Tony Plana

José Antonio Plana (born April 19, 1952) is a Cuban–American actor and director. He is known for playing Betty Suarez's father, Ignacio Suarez, on the ABC television show Ugly Betty and for voicing Manuel "Manny" Calavera in the video game Grim Fandango.

Early life and education José Antonio Plana was born on April 19, 1952, in Havana, Cuba. His family moved to Miami in 1960. Plana is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and was trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.

Career While known to a broad audience for his roles in feature films and television, Plana is also known for his skills in acting and directing for the stage. In 1995, he founded East L.A. Classic Theatre and over the course of a decade, Plana created and directed a number of Shakespeare productions for minority audiences. He has been active in the Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and New York City theater communities, including leading appearances on Broadway and at New York City's Public Theater. Plana originated the role of Rudy in the Los Angeles production of Luis Valdez's play Zoot Suit, going on to play Rudy in the film version.

Plana has acted, directed and written for television in series, miniseries, and specials such as Hill Street Blues, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, Resurrection Boulevard, Commander in Chief, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, The West Wing, 24, and Cagney & Lacey. He also directed Witch's Lament, a Desperate Housewives episode in the show's eighth season.

Plana has acted in films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Three Amigos, Goal!, and Lone Star. He is known to PC gamers as the voice of Manny Calavera in the LucasArts 1998 adventure game Grim Fandango. In 2011, Plana guest starred in Desperate Housewives as Gabrielle Solis's abusive stepfather, Alejandro Perez. That same year, he appeared in Body of Proof, in the episode "Helping Hand".

Plana participated in the web series Los Americans (2011), about a middle-class family in Los Angeles.

Plana teaches acting at California State University, Dominguez Hills and Rio Hondo College. In 2012, he served as a judge for the Noor Iranian Film Festival.

Politics Plana volunteers as a spokesperson for comprehensive immigration reform. He was the keynote speaker for the 2012 LULAC conference in Coronado Springs Convention Center in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

Awards and nominations

Bravo Award Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film For Tony Plana's performance in Lone Star

ALMA Award Outstanding Actor in a New Television Series For Tony Plana's performance in Resurrection Blvd.

ALMA Award Outstanding Actor in a Television Series For Tony Plana's performance in Resurrection Blvd.

Satellite Awards Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television For Tony Plana's role as "Ignacio Suarez" in Ugly Betty

Screen Actors Guild Awards Best Ensemble - Comedy Series For Tony Plana's performance in Ugly Betty Filmography Film

1978: The Boss' Son – Juan 1980: Seed of Innocence (uncredited) 1980: First Family – White House Gardener 1981: Love & Money – National Guard General 1981: Circle of Power – Reza Haddad 1981: Zoot Suit – Rudy 1982: An Officer and a Gentleman – Emiliano De la Serra 1983: Valley Girl – Low Rider 1983: Nightmares – Father Luis Del Amo (segment "The Benediction") 1983: El Norte – Carlos, The Bus Boy 1983: Deal of the Century – Chicano Man 1985: City Limits – Ramos 1985: Latino – Ruben 1985: Godzilla 1985 – Goro Maki (voice, uncredited) 1986: The Best of Times – Chico 1986: Salvador – Major Max 1986: Three Amigos – Jefe 1987: Disorderlies – Miguel 1987: Born in East L.A. – Feo 1988: Buy & Cell – Raoul 1989: Romero – Father Manuel Morantes 1989: What's Up, Hideous Sun Demon – Officer Ignatz 1990: Why Me? – Benjy Klopzik 1990: The Rookie – Morales 1990: Havana – Julio Ramos 1991: One Good Cop as Beniamino Rios 1991: JFK – Carlos Bringuier 1992: Live Wire – Al-Red 1993: Red Hot – KGB Investigator 1993: Greshnitsa v maske – Le Arden 1994: A Million to Juan – Jorge 1995: Nixon – Manolo Sanchez 1996: Lone Star – Ray 1996: Primal Fear – Martinez 1996: Down for the Barrio – Cesar 1996: Canción desesperada – Patrick 1996: The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca – Marcos, Lorca's Friend 1997: Santa Fe – Chief Gomez 1997: One Eight Seven – Principal Garcia 1998: The Wonderful Ice Cream Suit – Victor Medina 1998: Shadow of Doubt – Detective Krause 1998: Every Dog Has Its Day – The Cop 1999: Let the Devil Wear Black – Tall 2000: Knockout – Chuck Alvarado 2000: Picking Up the Pieces – Usher 2001: Vegas, City of Dreams – Captain Martin 2002: Half Past Dead – Warden Juan Ruiz 'El Fuego' Escarzaga 2005: The Lost City – The Emcee 2005: Goal! – Hernan Munez 2007: El Muerto – Aparicio 2007: Hacia la oscuridad – Carlos Gutierrez 2007: Half Past Dead 2 – Warden Juan Ruiz 'El Fuego' Escarzaga 2008: AmericanEast – Dez 2009: Life Is Hot in Cracktown – Lou 2011: America – Tio Poldo 2012: The Man Who Shook the Hand of Vicente Fernandez – Dr. Dominguez 2013: Pain and Gain – Captain Lopez 2013: A Miracle in Spanish Harlem – Mariano 2016: America Adrift – William Fernandez 2017: Roman J. Israel, Esq. – Jessie Salinas 2017: Butterfly Caught – Michael Channis 2019: Wasp Network – Luis Posada Carriles 2026: Office Romance – Francisco Alberto

