Elliot Ruiz (born 1985) is an American film actor and a former U.S. Marine.

Early life and career

Ruiz was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Thomas A. Edison High School in 2002. Ruiz joined the

U.S. Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through comb ...

when he was 17 years old, and with six months into his service he was sent to Iraq – as the youngest Marine in his division. The war ended for him in April 2004 when an Iraqi drove a car through barbed wire at a checkpoint, and the wire almost tore Ruiz's leg apart. Doctors told him he would never walk again, but eventually he started to jog and run around. In 2005 he turned to acting, as he got his first movie role in a low budget movie ''Shapeshifter''. In 2007 he got his break with acclaimed drama film ''

Battle for Haditha ''Battle for Haditha'' is a 2007 drama film directed by British director Nick Broomfield based on the Haditha killings. Dramatising real events using a documentary style, ''Battle for Haditha'' is Broomfield's follow up to '' Ghosts.'' The film ...

'', which was directed by British director Nick Broomfield. He was also a cast in the short film ''Juggling in Mosul'' (2009). Ruiz could next be seen in a war film ''

21 and a Wake-Up ''21 and a Wake-Up'' is a 2009 American war film directed and written by producer, director, and writer Chris McIntyre and starring Amy Acker, Danica McKellar, and Faye Dunaway. The first American film about the Vietnam War allowed to shoot on lo ...

'' (2010), starring

Amy Acker Amy Louise Acker (born December 5, 1976) is an American actress. She is best known for starring as Winifred Burkle and Illyria on the supernatural drama series ''Angel'' (2001–2004), as Kelly Peyton on the action drama series ''Alias'' (2005 ...

, Danica McKellar and Faye Dunaway.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ruiz, Elliot 1985 births Living people United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War American male film actors American male television actors Male actors from Philadelphia United States Marines