Louis Diamond Phillips ( born Upchurch; February 17, 1962) is a Filipino-American actor and

film director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...

. His breakthrough came when he starred as

Ritchie Valens Richard Steven Valenzuela (May 13, 1941 – February 3, 1959), known professionally as Ritchie Valens, was an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. A rock and roll pioneer and a forefather of the Chicano rock movement, Valens was killed i ...

in the biographical drama film '' La Bamba'' (1987). For ''

Stand and Deliver ''Stand and Deliver'' is a 1988 American drama film directed by Ramón Menéndez, written by Menéndez and Tom Musca, based on the true story of a high school mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante. For portraying Escalante, Edward James Olmos wa ...

'' (1988), Phillips was nominated for a

Golden Globe Award The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

and won an

Independent Spirit Award The Independent Spirit Awards (abbreviated Spirit Awards and originally known as the FINDIE or Friends of Independents Awards), founded in 1984, are awards dedicated to independent filmmakers. Winners were typically presented with acrylic glas ...

. Phillips made his

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street **Broadway Theatre (53rd Stree ...

debut with the 1996 revival of ''

The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childre ...

'', earning a

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...

nomination for his portrayal of King Mongkut of Siam. Phillips' other notable films include '' Young Guns'' (1988), ''

Young Guns II ''Young Guns II'' is a 1990 American Western film and a sequel to '' Young Guns'' (1988). It stars Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips, and Christian Slater, and features William Petersen as Pat Garrett. It was written by Jo ...

'' (1990), ''

Courage Under Fire ''Courage Under Fire'' is a 1996 American war film directed by Edward Zwick, and starring Denzel Washington and Meg Ryan. It is the second collaboration between Washington and director Zwick. The film was released in the United States on July ...

'' (1996), ''

The Big Hit ''The Big Hit'' is a 1998 American action comedy film directed by Hong Kong filmmaker Che-Kirk Wong, and stars Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Bokeem Woodbine, Antonio Sabàto Jr., China Chow, Avery Brooks, Lainie Kazan, ...

'' (1998), ''

Brokedown Palace ''Brokedown Palace'' is a 1999 American drama film directed by Jonathan Kaplan, and starring Claire Danes, Kate Beckinsale, Bill Pullman and Lim Kay Tong. It deals with two American friends imprisoned in Thailand for alleged drug smuggling. Its ...

'' (1999), '' Che'' (2008), and ''

The 33 ''The 33'' ( es, Los 33) is a 2015 biographical disaster-survival drama film directed by Patricia Riggen and written by Mikko Alanne, Craig Borten, Michael Thomas, and José Rivera. The film is based on the real events of the 2010 Copiapó mi ...

'' (2015). In the television series '' Longmire'', he played a main character named Henry Standing Bear. He played New York City Police Lieutenant Gil Arroyo on '' Prodigal Son'' on

FOX Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...

from 2019 to 2021.

Early life

Phillips was born February 17, 1962, at the

Subic Bay Naval Station Naval Base Subic Bay was a major ship-repair, supply, and rest and recreation facility of the Spanish Navy and subsequently the United States Navy located in Zambales, Philippines. The base was 262 square miles, about the size of Singapore. Th ...

in the

Philippines The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no), * bik, Republika kan Filipinas * ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas * cbk, República de Filipinas * hil, Republ ...

, the son of Lucita Umayam Aranas and Gerald Amon Upchurch (1935–1963), a Marine

KC-130 The Lockheed Martin (previously Lockheed) KC-130 is a family of the extended-range tanker version of the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft. The KC-130J is the latest variant operated by the United States Marine Corps (USMC), with 48 delivered ...

crew chief.; no longer online, transcript at His mother, a native of

Candelaria, Zambales Candelaria, officially the Municipality of Candelaria, is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Zambales, Philippines. According to the 2020 census, it has a population of 30,263 people. History During the pre-Spanish era, the area of Ca ...

, is

Filipina Filipinos ( tl, Mga Pilipino) are the people who are citizens of or native to the Philippines. The majority of Filipinos today come from various Austronesian ethnolinguistic groups, all typically speaking either Filipino, English and/or other ...