Television + Year Title Role Notes 1978 What's Happening!! Amid 1 episode 1978 The Paper Chase Marcos Episode: "The Man in the Chair" 1981 Madame X Senor Rueda TV movie 1984, 1988 Miami Vice Ernesto Guerrero / Cinco 2 episodes 1988 Break of Dawn Rodriguez TV movie 1989 The Equalizer Antonio Cruz Episode: "Prisoners of Conscience" 1989 The Case of the Hillside Stranglers Mike Hernandez TV movie 1989 21 Jump Street Robert Mendez Episode: “Come from the Shadows” 1991 Seinfeld Manny Episode: "The Apartment" 1991 The Golden Girls Alvarez 1 episode 1993–1994 Bakersfield, P.D. Luke Ramirez 17 episodes 1994 Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Amaros Episode: "The Maquis" Parts 1 & 2 1995 Silver Strand Richie Guttierez TV movie 1995 Santo Bugito Paco (voice) 2 episodes 1997 Extreme Ghostbusters Carl Rivera (voice) 1 episode 2001 The West Wing Mickey Troop 2 episodes (S2. E13-14) 2003 John Doe Captain Ruiz Episode: "Doe or Die" 2003 Monk Captain Alameda 1 episode 2004 24 Omar 5 episodes 2005 CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Elindio Zapata 1 episode 2005 The Closer Alonzo Lopez 1 episode 2006–2010 Ugly Betty Ignacio Suarez 85 episodes 2011 Desperate Housewives Alejandro Perez 5 episodes 2011 Body of Proof Armando Rosas Episode: "Helping Hand" 2013 Psych Pablo Nuñez Episode: "No Country for Two Old Men" 2013 Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret Prosecutor Juan Martinez TV movie 2013–2014 Alpha House Benito 'Benny' Lopez 6 episodes 2014 Jane the Virgin Father Ortega 1 episode 2015–2017 The Fosters Victor Gutierrez 6 episodes 2015 Cristela Joaquin Alvarez 1 episode 2015 Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders Father Consolmango 1 episode 2016 The Young Pope Carlos García 3 episodes 2016–2018 Lethal Weapon Ronnie Delgado 7 episodes 2017 Colony Proxy Alcala 4 episodes 2017–2021 Superstore Ron Sosa 3 episodes 2017–2019 One Day at a Time Berto 4 episodes 2017–2019 The Punisher Rafael Hernandez 8 episodes 2018 Mayans M.C. Devante Cano 7 episodes, FX TV 2018 Shooter Guitierez 1 episode 2018–2019 Elena of Avalor Qapa (voice) 2 episodes 2019 Jugar con fuego Peter Miller 9 episodes 2019 Dynasty Silvio Flores 1 episode 2019 The Affair Ben Cruz 1 episode 2020 Enemigo íntimo Santilla Season 2 2020 Connecting... Ramon 1 episode 2020-2021 The Good Fight Oscar Rivi 5 episodes 2023 The Legend of Vox Machina Kamaljiori (voice) 1 episode 2023 White House Plumbers Eugenio Martínez 5 episodes 2025 Only Murders in the Building George 1 episode

Voice acting Video games 1998: Grim Fandango – Manuel "Manny" Calavera 2017: Ghost Recon Wildlands – El Cardenal Other voice roles 2003: Cuba Libre – Narrator 2003: Hiroshima – Radio play based on the book by John Hersey, adapted by John Valentine