Benjamin Bratt is an actor that has been around for a while. He started off in small spots in movies, but then he landed the role that put him on the map: Detective Reynaldo Curtis on Law and Order. The lean and hunky detective has since made his way to several more roles, including ones in movies like Blood in Blood Out, Clear and Present Danger, and The River Wild.
Blood in Blood Out (1994)
Benjamin Bratt, born in San Francisco, was raised mainly by his mother, who was a nurse and Native American activist. His metalworker father was less of a presence. His acting career took off with a role in the television series Law and Order. He cut short his master’s program at UC Santa Barbara to focus on acting full-time.
He has starred in movies like ‘Follow Me Home’, ‘La Mission’, ‘Miss Congeniality’, ‘Traffic’, and ‘Pinero’. He has also narrated the film We Shall Remain, which establishes Native history as an essential part of American history. He has worked with stars like Sandra Bullock, Halle Berry, and Michael Douglas.
Clear and Present Danger (1995)
Whether in dramatic or comedic roles, Benjamin Bratt has always delivered. The actor has had a prolific film career, starring in films like Miss Congeniality, Red Planet, Traffic, Pinero, and the critically acclaimed drama Dolores Huerta (2017). On television, he has portrayed Detective Reynaldo Curtis on Law and Order for five seasons.
Born into a multi-ethnic family with Peruvian, Quechua, and German heritage, his unique perspective has shaped his work. This diverse background translates on the big screen and allows him to capture the attention of audiences. The actor has left a lasting impression on viewers with roles like the compassionate Detective Rey Curtis on Law and Order.
Miss Congeniality (1996)
Miss Congeniality is a powder puff comedy in which Sandra Bullock stars as Gracie Hart, an FBI agent who gets sent to pose as a contestant at the national beauty pageant after her macho boss is informed that the event could come under terrorist attack. It was a low-profile role, but Bratt showed his range as an actor.
He had already made his name with television, appearing in the failed series Juarez and NBC’s short-lived Nasty Boys, but it was 1994 that saw him make the leap to the silver screen with roles in Blood in Blood Out and Clear and Present Danger. He starred in a number of films over the next decade, including ‘Traffic’, ‘Pinero’ and the lackluster superhero film Catwoman.
Red Planet (1998)
After a few small roles on TV and movies, Bratt broke through as lean, hunky detective Reynaldo Curtis in Law & Order. Then came roles in films like Blood in Blood Out, Miss Congeniality, and Traffic.
Red Planet doesn’t stray too far from the usual Sci-Fi movie, and there’s an enjoyable amount of plot frippery. However, the thin characterizations and apathy with which the characters face their own demise doesn’t make for compelling viewing.
Also, there’s no rhyme or reason to the fact that AMEE, the hapless robot, hunts down and kills the crew of the terraforming expedition.
Catwoman (2004)
With this film, Halle Berry became a star with a film that was a bold departure from the usual special effects blockbusters. She plays Patience Phillips, a frumpy designer for Hedare Beauty who unwittingly discovers that the company’s new facial cream contains an addictive drug with skin-warping consequences. Hedare’s henchmen kill her, but she is reborn as the night-time Catwoman with some very unusual catlike abilities and a vengeful streak.
Benjamin Bratt stars as her police detective, who is in hot pursuit of the catlike killer. There is not much in the way of character development between these two and their relationship consists of a few sexy scenes and some ear-splitting yowls.
Thumbsucker (2005)
The actor starred in the independent comedy Thumbsucker, directed by Mike Mills from a Walter Kirn novel. It tells the story of Justin Cobb, a gawky teen whose mother (Tilda Swinton) is obsessed with New Age gurus and he self-medicates with a thumb sucking habit.
Though the film veers into some scatological humor — such as an anal baggie of cocaine — it has a lot of heart and some great rise and fall in emotion. And it shows off Bratt’s comic talents, especially when arguing with his mother or bickering with his sisters. His performance is believable and earnest without ever slipping into self-parody.
The Woodsman (2004)
Taking on the challenging task of humanizing men whom society justifiably casts as monsters, this film focuses on Walter, a convicted child molester trying to fit back into his community. Kassell handles the subject matter with a delicate touch.
The Woodsman is one of those rare films that prove great cinema is more than the stringing together of plot exposition, suspense and special effects to create a visually-impressive vehicle for mindless entertainment. Great films force viewers to consider even the most grotesque characters, and they demonstrate that heroes are not perfect.
Bratt first became known for his performance as New York City detective Rey Curtis in the popular NBC television series Law and Order from 1995 to 1999.
The Andromeda Strain (2008)
In 2008, Bratt starred as a scientist on a mission to eradicate a deadly virus in the Michael Crichton-based miniseries The Andromeda Strain. The series was a ratings success but failed to attract a large enough audience to warrant a second season.
Mikael Salomon’s adaptation sticks closely to the Crichton original, with a team of scientists (including epidemiologist Jeremy Stone, surgeon Angela Noyce, epileptic microbiologist Tsi Chou and pathologist Charlene Barton) holed up in Wildfire, a secluded government facility. But the cast is engaging and the story adds enough new elements to avoid being a rote exercise in modernization.
The Cleaner (2008)
In his first movie since Law and Order, Bratt plays an ex-junkie interventionist with a troubled past in this tense drama. Despite a lackluster script, the film succeeds thanks to a gripping performance from Bratt and a solid supporting cast that includes Grace Park (Battlestar Galactica), Gil Bellows (Ally McBeal), Esteban Powell (La Mission) and Darnell McDowell (Crash).
The Cleaner is darker than most mid level cable dramas, with addiction and God talk bigger themes than one typically finds on TV. Still, it’s a welcome step forward from A&E’s ludicrous reality junk and a strong contender for the cable audience.