. His father was an American of Scots-Irish and Cherokee descent. Phillips was named after the US Marine Leland "Lou" Diamond. After his father's death, he was adopted by his stepfather and his surname was changed to Phillips. Phillips was raised in

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

. He graduated from

Flour Bluff High School Flour Bluff High School is a public high school in Corpus Christi, Texas (USA). It is part of the Flour Bluff Independent School District. The Texas Education Agency's 2009 accountability rating was "Recognized" Student demographics As of the ...

in Corpus Christi in 1980 and from the

University of Texas at Arlington The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA or UT Arlington) is a public research university in Arlington, Texas. The university was founded in 1895 and was in the Texas A&M University System for several decades until joining the University of Te ...

with a

Bachelor of Fine Arts A Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) is a standard undergraduate degree for students for pursuing a professional education in the visual, fine or performing arts. It is also called Bachelor of Visual Arts (BVA) in some cases. Background The Bachelor ...

degree in

Drama Drama is the specific mode of fiction represented in performance: a play, opera, mime, ballet, etc., performed in a theatre, or on radio or television.Elam (1980, 98). Considered as a genre of poetry in general, the dramatic mode has been ...

Career

1980s

The first low-budget film in which he starred was called ''Trespasses''. Phillips' big break came with the starring role in '' La Bamba'' (1987) in which he played early rocker

. Prior to his cinematic breakthrough, he starred in the ''

Miami Vice ''Miami Vice'' is an American crime drama television series created by Anthony Yerkovich and produced by Michael Mann (director), Michael Mann for NBC. The series stars Don Johnson as James "Sonny" Crockett and Philip Michael Thomas as Ricardo ...

'' episode "Red Tape" (March 13, 1987), portraying detective Bobby Diaz. In 1988, Phillips co-starred with

Edward James Olmos Edward James Olmos (born February 24, 1947) is an American actor, director, producer, and activist. He is best known for his roles as Lieutenant Martin "Marty" Castillo in ''Miami Vice'' (1984–1989), ''American Me'' (1992) (which he also dir ...

in the inner-city high school drama ''

'', in a role for which he was nominated for the

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture The Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture is a Golden Globe Award that was first awarded by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association in 1944 for a performance in a motion picture released in the previous year. The formal ...

and won the

Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male The Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male was one of the annual Independent Spirit Awards. It was first presented in 1987, with Morgan Freeman being the first recipient, for his role as Fast Black in '' Street Smart''. It was last pre ...

. He plays Angel David Guzman, a ''

cholo ''Cholo'' () is a loosely defined Spanish term that has had various meanings. Its origin is a somewhat derogatory term for people of mixed-blood heritage in the Spanish Empire in Latin America and its successor states as part of '' castas'' ...

'' ''

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

'' who is inspired by his math teacher,

Jaime Escalante Jaime Alfonso Escalante Gutiérrez (December 31, 1930 – March 30, 2010) was a Bolivian-American educator known for teaching students calculus from 1974 to 1991 at Garfield High School in East Los Angeles. Escalante was the subject of the 19 ...

, to excel at

calculus Calculus, originally called infinitesimal calculus or "the calculus of infinitesimals", is the mathematical study of continuous change, in the same way that geometry is the study of shape, and algebra is the study of generalizations of arithm ...

. Working to master the subject, he develops a friendship with his teacher. ''Stand and Deliver'' was filmed before ''La Bamba'', but it was released a year later. Lou Diamond Phillips

In 1988 Phillips co-starred with

Emilio Estevez Emilio Estevez (; born May 12, 1962) is an American actor and filmmaker. He is the son of actor Martin Sheen and the older brother of Charlie Sheen. Emilio Estevez started his career as an actor and is known for being a member of the acting Br ...

and

Kiefer Sutherland Kiefer William Sutherland (born 21 December 1966) is a British-Canadian actor and musician. He is best known for his starring role as Jack Bauer in the Fox drama series '' 24'' (2001–2010, 2014), for which he won an Emmy Award, a Golden Glo ...

in the

Western film The Western is a genre set in the American frontier and commonly associated with folk tales of the Western United States, particularly the Southwestern United States, as well as Northern Mexico and Western Canada. It is commonly referred ...

