Tony Plana Biography

Early Life and Education Tony Plana was born in Havana, Cuba, and later moved with his family to the United States. He developed an interest in acting and theatre and eventually pursued formal education in the performing arts. His early experiences as an immigrant helped shape his connection to stories involving Latino families and the immigrant experience. His film career expanded with appearances in productions such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Three Amigos!, Wall Street and JFK. These projects allowed him to work with prominent Hollywood performers and directors while developing a reputation for strong supporting performances. Plana became especially recognizable to television audiences through his role as Ignacio Suarez in Ugly Betty. As Betty's father, Ignacio was portrayed as a caring, principled and hardworking family man. Plana's performance brought warmth and emotional depth to the series and became one of the most celebrated aspects of his television work. He also appeared in Selena, the acclaimed biographical film about singer Selena Quintanilla, and continued taking roles in television and film. His career has frequently involved stories centered on family, culture and identity, reflecting his long-standing connection to Latino-American entertainment. Career Journey & Entry into Bollywood Plana later returned to television in projects including One Day at a Time, where he appeared as a recurring character. He has also made guest appearances in numerous television series, demonstrating his ability to move between comedy, drama and procedural television. Alongside acting, Plana has worked as a director and producer and has maintained strong connections with theatre. He has also supported initiatives designed to encourage greater opportunities for Latino performers and storytellers in American entertainment. Over the course of his career, Plana has become a respected veteran performer whose work spans several decades. His ability to portray emotionally grounded characters has allowed him to remain active across film, television and theatre.
	Tony Plana Biography, Age, Education, Movies, Hollywood Actor Career and Journy Tony Plana is a Cuban-American actor, director and producer known for his extensive work in film, television and theatre. Born on April 19, 1952, in Havana, Cuba, he and his family later moved to the United States, where he developed a successful career as a performer and became an important figure in Latino representation in American entertainment. Plana gained widespread recognition for portraying Ignacio Suarez, the loving and hardworking father of Betty Suarez, in the popular television series Ugly Betty. His performance combined humor, warmth and emotional depth and made Ignacio one of the show's most memorable supporting characters. He has also appeared in numerous films and television productions, including Three Amigos!, An Officer and a Gentleman, JFK, Selena and One Day at a Time. His career has frequently included roles portraying family members, authority figures and complex characters. Beyond acting, Plana has worked as a director, producer and theatre performer. He has also contributed to projects focused on Latino culture and representation, establishing a career that extends beyond mainstream acting into advocacy and creative leadership.
Full Name:	Tony Plana
Profession:	Actor, Director
Date of Birth	19 April 1952
Birthplace:	Havana, Cuba

*Film Awards and Nomination*
No.	Nominated Work	Awards	Year	Result
1	For Tony Plana's performance in Lone Star	Bravo Award	1996	Nominated
2	For Tony Plana's performance in Resurrection Blvd.	ALMA Award	2001	Nominated
3	For Tony Plana's performance in Resurrection Blvd.	ALMA Award	2002	Nominated
4	For Tony Plana's role as "Ignacio Suarez" in Ugly Betty	Satellite Awards	2006	Won
5	For Tony Plana's performance in Ugly Betty	Screen Actors Guild Awards	2006	Nominated

*Complete Tony Plana Movie List*
No.	Movies	Note	Year
1	The Boss' Son		1978
2	Seed of Innocence	Uncredited	1980
3	First Family		1980
4	Love & Money		1981
5	Circle of Power		1981
6	Zoot Suit		1981
7	An Officer and a Gentleman		1982
8	Valley Girl		1983
9	Nightmares	Segment "The Benediction"	1983
10	El Norte		1983
11	Deal of the Century		1983
12	City Limits		1985
13	Latino		1985
14	Godzilla 1985	Voice, Uncredited	1985
15	The Best of Times		1986
16	Salvador		1986
17	Three Amigos		1986
18	Disorderlies		1987
19	Born in East L.A.		1987
20	Buy & Cell		1988
21	Romero		1989
22	What's Up, Hideous Sun Demon		1989
23	Why Me?		1990
24	The Rookie		1990
25	Havana		1990
26	One Good Cop		1991
27	JFK		1991
28	Live Wire		1992
29	Red Hot		1993
30	Greshnitsa v maske		1993
31	A Million to Juan		1994
32	Nixon		1995
34	Lone Star		1996
35	Primal Fear		1996
36	Down for the Barrio		1996
37	Canción desesperada		1996
38	The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca		1996
39	Santa Fe		1997
40	One Eight Seven		1997
41	The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit		1998
42	Shadow of Doubt		1998
43	Every Dog Has Its Day		1998
44	Let the Devil Wear Black		1999
45	Knockout		2000
46	Picking Up the Pieces		2000
47	Vegas, City of Dreams		2001
48	Half Past Dead		2002
49	The Lost City		2005
50	Goal!		2005
51	El Muerto		2007
52	Hacia la oscuridad		2007
53	Half Past Dead 2		2007
54	AmericanEast		2008
55	Life Is Hot in Cracktown		2009
56	America		2011
57	The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez		2012
58	Pain and Gain		2013
59	A Miracle in Spanish Harlem		2013
60	America Adrift		2016
61	Roman J. Israel, Esq.		2017
62	Butterfly Caught		2017
63	Wasp Network		2019
64	Office Romance		2026

