Biography
A prolific and acclaimed actor in his native Mexico, Demián Bichir delivered award-winning performances as men of conviction, including Emiliano Zapata and Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's two-part biopic "Che" (2008) before making a major splash in America with the moving drama "A Better Life" (2011). The son and brother of actors, Bichir began in Mexican television dramas, or telenovelas before gaining prominence in the late 1980s and 1990s with turns in "Rojo Amanecer" ("Red Dawn") (1989) and "Hasta morir" ('Til Death") (1994), which earned him the Mexican equivalent of an Oscar. He dabbled in American films and television throughout the 1990s and early millennium, gaining recognition for the Soderbergh films and "Weeds" (Showtime, 2005-12) as a corrupt border politician. However, his powerful turn as a simple man faced with seemingly insurmountable odds in the feature "Better Life" drew international attention and acclaim, as well as the potential for stardom in Hollywood - a rarity for Mexican actors, even those with Bichir's seemingly limitless talents. Bechir fulfilled that promise with roles in films ranging from Paul Feig's action comedy "The Heat" (2013) to Quentin Tarantino's violent western "The Hateful Eight" (2015), as well as a starring role opposite Diane Kruger on cable drama "The Bridge" (FX 2013-14).
