Rubén Blades
Acting • Born 1948-07-16
Biography
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland). He is an icon in Panama and is much admired throughout Latin America, and managed to attract 18% of the vote in his failed attempt to win the Panamanian presidency in 1994. In September 2004, he was appointed minister of tourism by Panamanian president Martín Torrijos for a five-year term. He holds a law degree from the University of Panama and a master's in international law from Harvard University. He is married to singer Luba Mason. Description above from the Wikipedia article Rubén Blades, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
Filmography
74 credits
Predator 2
Movie • 1990
Danny Archuleta
Color of Night
Movie • 1994
Hector
The Devil's Own
Movie • 1997
Edwin Diaz
Chinese Box
Movie • 1997
Jim
Disorganized Crime
Movie • 1989
Carlos Barrios
Critical Condition
Movie • 1987
Louis
Cradle Will Rock
Movie • 1999
Diego Rivera
The Two Jakes
Movie • 1990
Mickey Nice
Secuestro Express
Movie • 2004
Carla's Father
The Milagro Beanfield War
Movie • 1988
Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
Fatal Beauty
Movie • 1987
Carl Jimenez
Assassination Tango
Movie • 2003
Miguel
Spoken Word
Movie • 2009
Cruz-Sr.
Nueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York
Movie • 2021
Self (archive footage)
The Super
Movie • 1991
Marlon
The Heart of the Deal
Movie • 1990
The Maldonado Miracle
Movie • 2003
Cruz
Safe House
Movie • 2012
Carlos Villar
The Josephine Baker Story
Movie • 1991
Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
The Lemon Sisters
Movie • 1990
C.W.
The Counselor
Movie • 2013
Jefe
One Man’s War
Movie • 1991
Perrone
Spin
Movie • 2003
Ernesto
Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 1
Movie • 2011
Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 2
Movie • 2011
Scorpion Spring
Movie • 1996
Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
Miracle on Interstate 880
Movie • 1993
Pastor Beruman
The Last Fight
Movie • 1983
Andy "Kid" Clave
Crazy From the Heart
Movie • 1991
Ernesto Ontiveros
Outlaws - For Greater Glory
Movie • 2012
Président Calles
Crossover Dreams
Movie • 1985
Rudy Veloz
The Making of Sun City
Movie • 1985
Self
The Return of Rubén Blades
Movie • 1985
himself
Mo' Better Blues
Movie • 1990
Petey
Hands of Stone
Movie • 2016
Carlos Eleta
Stevie Van Zandt: Disciple
Movie • 2024
Self
¡Sonó, Sonó… Tite Curet!
Movie • 2011
Al compás de un sentimiento: la música de Pedro Flores
Movie • 1996
Somos un solo pueblo
Movie • 1995
Self
Encuentro
Movie • 2002
En mi país
Movie • 2004
Self
Lo mejor de nuestra música popular: 15 años de éxitos
Movie • 2007
Self
La clave
Movie • 2008
All the Pretty Horses
Movie • 2000
Rocha
Stay Homas. The Band That Shouldn’t Exist
Movie • 2024
Self - Singer
Yo soy la salsa
Movie • 2014
From Son to Salsa
Movie • 1997
Imagining Argentina
Movie • 2003
Silvio Ayala
Dead Man Out
Movie • 1989
Ben
Ruben Blades Is Not My Name
Movie • 2018
Self
Willie Colón & Rubén Blades - Live In Venezuela
Movie • 1998
Rubén Blades
The Next Season
Movie • 2011
Benito
A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway
Movie • 1998
John Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons
Movie • 2018
Self
Raúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
Movie • 2019
Self
Homeboy
Movie • 1988
Doctor
The Hunters and the Hunted: The Making of 'Predator 2'
Movie • 2005
Self (archive footage)
Once Upon a Time in Mexico
Movie • 2003
Jorge, Retired FBI Agent
A Million to Juan
Movie • 1994
Bartender
Red Pill
Movie • 2021
Rocky
Rabbit Ears - Joseph and His Brothers
Movie • 1991
Narrator (voice)
Salsa Lives
Movie • 2025
Ruben Blades
Beats of the Heart: Salsa
Movie • 1979
Self
Invasion
Movie • 2014
Self
Armadillo United
Movie
Coach Yepez
Life with Mikey
Movie • 1993
Angie's Dad (uncredited)
Campeón Gabacho
Movie • 2026
The X-Files
TV • 1993
Conrad Lozano
Gideon's Crossing
TV • 2000
Dr. Max Cabranes
Fear the Walking Dead
TV • 2015
Daniel Salazar
Músicos de Latinoamérica
TV • 2011
Self
Arthouse
TV • 1997
Self
Latin Grammy Awards
TV • 2000
Self
Las Lunas del Auditorio
TV • 2002
Self