Otto Sanchez is an American actor best known for playing Carmen Guerra in the HBO prison drama Oz. He also played the role of Otto in the short-lived drama Kidnapped. He appeared as a supporting character in Bad Boys II. He played the lead role of Paul in the film Push which won awards at The Long Island Film Festival. He has also been seen in NBC's Law & Order, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Third Watch, 100 Centre Street, Burn Notice and most recently Blue Bloods.

Early life

edit

Sanchez, a native New Yorker, was raised by his mother, Violeta Zoila Carbajal, in Jackson Heights, Queens. He was the youngest of 2 boys and 2 girls.

Otto's passion for painting was his first connection into the arts. After pursuing Advertising Design at the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, 1987 to 1989, then fine arts at the Columbus College of Art and Design, in Columbus, Ohio, on a scholarship, his passion shifted into theater. Returning to New York City in 1991, he studied acting under Jeanne Kaplan and Austin Pendleton at HB Studio. In 1998, he landed his breakthrough role Carmen "Chico" Guerra on the HBO series Oz.

Credits

edit

Other film credits include Negrito in Kill the Poor. "Ping Pong" in Double Whammy by Tom DiCillo.

TV credits: Danny Santos in "Canterbury's Law (with Julianna Margulies), Deputy Sheriff Rick Silo opposite Academy Award-winner Melissa Leo The Fighter in Criminal Minds.

Sanchez made a guest appearance on Curb Your Enthusiasm and 100 Centre Street.

TV pilots: Denis Leary and Peter Tolan's NBC police dramedy Fort Pit as Tommy Cruz, and Mark Rosner's TNT TV drama The Line as Christian Diaz.

Sanchez has also appeared on stage. His last part was in November 2008, in the world premiere of Beau Willimon's political play Farragut North (now adapted into the film Ides of March) directed by Doug Hughes (Doubt) at the Atlantic Theater Company in New York City in the dual role of Frank/Waiter opposite John Gallagher, Jr.

"In one of the play's sharpest moments a waiter played by Otto Sanchez earnestly tells Stephen about his hard-luck American life, and you can see Stephen (John Gallagher, Jr.) translating it into a stump-speech anecdote in his head." — Ben Brantley, NY Times.

In 2004 he co-starred opposite John Ventimiglia of The Sopranos in the role of Wallace, in the Off-Broadway play Ponies, produced by Emmy award-winner Michael Imperioli at Studio Dante in New York City.

Otto's recent film projects include The Moment I Died with Colleen Divincentis and Jocelyn Druyan, directed and written by Vincent Zambrano.

Filmography

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1998-2003 Oz Chico Guerra TV series, 40 episodes
1999 Mute Love Richard feature film
1999-2000 Third Watch Mikey TV series, 3 episodes
2000 Overnight Sensation Yucca Sanchez feature film
2000 Law & Order Det. Hector Diaz TV series, Episode: "Standoff"
2000 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Delfino Melendez TV series, 1 episode
2001 Double Whammy Ping Pong feature film
2001 Dregs of Society Matty feature film
2001 100 Centre Street TV series, 1 episode
2002 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Eddie Fuente TV series, 1 episode
2003 Kill the Poor Negrito feature film
2003 Bad Boys II Carlos feature film
2003 Law & Order Reynaldo Celaya TV series, 1 episode
2006 Push Paul feature film
2006-2007 Kidnapped Otto TV series, 10 episodes
2007 Criminal Minds Deputy Rick Siglock TV series, 1 episode
2007 Manhunt 2 Perv (voice) Video game
2008 Canterbury's Law Danny Santos TV series, 1 episode
2009 Law & Order Westside Express Employee TV series, 1 episode
2009 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Det. Gonzo Ruiz TV series, 1 episode
2009 Burn Notice Diego Garza TV series, 4 episodes
2011 Blue Bloods Diego TV series, 2 episodes
2011 Curb Your Enthusiasm Mugger TV series, 1 episode
2012 Person of Interest Ochoa TV series, Episode: "Triggerman"
2014 Unforgettable Dudek TV series, 1 episode
2015 Girls Joralemon TV series, 1 episode
2015 Terminator Genisys Detective Timmons feature film
2015 Gotham Odgen Barker TV series, Episode: "Damned If You Do..."
2015 The Blacklist Michael Carpus TV series, 1 episode
2015 My Name Is David feature film
2016 Shades of Blue Raul Mendez TV series, 2 episodes
2016 Elementary Renny Trautman TV series, 1 episode
2016 The Pearl Louis Rivera TV movie
2018 Red Dead Redemption 2 Del Lobos Gang Video game
2018 Luke Cage Arturo Rey "El Ray" III TV series, Episode: "Soul Brother #1"
edit