Raúl Esparza
Biography
Raúl Esparza is an American actor who became one of Broadway's leading men, known for Tony-nominated turns in musicals and plays and for his television role as ADA Rafael Barba on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. Born in Wilmington, Delaware, and raised in Miami, he studied drama at New York University and made his Broadway debut in 2000 as Riff Raff in The Rocky Horror Show. He won a Theatre World Award for that performance. His stage work includes Company, Taboo, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The Homecoming, and Speed-the-Plow, earning Tony nominations in all four acting categories. On screen, he appeared in Find Me Guilty (2006), My Soul to Take (2010), and Custody (2016), and had roles on Pushing Daisies, Hannibal, and The Path. He also narrated audiobooks and performed in concerts.
56years old
Turns 57 on October 24in 346 days
- Born Wilmington
- Star sign: ScorpioThe sign runs October 23 to November 21
- Raúl Eduardo Esparza (birth name)Also credited as Raul Esparza and Raul Eduardo Esparza
Movie Career
- Films
- 5
- Career span
- 11 years2006 to 2017
Every film, newest first
- 2017FerdinandIMDb rating 6.7
- 2016CustodyIMDb rating 6.5
- 2010My Soul to TakeIMDb rating 4.8
- 2007ShowBusiness: The Road to BroadwayIMDb rating 7.8
- 2006Find Me GuiltyIMDb rating 7.0
Genres
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A first
In 2012, Esparza began playing Rafael Barba, a Manhattan Assistant District Attorney, on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. After 11 episodes in the 14th season, he was made a series regular for the 15th season, and his character was the first regular male ADA in the show's history.
Behind the award
Raúl Esparza was nominated at the 63rd Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Play for his work in Speed-the-Plow. He is the second performer, following Boyd Gaines, to receive nominations in all four eligible acting categories at the Tonys, though he has not won one.
First role
Esparza's performance in the 2000 Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show brought him his first attention and earned him the Theatre World Award.
A role that slipped away
Esparza played Che in the 1999 national tour of Evita, a tour that was meant to open on Broadway but never did.
Beyond film
Esparza recorded the audiobook of Stephen King's Under the Dome in 2009. He also narrated Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion and Elle Newmark's The Book of Unholy Mischief.
Raúl Esparza movies on Netflix
Worked with
Raúl Esparza made one film with each of them. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
Ellen Burstyn's page
Bobby Cannavale's page
Frank Grillo's page
Alan Cumming's page
Peter Dinklage's page
Hugh Jackman's page
All films by Carlos Saldanha
All films by Sidney Lumet
All films by Wes Craven
Awards
Three awards and honors.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Other honors | |||
| 2001 | Theatre World Award | Won | |
| Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Actor in a Musical | Won | ||
| Ovation Awards | Won | ||
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.