Jimmy Smits gives authority a warmth that serious television often needs. We value him most in ensembles, where his calm presence makes decent, capable men interesting, even when the writing is rather pleased with itself.
Fi1m perspective
Jimmy Smits speaks in a deep, smooth voice, and his authority usually arrives without much fuss. We value him most in an ensemble, where being reassuring need not mean being the centre of attention. His breakthrough as attorney Victor Sifuentes in L.A. Law (1986) established a familiar sort of part: the capable professional whose company matters as much as his competence. Lawyers, detectives and public figures have supplied much of his work since. He is good at making those men likeable without making them seem simple.
NYPD Blue (1993), which he joined in 1994, gives the clearest reason to value him. As Bobby Simone, he works opposite Dennis Franz's Andy Sipowicz, and the pleasure is in the company of the actors as much as the cases. We warmed to Simone because Smits makes a street-smart detective's sensitivity feel like part of doing the job properly. The chemistry with Franz is a substantial part of the appeal, though Franz remains central to our enthusiasm for the series. The plotting is more conventional than the rough style suggests, but Smits helps make another hour with these people an attractive prospect.
When Smits joined The West Wing (1999) in 2004 as Matthew Santos, the emphasis shifted towards a more public kind of authority. The role gives him room for moral complexity, which matters in a programme so fond of an earnest speech. His quiet assurance suits a cast that gives those speeches enough warmth to keep us listening. We rate the series highly, but the dialogue sometimes congratulates itself. There are passages where we would still prefer less speechmaking, however persuasively it is delivered.
His film work has been less prominent than his television roles. My Family (1995) gave him a lead as Jimmy, while Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002) cast him as Bail Organa. We would not treat that television emphasis as a shortcoming: an actor this comfortable among other actors benefits from the time a series allows. Start with NYPD Blue, and try The West Wing if self-congratulating dialogue does not put you off good company.
Biography
Jimmy Smits is an American actor. He was born on 9 July 1955 in Brooklyn, New York City. He earned a BA in theatre from Brooklyn College and an MFA from Cornell University.
Smits is known for his roles as Victor Sifuentes on L.A. Law (1986–1991), Bobby Simone on NYPD Blue (1994–1998), and Matthew Santos on The West Wing (2004–2006). He has also portrayed Bail Organa in the Star Wars films Attack of the Clones (2002), Revenge of the Sith (2005) and Rogue One (2016), and reprised the role in the series Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022). Other credits include Miguel Prado on Dexter (2008) and Nero Padilla on Sons of Anarchy (2012–2014).
He received a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for L.A. Law in 1990.
