Rubén Blades
Biography
Rubén Blades is a Panamanian singer, composer and actor, born in Panama City, known for salsa and Latin jazz. His first US recording, De Panamá a New York, came in 1970 with the Pete Rodriguez Orchestra, and his partnership with Willie Colón produced Siembra (1978), the best-selling salsa album, for which he wrote nearly all the songs, and El Cantante, later Héctor Lavoe's signature song. He has won twelve Grammys from twenty-one nominations, plus twelve Latin Grammys. His acting career began in 1983; he was the star and co-writer of Crossover Dreams (1985), and his screen roles include The Milagro Beanfield War (1988), Predator 2 (1990), Mo' Better Blues (1990), Color of Night (1994), The Devil's Own (1997), Cradle Will Rock (1999), Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), Safe House (2012), The Counselor (2013) and Hands of Stone (2016). He earned three Emmy nominations and played Daniel Salazar in Fear the Walking Dead.
78years old
Turns 79 on July 16in 247 days
- Born Panama City
- Star sign: CancerThe sign runs June 21 to July 22
- Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (birth name)Also credited as Ruben Blades
Movie Career
- Films
- 25
- Career span
- 34 years1987 to 2021
First and latest
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First role
Blades got his first acting role in 1982, playing a singer-turned-boxer in The Last Fight who vies for a championship against a fighter played by real-life world champion Salvador Sánchez.
Behind the camera
Colón talked Blades into handing "El Cantante" to Héctor Lavoe, his former musical partner, whose nickname was already "El Cantante de los Cantantes." Blades had written the song in 1978, and Lavoe cut it that same year, turning it into a hit and his signature song.
A first
Blades wrote all but one of the songs on Siembra, his 1978 album with Colón. That record went on to become salsa's best-selling album ever and has sold more than 3 million copies.
Rubén Blades movies on Netflix
Best known for
The films on Netflix they are best known for, with the part played in each.
Most often with
Two actors appear in three of them each. Pick a number on the chart or a name in the list to see the films they share.
Films together
John Turturro's page
Julio Oscar Mechoso's page
Christopher Walken's page
Antonio Banderas's page
Mickey Rourke's page
Brad Dourif's page
Also two films together10 more actors
- Robert PatrickSafe House (2012) and All the Pretty Horses (2000)
- Brad PittThe Counselor (2013) and The Devil's Own (1997)
- Cheech MarinOnce Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) and A Million to Juan (1994)
- Jon PolitoHomeboy (1988) and Critical Condition (1987)
- Denzel WashingtonSafe House (2012) and Mo' Better Blues (1990)
- Penélope CruzThe Counselor (2013) and All the Pretty Horses (2000)
- Wesley SnipesMo' Better Blues (1990) and Critical Condition (1987)
- Sam ShepardSafe House (2012) and All the Pretty Horses (2000)
- Édgar RamírezHands of Stone (2016) and The Counselor (2013)
- Joseph RagnoHomeboy (1988) and Critical Condition (1987)
When several people share the same number of films, the ones with the most films on Netflix are in the chart.
Box office
What Rubén Blades's films earned in cinemas worldwide.
Combined worldwide box office
$692 million
16 of the 25 films have a worldwide figure.
Of the 25 films: 16 worldwide figure; 5 us gross only; 2 never in cinemas; 2 figure not found.
- 16Worldwide figure
- 5US gross only
- 2Never in cinemas
- 2Figure not found
Top grosser
Highest grossing
The eight biggest films earned 91% of the total. The bars are drawn to scale.
- 1$208M30.1% of the total
- 2$141M20.4% of the total
- 3$99M14.3% of the total
- 4$71M10.3% of the total
- 5$57M8.3% of the total
- 6$20M2.8% of the total
- 7$18M2.6% of the total
- 8$16M2.3% of the total
$62.0 millionfrom the other 8 films with a worldwide figure, 9% of the total
Awards
Twelve awards and honors from 2007 to 2024, one of them major.
| Year | Award | Film | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grammy Awards | |||
| 2024 | Best Tropical Latin Album | Won | |
| Other honors | |||
| 2021 | Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year | Won | |
| 2021 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album | Won | |
| 2021 | Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year | Won | |
| 2020 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Tropical Song | Won | |
| 2018 | Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts | Won | |
| 2017 | Latin Grammy Award for Album of the Year | Salsa Big Band | Won |
| 2017 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album | Salsa Big Band | Won |
| 2015 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album | Won | |
| 2011 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Salsa Album | Won | |
| 2010 | Latin Grammy Award for Best Singer-Songwriter Album | Cantares del Subdesarrollo | Won |
| 2007 | Latin Grammy Hall of Fame | Siembra | Won |
Online
Official profiles and reference pages.