'' Young Guns,'' in which he plays

Jose Chavez y Chavez Jose is the English transliteration of the Hebrew and Aramaic name ''Yose'', which is etymologically linked to ''Yosef'' or Joseph. The name was popular during the Mishnaic and Talmudic periods. *Jose ben Abin *Jose ben Akabya *Jose the Galilean ...

, a historical

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

outlaw An outlaw, in its original and legal meaning, is a person declared as outside the protection of the law. In pre-modern societies, all legal protection was withdrawn from the criminal, so that anyone was legally empowered to persecute or kill them ...

1990s

In 1990, he revisited the role of

in ''

.'' In the mid-1990s, Phillips was a vocalist with the Los Angeles-based rock group The Pipefitters. In 1993, Phillips was among the guests on the

Randy Travis Randy Bruce Traywick (born May 4, 1959), known professionally as Randy Travis, is an American country music and gospel music singer, songwriter, guitarist, and actor. Active from 1978 until being incapacitated by a stroke in 2013, he has recor ...

television special A television special (often TV special, or rarely television spectacular) is a standalone television show which may also temporarily interrupt episodic programming normally scheduled for a given time slot. Some specials provide a full range of ent ...

Wind in the Wire ''Wind in the Wire'' is the eighth studio album released by American country music artist Randy Travis. It was released on August 17, 1993, by Warner Records. The album was made to accompany a television series also entitled ''Wind in the Wire''. ...

''. In 1996, Phillips made his

debut as the King in

Richard Rodgers Richard Charles Rodgers (June 28, 1902 – December 30, 1979) was an American Musical composition, composer who worked primarily in musical theater. With 43 Broadway musicals and over 900 songs to his credit, Rodgers was one of the most ...

and

Oscar Hammerstein II Oscar Greeley Clendenning Hammerstein II (; July 12, 1895 – August 23, 1960) was an American lyricist, librettist, theatrical producer, and (usually uncredited) director in the musical theater for almost 40 years. He won eight Ton ...

's ''

''. Phillips won a

Theatre World Award The Theatre World Award is an American honor presented annually to actors and actresses in recognition of an outstanding New York City stage debut performance, either on Broadway theatre, Broadway or Off-Broadway. It was first awarded for the 1945� ...

, and was nominated for both a

and a

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Award is an annual prize recognizing excellence in New York theatre. First bestowed in 1955 as the Vernon Rice Award, the prize initially honored Off-Broadway productions, as well as Off-off-Broadway, and those in the vicinity. Fo ...

for his performance. In 1998, he starred as Cisco, the counterpart of the main character Melvin Smiley (played by

Mark Wahlberg Mark Robert Michael Wahlberg (born June 5, 1971), former stage name Marky Mark, is an American actor, businessman, and former rapper. He has received multiple accolades, including a BAFTA Award, and nominations for two Academy Awards, three ...

) in the comedy-action movie ''

''.

2000s

He later featured a minor role in the TV sitcom ''

George Lopez George Edward Lopez (born April 23, 1961) is an American comedian and actor. He is known for starring in his self-produced ABC sitcom. His stand-up comedy examines race and ethnic relations, including Mexican American culture. Lopez has rec ...

'' (2002–2004) as George Lopez's half-brother. He also played a role in the first season of the TV series '' 24'' as secret government agent Mark DeSalvo, opposite former ''Young Guns'' star

. Phillips played the recurring role of FBI agent Ian Edgerton in the television series ''

Numb3rs ''Numbers'' (stylized as ''NUMB3RS'') is an American crime drama television series that was broadcast on CBS from January 23, 2005, to March 12, 2010, for six seasons and 118 episodes. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton ...

