Personal life

Plana was born in Havana. His family moved to Miami in 1960. He is a graduate of Loyola Marymount University and was trained in acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, UK.

Career

While he is 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. He has created and directed a number of productions of the works of Shakespeare for minority audiences and he has been active in both the Los Angeles, Washington, DC and New York City theater communities, including leading appearances on Broadway and at New York City's Public Theater. He originated the role of Rudy in the L.A. production of the Luis Valdez play Zoot Suit, going on to play Rudy in the film version as well.

Plana has acted, directed and written for television in series, mini-series, 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, Cagney & Lacey and many others.

Plana has acted in films such as An Officer and a Gentleman, Three Amigos!, Goal!, Lone Star, and others. 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. He also directed Witch's Lament, a Desperate Housewives episode in the show's eighth season. In 2011, he appeared in Body of Proof, in the episode "Helping Hand".

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

Politics

Plana is currently volunteering 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

Won

• Satellite Awards for Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television for his role as "Ignacio Suarez," Ugly Betty, on December 17, 2006.

Nominations

• Screen Actors Guild Awards: Screen Actors Guild Award for Best Ensemble - Comedy Series for: Ugly Betty (2006).
• ALMA Awards: Outstanding Actor in a Television Series for: Resurrection Blvd. (2002)
• ALMA Awards: Outstanding Actor in a New Television Series for: Resurrection Blvd. (2001)
• Bravo Awards: Outstanding Actor in a Feature Film for: Lone Star (1996).

Filmography (partial)

What's Happening!! (1978) Zoot Suit (1981) Madame X (1981 - for TV) An Officer and a Gentleman (1982) El Norte (1983) Valley Girl (1983) Latino (1985) Salvador (1986) ¡Three Amigos! (1986) Born in East L.A. (1987) Disorderlies (1987) Miami Vice (1988) Romero (1989) The Case of the Hillside Stranglers (1989) Havana (1990) The Rookie (1990) JFK (1991) The Golden Girls (1991) One Good Cop (1991) Seinfeld (Season 2 Episode 5: The Apartment) (1991) Nixon (1995)

Silver Strand (1995) Lone Star (1996) One Eight Seven (1997) Primal Fear (1997) Half Past Dead (2002) Picking Up the Pieces (2000) Monk (TV series) (2003) 24 (2004) The Lost City (2005) Goal! (2005) El Muerto (2007) Life Is Hot in Cracktown (2009) Change Your Life! (2009) Desperate Housewives (2011) America (2011) Body of Proof - Episode 3: "Helping Hand" (2011) Psych - Season 7, Episode 4: "No Country for Two Old Men" (2013) Pain and Gain (2013) Alpha House (2013-2014) The Fosters (2015) Cristela (2015)

Voice acting

• Godzilla 1985 as Goro Maki
• Grim Fandango (1998)
• Hiroshima - Radio play based on the book by John Hersey, adapted by John Valentine (2003)

[ Source: Wikipedia ]