Benjamin Bratt
A charismatic actor who brought grounded intensity and quiet dignity to roles spanning from network procedurals to blockbuster films.
Born 1963 (age 63)·American actor·Birthday: December 16·Baby Boomers
Biography
Benjamin Bratt's path to acting was shaped by his multicultural heritage and a childhood in San Francisco. He found his footing on stage before landing television roles that showcased his natural authority and emotional depth. His breakout came as the principled Detective Rey Curtis on 'Law & Order,' a role that earned him an Emmy nomination and made him a familiar face in American living rooms. Bratt has consistently chosen parts that defy easy categorization, moving from the gentle love interest in 'Miss Congeniality' to the formidable drug lord in 'Traffic' and lending his voice to animated heroes in Pixar's 'Coco.' His career reflects a deliberate balance between mainstream success and projects that honor his Peruvian and Indigenous roots, often focusing on stories of community and resilience.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Benjamin was born in 1963, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Benjamin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1963
#1 Movie
Cleopatra
Best Picture
Tom Jones
#1 TV Show
Beverly Hillbillies
Benjamin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1963Born
JFK assassinated in Dallas; Martin Luther King's 'I Have a Dream' speech
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,100Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Sugar Shack" — Jimmy Gilmer & The FireballsBest Picture: Tom Jones
1968Started school
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1976Became a teenager
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1979Could drive
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1981Could vote
MTV launches; first Space Shuttle flight; AIDS identified
Gas: $1.31/galHome: $52,300Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Bette Davis Eyes" — Kim CarnesBest Picture: Chariots of Fire
1984Turned 21
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1993Turned 30
European Union officially established
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $86,600Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"I Will Always Love You" — Whitney HoustonBest Picture: Schindler's List
2003Turned 40
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 50
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 60
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 63 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination for his role as Detective Rey Curtis on the long-running series 'Law & Order'.
- Starred as the lead in the A&E drama series 'The Cleaner,' which he also co-produced.
- Played a pivotal role in Steven Soderbergh's Oscar-winning film 'Traffic' as a complex Tijuana cartel member.
- Voiced the character of Ernesto de la Cruz in the Spanish-language version of the Pixar film 'Coco.'
Did You Know?
His mother is a Quechua Indigenous activist from Peru who moved to the U.S. as a teenager.
He is a graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and the American Conservatory Theater.
He was in a long-term relationship with actress Julia Roberts from 1997 to 2001.
He is the older brother of actor Peter Bratt, with whom he has collaborated on film projects.
“The greatest gift my mother gave me was the understanding that my ancestry is something to be proud of.”