''. Edgerton is an FBI tracker and sniper who works as an instructor at Quantico

FBI Academy The FBI Academy is the Federal Bureau of Investigation's law enforcement training and research center near the town of Quantico in Stafford County, Virginia. Operated by the bureau's Training Division, it was first opened for use on May 7, 197 ...

when he is not working a case in the field. Phillips won the second season of the

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...

reality series, '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'', over pro wrestler

Torrie Wilson Torrie Anne Wilson (born July 24, 1975) is an American former professional wrestler and model. She is best known for her time in World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE, previously the World Wrestling Federation). As a fitness competitor, Wilson won ...

. Phillips currently hosts the weekly series ''An Officer and a Movie'' on

The Military Channel American Heroes Channel (formerly Military Channel and originally Discovery Wings Channel) is an American multinational pay television channel owned by the Warner Bros. Discovery Networks unit of Warner Bros. Discovery. The network carries prog ...

. This series features various theatrical World War II dramas, with discussion breaks during the film in which Phillips interviews members of the US military and intelligence communities about details of the events that inspired each film. In 2003, he starred in a cameo role with

Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. His films have grossed more than $5.4billion in North America and more than $9.3billion worldwide, making him the seventh-highest-grossing actor in North America. He is the recipient o ...

in an action-comedy film ''

Hollywood Homicide ''Hollywood Homicide'' is a 2003 American action comedy film starring Harrison Ford and Josh Hartnett, with an ensemble supporting cast including Lena Olin, Bruce Greenwood, Isaiah Washington, Lolita Davidovich, Keith David, Gladys Knight, Mast ...

''. On September 11, 2007, Phillips joined the touring troupe for

Lerner and Loewe Lerner and Loewe refers to the partnership between lyricist and librettist Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe.Kenny, Ellen, and James M. Salem. “A Guide to Critical Reviews, Part II: The Musical from Rodgers-and-Hart to Lerner-and-Loe ...

's ''

Camelot Camelot is a castle and court associated with the legendary King Arthur. Absent in the early Arthurian material, Camelot first appeared in 12th-century French romances and, since the Lancelot-Grail cycle, eventually came to be described as the ...

'' in the role of

King Arthur King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain. In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...

. Phillips had a recurring role as Colonel Telford in the ''

Stargate Universe ''Stargate Universe'' (often abbreviated as ''SGU'') is a military science fiction television series and part of MGM's ''Stargate'' franchise. It follows the adventures of a present-day, multinational exploration team traveling on the Ancient ...

'' television series during its two-season run on the

SyFy Syfy (formerly Sci-Fi Channel, later shortened to Sci Fi; stylized as SYFY) is an American basic cable channel owned by the NBCUniversal Television and Streaming division of Comcast's NBCUniversal through NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment. Lau ...

channel 2009-2011. He played the would-be commander of the ''Destiny'' expedition, who is left behind when an accident launches an unsuspecting crew into deep space. The commander works from Earth to bring the crew home, often coming into conflict with the shipborne command characters.

2010s

In January 2012, he was one of eight celebrities participating in the

Food Network Food Network is an American basic cable channel owned by Television Food Network, G.P., a joint venture and general partnership between Warner Bros. Discovery Networks (which holds a 69% ownership stake of the network) and Nexstar Media Group ...

reality series Reality television is a genre of television programming that documents purportedly unscripted real-life situations, often starring unfamiliar people rather than professional actors. Reality television emerged as a distinct genre in the early 19 ...

'' Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off''. On January 29, 2012, he was announced as the winner with a

Zagat The ''Zagat Survey'', commonly referred to as Zagat (stylized in all caps; , ) and established by Tim and Nina Zagat in 1979, is an organization which collects and correlates the ratings of restaurants by diners. For their first guide, covering ...

score of 28 out of 30, thereby winning $50,000 for his charity. In June 2012, Phillips began co-starring in the television series '' Longmire'', about a modern-day sheriff played by Robert Taylor. Phillips played Henry Standing Bear, a Native American, who is Longmire's best friend, often helping him with cases and in dealing with the reservation police who do not respect or like outsiders, especially other law enforcement. In December 2012, he was featured in

Imagine Dragons Imagine Dragons is an American pop rock band from Las Vegas, Nevada, consisting of lead singer Dan Reynolds, guitarist Wayne Sermon, bassist Ben McKee and drummer Daniel Platzman. The band first gained exposure with the release of their sing ...