*Complete Tony Plana Television Sow List*
No.	Title	Note	Year
1	What's Happening!!	1 Episode	1978
2	The Paper Chase	Episode: "The Man in the Chair" (S1.E15)	1978
3	Madame X	Television Movie	1981
4	Miami Vice	2 Episode	1984,1988
5	Break of Dawn	Television Movie	1988
6	The Equalizer	Episode: "Prisoners of Conscience"	1989
7	The Case of the Hillside Stranglers	Television Movie	1989
8	21 Jump Street	Episode: “Come from the Shadows”	1989
9	Seinfeld	Episode: "The Apartment" (S2.E5)	1991
10	The Golden Girls	1 Episodes	1991
11	Bakersfield, P.D.	17 Episode	1993-1994
12	Star Trek: Deep Space Nine	Episode: "The Maquis" Parts 1 & 2 (S2.E20-21)	1994
13	Silver Strand	Television Movie	1995
14	Santo Bugito	2 Episode	1995
15	Extreme Ghostbusters	1 Episode	1997
16	The West Wing	2 Episodes (S2. E13-14)	2001
17	John Doe	Episode: "Doe or Die" (S1.E17)	2003
18	Monk	1 Episode	2003
19	24	5 Episode	2004
20	CSI: Crime Scene Investigation	1 Episode	2005
21	The Closer	1 Episode	2005
22	Ugly Betty	85 Episode	2006-2010
23	Desperate Housewives	5 Episode	2011
24	Body of Proof	Episode: "Helping Hand"	2011
25	Psych	Episode: "No Country for Two Old Men" (S7.E4)	2011
26	Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret	Television Film	2013
27	Alpha House	6 Episode	2013-2014
28	Jane the Virgin	1 Episode	2014
29	The Fosters	6 Episode	2015-2017
30	Cristela	1 Episodes	2015
31	Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders	1 Episode	2015
32	The Young Pope	3 Episode	2016
33	Lethal Weapon	7 Episodes	2016-2018
34	Colony	4 Episode	2017
35	One Day at a Time	4 Episode	2017-2019
36	The Punisher	8 Episode	2017-2019
37	Superstore	3 Episode	2017-2021
38	Mayans M.C.	7 Episode	2018
39	Shooter	1 Episode	2018
40	Elena of Avalor	2 Episode	2018-2019
41	Jugar con fuego	9 Episode	2019
42	Dynasty	1 Episode	2019
43	Enemigo íntimo	season 2	2020
44	Connecting...	1 Episodes	2020
45	The Good Fight	5 Episodes	2020-2021
46	The Legend of Vox Machina	1 Episode	2023
47	White House Plumbers	5 Episode	2023
48	Only Murders in the Building	1 Episodes	2025

Complete Tony Plana Voice List
>No.	Title	Note	Year
1	Cuba Libre	Narrator	2003
2	Hiroshima	Radio play oon Book	2003
3	Grim Fandango	Video Game	1998
4	Ghost Recon Wildlands	Video Game	2017

Conclusion Tony Plana has established a distinguished career as a Cuban-American actor, director and producer. His portrayal of Ignacio Suarez in Ugly Betty remains his most widely recognized role, while his performances in Selena, JFK, Three Amigos! and One Day at a Time demonstrate his broad range. With decades of experience across Hollywood, television and theatre, Plana has also contributed to greater Latino representation in American entertainment. His combination of acting talent, creative experience and commitment to cultural representation has made him a respected figure in the industry.

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