
Rick Najera
Biography
California born Rick Najera started his artistic career as an actor. He is an award-winning actor-writer-director-producer with credits in film, television, theatre and Broadway. Early in his career, he was inspired and mentored by Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg, Keenen Ivory Wayans and comedian Cheech Marin. Realizing there were few roles for him to play, he took matters into his own hands and started writing his way into Hollywood, and landed his first big writing gig on In Living Color. Rick Najera is one of three Latinos in the history of Broadway to write and star in his own show.
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Najera made his Broadway debut in 2005 with his award-winning sketch comedy show, Latinologues (TM), the longest running and only showcase of its kind for Latinos in America. Najera penned the holiday film Nothing Like the Holidays starring Debra Messing, Alfred Molina and John Leguizamo, which won him an Alma Award. He was also honored with two WGA nominations for his writing on MADtv. Najera has been honored twice as 100 Most Influential Latinos in America along with several other awards. Rick Najera's fourth book was released in 2013, Almost White: Forced Confessions of a Latino in Hollywood garnering a press tour and five-star reviews on Amazon.com. Rick Najera is the director of the annual CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase going on 12 years. Rick Najera is a regular contributor to NPR radio and is also a professional speaker (The World Bank, Google, Harvard Law School, Wellesley College, Stanford, CBS, CNN, Al Jazeera, UCLA and more). He is the writer of the multi-Emmy nominated Hulu original series, East Los High and producer of talk show, Latino Thought Makers.
Known for
ColumboHenry Santos8.1
The West WingIvan 'Izzy' Perez8.3
Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanWriter7.6
Pledge This!Buford Gomez2.9
A Day Without a MexicanMagician Announcer5.9
Nothing Like the HolidaysScreenplay6.3
Falcon CrestPaco5.5
China BeachSeries7.4
National Lampoon's TV: The MovieAlfredo Garcia Steven / Self4.5
Spicy CityVic Guapo (voice)5.4
The MasterRicky5.4
FlounderingGood Samaritan4.8
Filmography
- 2020Feliz NaviDADFilm: Minister
- 2018Taco ShopFilm: Writer
- 2013American LowriderFilm: Mr. Galvez
- 2011Legally BrownFilm: Bubba Gomez
- 2010Maria Costa's Macho Men and the Women Who Love ThemFilm: Writer
- 2008Nothing Like the HolidaysFilm: Screenplay
- 2007Universal RemoteFilm: Beta Max
- 2007Pledge This!Film: Buford Gomez
- 2006National Lampoon's TV: The MovieFilm: Alfredo Garcia Steven / Self
- 2004A Day Without a MexicanFilm: Magician Announcer
- 1999The West WingSeries: Ivan 'Izzy' Perez (1 episode)
- 1997Spicy CitySeries: Vic Guapo (voice) (1 episode)
- 1995Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every ChildSeries: The Pig Farmer (voice), Prince Pepito / Thug #1 (voice), Sheriff de Jamon (voice) (1 episode)
- 1994FlounderingFilm: Good Samaritan
- 1993Bakersfield P.D.Series: Dispatcher (1 episode)
- 1993Dr. Quinn, Medicine WomanSeries: Writer (1 episode)
- 1989Red SurfFilm: Calavera
- 1988China BeachSeries (2 episodes)
- 1984The MasterSeries: Ricky (1 episode)
- 1981Falcon CrestSeries: Paco (6 episodes)
- 1971ColumboSeries: Henry Santos (1 episode)
Biography and credits from TMDB. This website uses TMDB and the TMDB APIs but is not endorsed, certified, or otherwise approved by TMDB.