Andrés Arturo Garcia Menéndez, well known by his stage name Andy Garcia, is a Cuban-American actor and director who is widely recognized as one of Hollywood’s leading men. ‘Blue Skies Again,’ his first picture, was released in 1983. In 1987, he was cast in a pivotal part in the hit film ‘The Untouchables.’ This proved to be a watershed moment in his professional life. He has gained a lot of worldwide fame since then, having acted in various popular and profitable Hollywood films such as ‘The Godfather: Part III,’ ‘Ocean’s Thirteen,’ and ‘The Last City.’ He has also been on television. ‘For Love or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story,’ directed by Joseph Sargent, is his most notable television production. It first aired on HBO’s premium cable network on October 18, 2000. Garcia has received numerous honors for his outstanding acting abilities, including the Nostros Golden Eagle Awards in 1997 for ‘Outstanding Performer in Film.’
Childhood and Adolescence
Andy Garcia was born in Havana, Cuba, on April 12, 1956, as Andrés Arturo Garcia Menéndez. Amelie Menéndez, an English teacher, and René Garcia Nez, an attorney as well as an avocado grower, were his parents. He also has two older siblings, a brother named René and a sister named Tessi.
Fidel Castro came to power when Garcia was still a child, causing political chaos in the country. As a result, he and his family relocated to Miami, Florida. They created a multimillion-dollar perfume industry over time.
Garcia went to Senior High School in Miami Beach. Initially, he was quite interested in athletics and had planned to pursue them as a career. However, while he was in his senior year, he developed mononucleosis and hepatitis and decided to pursue acting instead.
He began taking theatre classes with Jay W. Jensen, a well-known acting teacher, during his senior year of high school. He went on to Florida International University to finish his education.
Andy Garcia began acting while still a student at Florida International University, and after graduation, he set his sights on Hollywood. He began auditioning for parts while working as a waiter to supplement his income. Finally, in 1980, he landed a small supporting role in the TV series ‘Hill Street Blues,’ in which he played a gang member.
In 1983, he made his film debut in the film ‘Blue Skies Again.’ Richard Michaels, one of America’s most well-known film and television show directors, helmed the baseball comedy.
He went on to star in films like ‘The Mean Season’ and ‘Eight Million Ways to Die,’ before landing a major role in the 1987 blockbuster ‘The Untouchables.’ His performance as a cop-turned-government agent was well-received. The picture was also a great smash, and it proved to be a watershed moment in his career.
In 1990, he appeared in Frank Coppola’s crime picture ‘The Godfather: Part III.’ The film was a follow-up to ‘The Godfather’ and ‘The Godfather: Part II.’
The story follows a Mafia Kingpin who is responsible for his prior merciless attempts to gain power and extend his criminal organization. Andy’s portrayal of Vincent Mancini was well-received, earning him worldwide acclaim.
In the same year, Andy Garcia starred in the American crime thriller ‘Internal Affairs,’ in which he played a crook detective in the police department who is pursued by another agent, played by Andy Garcia, who begins investigating his misdeeds and becomes obsessed with arresting him.
In the years that followed, he acted in films such as ‘Dead Again,’ (1991), ‘Dangerous Minds,’ (1995), ‘Hoodlum,’ (1997), and ‘Lakeboat,’ among others (2000).
He directed the film ‘The Lost City’ in 2005, which is about Cuba’s political changes. Garcia appears in the film alongside Dustin Hoffman, Inés Sastre, Bill Murray, Thomas Milan, and Richard Bradford, among others.
He went on to star in films including ‘Ocean’s Thirteen’ (2007), ‘The Pink Panther 2’ (2009), ‘For Greater Glory’ (2012), and ‘Let’s Be Cops’ (2013). (2014).
‘Passengers,’ a sci-fi adventure film released in December 2016, is one of his most recent productions. The picture was a great hit, grossing $293 million worldwide.
Major Works The blockbuster American film ‘The Untouchables,’ directed by Brian De Palma, can be regarded Andy Garcia’s first big film. Kevin Costner, Charles Martin Smith, and Sean Connery co-starred alongside Garcia in the picture, which premiered in New York City on June 2, 1987.
The plot revolves around Federal agent Elliot Ness and his crew, who are on a mission to bring Chicago crime boss Al Capone to justice by any means necessary. The picture grossed $106 million worldwide and received mainly positive reviews from critics, as well as four Academy Award nominations.
‘The Godfather Part III,’ a 1990 American crime thriller written by Mario Puzo and directed by Frank Coppola, was the next big picture in Garcia’s career. The film follows Michael Corleone, who is haunted by guilt over crimes he committed years before in the quest of power, and his efforts to find forgiveness.
The picture was a great hit, grossing $137 million throughout the world. It received seven Academy Award nominations as well.
In terms of recent projects, he appeared in the 2016 American sci-fi picture ‘Passengers,’ directed by Morten Tyldum and written by Jon Spaihts, in which he had a pivotal role. Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt, and Michael Sheen are among the notable actors who appear in the film.
By early 2017, the film had made $293 million worldwide and won the 89th Academy Awards for ‘Best Original Score’ and ‘Best Production Design.’ Despite its enormous success, it has gotten largely mixed reviews from critics.
Achievements & Awards
Andy Garcia won the Nostros Golden Eagle Award for ‘Outstanding Performer in Film’ in 1997.
For his work as Frank Conner in ‘Desperate Measures,’ he earned the ALMA Award for Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film.
Garcia received the Anthony Quinn Award for Achievement in Motion Pictures from ALMA Awards in 2006 for his acting achievements.
He was named one of the ‘Newsmax’s 50 Most Influential Latino Republicans’ in 2016.
Personal & Family Life
Andy Garcia married Marivi Lorido in 1982, and they have four children together.
Dominik Garcia-Lordio, his daughter, has followed in his footsteps and is now a Hollywood actress.
Estimated Net worth
Andy Garcia is a Cuban-born actor, producer, and director with a net worth of $20 million.