), as Cholo #2
- *The Great Los Angeles Earthquake* (1990), as Miguel
- *Little Nikita* (1988), as Miguel
- *Full House* (1987), series, Actor
- *The Principal* (1987), as Arturo Diego
- *Ernest Goes to Camp* (1987), as Bubba Vargas
- *Last Resort* (1986), as Carlos
- *Miracle of the Heart: A Boys Town Story* (1986), as Enrique Mendoza
- *Hunter* (1984), series, as Emilio Morales

## Gallery

- ![Jacob Vargas](https://film.one/media/person/9225/gallery-e80032c3fc05.png) Jacob Vargas — thepaparazzigamer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/2a/Jacob_Vargas_2016.png?utm_source=commons.wikimedia.org&utm_campaign=imageinfo&utm_content=thumbnail_unscaled)
- ![Jacob Vargas](https://film.one/media/person/9225/gallery-0dc2fc30624f.jpg) Jacob Vargas — Image via TMDB
- ![Jacob Vargas](https://film.one/media/person/9225/gallery-3d6cee0827c7.jpg) Jacob Vargas — Image via TMDB
- ![Jacob Vargas](https://film.one/media/person/9225/gallery-081006de01f6.jpg) Jacob Vargas — Image via TMDB
- ![Jacob Vargas](https://film.one/media/person/9225/gallery-297a36201f0f.jpg) Jacob Vargas — Image via TMDB

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/jacob-vargas