Andy Garcia Biography
Photos and Memorabilia

Among the stars along the aisles of Hollywood walk of fame, the one for Andy Garcia seemed to shine more splendidly. It is shimmering from his unique career through staying true to his own thoughts and ideals about acting.

While some would have taken advantage of their fame to get rich with lightweight projects, Andy never wavered and stayed with films and stories with exceptional qualities. This attribute was already evident early on his career when he once walked out from an audition that asked him to do a nude scene.

From the Andy Garcia biography at celebritywonder.com I learned that he was born with a conjoined twin of a small size "no larger than a tennis ball." Through surgery, doctors removed his twin and only a scar remained on his shoulder.

His father Rene is a lawyer and his mother Amelie is an English teacher. When Andy was just 5 years old, his family left Cuba after the Communist government led by Fidel Castro took over their lands.

Arriving in Miami-Florida with nothing, the Garcia's found out that living in a foreign land was tough. But with patience and hard work, the Garcia family went on to build a million-dollar fragrance company literally from scratch.

Andy's family easily adapted to Miami's way of life. Andy went on to one of Florida's local high school and became a popular baseball player. But after being struck with severe illnesses on his senior year, he channeled his attention to acting.

He then took up acting classes at the Florida International University where he graduated with a major in theater. He was starting his career by making frequent performances in the regional theater networks.

Armed with excellent training and passion for acting, he moved to Hollywood in 1978 and worked as a waiter to make ends meet while auditioning for parts. He was blessed with good looks and talent which helped along the way. His first break came playing a gang member role on the first episode of a hit TV series - "Hill Street Blues."

Andy Garcia Movies

In 1983, his film acting career took off playing a part in "Blue Skies Again," but it was his role as a drug dealer starring Jeff Bridges in the 1986 film "8 Million Ways to Die" that caught the attention of critics.

His major break came after playing opposite Kevin Costner in the 1987 Brian de Palma's blockbuster movie "The Untouchables." But what brought this famous Hispanic actor into international stardom was his role as Sonny Corleone's illegitimate child in "Godfather" Part III -- earning him an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actor in this 1990 classic trilogy.

In the 1990's, Andy's big screen career soared higher, bagging lead roles and being paired with some of the big names in Hollywood. He worked with Uma Thurman in "Jennifer Eight" in 1992, with Ellen Burstyn and Meg Ryan in "When a Man Love a Woman" in 1994, and alongside Michael Keaton in "Desperate Measures" in 1998.

In the following years, he worked in the "Ocean's 11" sequel, "Confidence" in 2003, The Lost City in 2005 (also as director, executive producer and composer) and "Smokin' Aces" in 2006.

He always dreamed of going back to his native land and he is proud of his Cuban heritage. This is apparent on his pet projects like the documentary "Cachao --- Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos" which he directed in 1993.

One of the best Andy Garcia movies was based in the life of Arturo Sandoval a renowned Cuban trumpet player in the Emmy nominated "For Love or Country, The Arturo Sandoval Story." In this movie he produces and plays the role.

Though he has become one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood, Andy Garcia has remained an extremely private person. A devoted family man, he is known to be extremely protective of the privacy of his wife Maria Victoria whom he married in 1982 and their 4 children. For him, they are the jewels of his life.

Andy Garcia Photos and Memorabilia

Some of the best Andy Garcia photos are from the movie "The Godfather" where he played Sonny Corleone's son. The power exhuded from the role has been captured in some of the autographed photographies below. Besides his movie roles, he is a handsome actor that has been on the cover of major magazines like GQ. Here I have some select Andy Garcica autographed pictures that come with their certificate of authenticity.

Have Comment About Andy Garcia?

Share your comments about Andy Garcia. Let us know what you think of his career, accomplishments or simply what you like or dislike about this famous Hispanic actor.