Nook NotesPick a film
Esai Morales

Actor

Esai Morales

Born October 1, 1962 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, USA76 films

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).

Read more

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.

Start here

The best way into Esai Morales's work
Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One posterFirst watchMission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One20237.5as GabrielEthan Hunt and his IMF team embark on their most dangerous mission yet: To track down a terrifying new weapon that threatens all of humanity before it falls into the wrong hands.View film

Essential films

Ranked by acclaim and reach
War Machine poster7.5War Machine2026Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning poster7.2Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning2025La Bamba poster7.3La Bamba1987Never Back Down: No Surrender poster7.1Never Back Down: No Surrender2016Bad Boys poster7.0Bad Boys1983SuperFly poster6.7SuperFly2018Spare Parts poster7.2Spare Parts2015Paid in Full poster6.9Paid in Full2002

Filmography

76 films as actor
  1. TBASo Much for LoveGeoffrey
  2. TBACoyoteHernán Barroca
  3. TBATumor
  4. TBALive 2 Die
  5. TBAPersephone
  6. TBAHis Heart
  7. 2027Live Like That
  8. 2026Dark HorsePaulo Pontes
  9. 2026War MachineTorres
  10. 2025Queen of ManhattanPapi
  11. 2025CottonmouthAbe
  12. 2025Mission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningGabriel
  13. 2024Crescent CityLuke Carson
  14. 2023Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part OneGabriel
  15. 2023Master GardenerOscar Neruda
  16. 2021Art of Love
  17. 2021Senior MomentDiego Lozana
  18. 2020The Wall of MexicoHenry Arista
  19. 2019ImprisonedGovernor Mandera
  20. 2018SuperFlyAdalberto Gonzalez
  21. 2017Halfway ThereIan Sanchez
  22. 2016Never Back Down: No SurrenderHugo Vega
  23. 2016Casa VitaRodrigo Vita
  24. 2015Spare PartsMr. Santillan
  25. 2015Playin' for LovePrinciple Jose Marti
  26. 2014Jarhead 2: Field of FireCpt. Jones
  27. 2013Saving Westbrook HighManny
  28. 2013Return to BabylonAssistant Director (scenes deleted)
  29. 2012Atlas Shrugged: Part IIFrancisco d'Anconia
  30. 2012Seattle SuperstormTom Foster
  31. 201117th PrecinctLiam Butterfield
  32. 2011We Have Your HusbandEduardo Valseca
  33. 2011Gun Hill RoadEnrique Rodriguez
  34. 2010CherryWes
  35. 2010King of the AvenueNatas
  36. 2009The LinePelon
  37. 2008Kill Kill Faster FasterMarkie
  38. 2007The CureJorge
  39. 2006Fast Food NationTony
  40. 2006How to Go Out on a Date in QueensFrankie
  41. 2006The Virgin of JuarezFather Herrera
  42. 2005Once Upon a WeddingPineda
  43. 2005Lethal SeductionRick Benes / David Lopez
  44. 2005American FusionJose
  45. 2004SudburyGary Hallet
  46. 2003The Adventures of Tom Thumb and ThumbelinaVargas Mouse (voice)
  47. 2002Paid in FullLulu
  48. 2000Doomsday ManMike
  49. 2000A Family in Crisis: The Elian Gonzales StoryJuan Miguel Gonzalez
  50. 2000American VirginJim the Director
  51. 1999Southern CrossPhilip Solano
  52. 1998Circle of DeceitJeff Silva
  53. 1998The Wonderful Ice Cream SuitDominguez
  54. 1997Dog WatchMurrow
  55. 1996Dying to Be Perfect: The Ellen Hart Pena StoryFederico Pena
  56. 1996Death in GranadaRicardo
  57. 1996Scorpion SpringAstor
  58. 1996The Real ThingCollin
  59. 1995Deadlocked: Escape from Zone 14Tony Archer
  60. 1995My FamilyChucho
  61. 1994Don't Do ItCharles
  62. 1994The Burning SeasonJair
  63. 1994In the Army NowSgt. Stern
  64. 1994Rapa NuiMake
  65. 1993The WaiterJulius
  66. 1993Living and Working in Space: The Countdown Has BegunKenny
  67. 1992UltravioletNicholas Walker
  68. 1992FreejackRipper
  69. 1992Bay City Story
  70. 1990Naked TangoZico Borenstein
  71. 1989Bloodhounds of BroadwayHandsome Jack
  72. 1987The PrincipalRaymi Rojas
  73. 1987La BambaBob Morales
  74. 1985Rainy Day FriendsNeekos Valdez
  75. 1983Bad BoysPaco Moreno
  76. 1982Forty DeuceMitchell