' music video for "

Radioactive Radioactive decay (also known as nuclear decay, radioactivity, radioactive disintegration, or nuclear disintegration) is the process by which an unstable atomic nucleus loses energy by radiation. A material containing unstable nuclei is consid ...

", which went on to eclipse 1 billion views on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

Lou Diamond Phillips performs at The Stage

In February 2013, Phillips appeared as star of the comedy short film ''Lucy in the Sky with Diamond'', playing a hyperbolized version of himself known as the elusive and mysterious LDP—a renegade, spirit guide, and life coach who attempts to help John (John Patrick Jordan) get over a particularly disconcerting ex-girlfriend. The award-winning short was written and directed by Joey Boukadakis. In July 2014, he replaced the injured

Jason Scott Lee Jason Scott Lee (; born November 19, 1966) is an American actor and martial artist. He played Mowgli in Disney's 1994 live-action adaptation of ''The Jungle Book'' and Bruce Lee in the 1993 martial arts film '' Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story''. He ...

Opera Australia Opera Australia is the principal opera company in Australia. Based in Sydney, its performance season at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Opera Australia Orchestra runs for approximately eight months of the year, with the remainder of ...

's Melbourne production of ''The King and I'', reprising his role as the King of Siam, playing opposite

Lisa McCune Lisa McCune (born 19 February 1971) is an Australian actress, known for her role in TV series ''Blue Heelers'' as Senior Constable Maggie Doyle, and in '' Sea Patrol'' as Lieutenant Kate McGregor RAN. She has won four Gold Logie Awards. McCun ...

Anna Leonowens Anna Harriette Leonowens (born Ann Hariett Emma Edwards; 5 November 1831 – 19 January 1915) was an Anglo-Indian or Indian-born British travel writer, educator, and social activist. She became well known with the publication of her memoirs, be ...

. In 2014, he also guest-starred in ''The Wiggles Rock and Roll PreSchool'' DVD and made guest appearances on their TV program on ABC. In 2016, Philips portrayed serial killer

Richard Ramirez Ricardo "Richard" Leyva Muñoz Ramirez (; February 29, 1960 – June 7, 2013), dubbed the Night Stalker, the Valley Intruder (as his attacks were first clustered in the San Gabriel Valley), and the Walk-in Killer was an American serial kil ...

in ''The Night Stalker''.

Radio

Phillips starred in four episodes of the radio series ''

The Twilight Zone ''The Twilight Zone'' is an American media franchise based on the anthology television series created by Rod Serling. The episodes are in various genres, including fantasy, science fiction, absurdism, dystopian fiction, suspense, horror, su ...

'': Vol. 1, " A Kind of a Stopwatch"; Vol. 3, "

The Parallel "The Parallel" is episode 113 of the American television anthology series ''The Twilight Zone''. In this episode an astronaut returns from a voyage to find the world not quite the same as he remembers it. It was an early example of the concept ...

; Vol. 10, "

Miniature A miniature is a small-scale reproduction, or a small version. It may refer to: * Portrait miniature, a miniature portrait painting * Miniature art, miniature painting, engraving and sculpture * Miniature (chess), a masterful chess game or probl ...

"; and Vol. 12, " Long Live Walter Jameson".

Writing

Phillips co-wrote the screenplay for ''Trespasses'' and HBO's ''Dangerous Touch'', and wrote the Miramax feature ''Ambition''. In 2019 Aethon Books announced that it would be publishing Phillips'

debut novel A debut novel is the first novel a novelist publishes. Debut novels are often the author's first opportunity to make an impact on the publishing industry, and thus the success or failure of a debut novel can affect the ability of the author to p ...

, ''Tinderbox: Soldier of Indira'', a science fiction retelling of the

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fairy tales, consisti ...

story of the same name, illustrated by his wife, Yvonne.

