Esai Morales
- Known for
- Acting
- Born
- October 1, 1962
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA
Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He has had notable roles in Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips. His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series American Family, the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd. (2000–2002), portraying Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue (2001–2003), Joseph Adama in the science fiction series Caprica (2009–2010), Camino del Rio in the Netflix original series Ozark (2017), and the DC Comics supervillain Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the superhero series Titans (2019). Morales appeared as Gabriel, the main antagonist in the 2023 spy action film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opposite Tom Cruise, a role reprised in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in 2025.
Filmography
- His Heart
His Heart TBA
Actor, Executive Producer
Persephone TBA
Actor
Monty and the Movies TBA
as Self (archive footage)
- Live 2 Die
Live 2 Die TBA
Actor, Producer
- Tumor
Tumor TBA
Actor
Coyote TBA
as Hernán Barroca, Producer
- So Much for Love
So Much for Love TBA
as Geoffrey
Live Like That 2027
Actor
Dark Horse 2027
as Paulo Pontes
Beyond the Border: Latino Representation in Hollywood 2026
as self
War Machine 2026
as Torres
Queen of Manhattan 2025
as Papi
Cottonmouth 2025
as Abe
Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning 2025
as Gabriel
Crescent City 2024
as Luke Carson
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One 2023
as Gabriel
Master Gardener 2023
as Oscar Neruda
Art of Love 2021
Actor
Senior Moment 2021
as Diego Lozana
More Than Miyagi: The Pat Morita Story 2021
as Self
The Wall of Mexico 2020
as Henry Arista
Find Your Groove 2020
as Self
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage 2019
as Self
Imprisoned 2019
as Governor Mandera
SuperFly 2018
as Adalberto Gonzalez
Love and Other Stunts 2018
Actor
Halfway There 2017
as Ian Sanchez
Never Back Down: No Surrender 2016
as Hugo Vega
Casa Vita 2016
as Rodrigo Vita
Playin' for Love 2015
as Principle Jose Marti
Spare Parts 2015
as Mr. Santillan
Jarhead 2: Field of Fire 2014
as Cpt. Jones
- Give Me Shelter
Give Me Shelter 2014
as Self - Animal Advocate
The Journey of a Female Comic 2014
Actor
From Dusk Till Dawn: Making the First Season 2014
Actor
Saving Westbrook High 2013
as Manny
Return to Babylon 2013
as Assistant Director (scenes deleted)
Atlas Shrugged: Part II 2012
as Francisco d'Anconia
Seattle Superstorm 2012
as Tom Foster
17th Precinct 2011
as Liam Butterfield
We Have Your Husband 2011
as Eduardo Valseca
Gun Hill Road 2011
as Enrique Rodriguez
Cherry 2010
as Wes
King of the Avenue 2010
as Natas
Celebrity Habla 2009
as Self
The Line 2009
as Pelon
Kill Kill Faster Faster 2008
as Markie
The Cure 2007
as Jorge
The Manufacturing of 'Fast Food Nation' 2007
as Self
Fast Food Nation 2006
as Tony
How to Go Out on a Date in Queens 2006
as Frankie
The Virgin of Juarez 2006
as Father Herrera
Once Upon a Wedding 2005
as Pineda
Lethal Seduction 2005
as Rick Benes / David Lopez
American Fusion 2005
as Jose
Sudbury 2004
as Gary Hallet
The Adventures of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina 2003
as Vargas Mouse (voice)
ABC's 50th Anniversary Celebration 2003
as Self
Paid in Full 2002
as Lulu
The Bronze Screen: 100 Years of the Latino Image in American Cinema 2002
Actor
Doomsday Man 2000
as Mike, Second Unit Director
A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales Story 2000
as Juan Miguel Gonzalez
American Virgin 2000
as Jim the Director
Southern Cross 1999
as Philip Solano
Circle of Deceit 1998
as Jeff Silva
The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit 1998
as Dominguez
Dog Watch 1997
as Murrow
Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena Story 1996
as Federico Pena
Death in Granada 1996
as Ricardo
Scorpion Spring 1996
as Astor
The Real Thing 1996
as Collin
Somos un solo pueblo 1995
as Self
Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14 1995
as Tony Archer
My Family 1995
as Chucho
Don't Do It 1994
as Charles
The Burning Season 1994
as Jair
In the Army Now 1994
as Sgt. Stern
Rapa Nui 1994
as Make
- The Waiter
The Waiter 1993
as Julius
Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has Begun 1993
as Kenny
Ultraviolet 1992
as Nicholas Walker
Freejack 1992
as Ripper
- Bay City Story
Bay City Story 1992
Actor
Naked Tango 1990
as Zico Borenstein
Bloodhounds of Broadway 1989
as Handsome Jack
The Principal 1987
as Raymi Rojas
La Bamba 1987
as Bob Morales
Rainy Day Friends 1985
as Neekos Valdez
- The Great Love Experiment
The Great Love Experiment 1984
as Miguel Rados
Bad Boys 1983
as Paco Moreno
Forty Deuce 1982
as Mitchell
Credits from TMDB.