Poker

Phillips has been a regular

poker Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...

player since college. In May 2009, Phillips placed 31st of 403 entrants in the 2009 California State Poker Championship

Limit Limit or Limits may refer to: Arts and media * ''Limit'' (manga), a manga by Keiko Suenobu * ''Limit'' (film), a South Korean film * Limit (music), a way to characterize harmony * "Limit" (song), a 2016 single by Luna Sea * "Limits", a 2019 ...

Texas hold 'em Texas hold 'em (also known as Texas holdem, hold 'em, and holdem) is one of the most popular variants of the card game of poker. Two cards, known as hole cards, are dealt face down to each player, and then five Community card poker, communit ...

. He cashed in the $10,000 July

2009 World Series of Poker The 2009 World Series of Poker was the 40th annual World Series of Poker (WSOP). It was held at the Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, and ran from May 27 to July 15. There were 57 bracelet events, culminating in the $10,000 No- ...

World Championship No Limit main event. In a field of 6,494, he was eliminated in the phase from 407 to 185. He started the day in 114th place among the 407 and was busted on the final hand of the day finishing in 186th place and earning $36,626.

Personal life

Relationships and family

During the making of ''Trespasses'', he met

Julie Cypher Julie Cypher (born August 24, 1964) is an American film director best known for being the former partner of musician Melissa Etheridge and former spouse of Lou Diamond Phillips. Biography Cypher was born in Wichita, Kansas, to Dick and Betty ...

, an assistant director. They married on September 17, 1987 and divorced on August 5, 1990. After their divorce, Cypher came out as lesbian and began a long-term relationship with

Melissa Etheridge Melissa Lou Etheridge (born May 29, 1961) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and guitarist. Her eponymous debut album was released in 1988 and became an underground success. It peaked at No. 22 on the ''Billboard'' 200 and its lead ...

. On the set of the film '' Shadow of the Wolf'' (1992), he met

Jennifer Tilly Jennifer Tilly (born Jennifer Ellen Chan; September 16, 1958) is an American–Canadian actress and poker player. Known for her distinctive voice and comedic timing, she has been nominated for an Academy Award, two MTV Movie Awards and three Sat ...

to whom he was briefly engaged. In 1994, he married makeup artist Kelly Preston, with whom he has three daughters: Grace and Isabella (twins born in October 1997), and Lili born in September 1999. They separated in 2003 and their divorce was finalized in July 2007, due to a difficult mediation. Phillips began dating makeup artist Yvonne Boismier in 2004. He was charged with domestic battery against her in 2006. They married in August 2007 and their daughter, Indigo, was born in October 2007. They are partners on writing and illustrating Lou's first published novel.

Legal troubles

On August 11, 2006, Phillips was arrested for disturbing the peace at his

Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...

home following loud noises coming from the house he shared with his live-in girlfriend and future wife, Yvonne Boismier. In December 2006, he pleaded

no contest ' is a legal term that comes from the Latin phrase for "I do not wish to contend". It is also referred to as a plea of no contest or no defense. In criminal trials in certain United States jurisdictions, it is a plea where the defendant neith ...

to a misdemeanor count of disturbing the peace and was sentenced to three years of

probation Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration. In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...

. On November 3, 2017, Phillips was arrested in

Portland, Texas Portland is a city in Nueces and San Patricio Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. Its population was 20,383 as of the 2020 United States census. Portland is a suburb of Corpus Christi, located on the north shore of Nueces and Corpus Christi Ba ...

, after stopping his vehicle to ask a police officer for directions while intoxicated. He was charged with reckless driving. Phillips was released after posting bail. In April 2018, following a

plea deal A plea bargain (also plea agreement or plea deal) is an agreement in criminal law proceedings, whereby the prosecutor provides a concession to the defendant in exchange for a plea of guilt or ''nolo contendere.'' This may mean that the defendant ...

, Phillips was sentenced to two years of probation.

Activism

Phillips serves on the advisory council of The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment, an organization that "champions diversity by educating, connecting, and empowering Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and leaders in entertainment and media." ''

Indian Country Today ''ICT News'' (formerly known as ''Indian Country Today'') is a daily digital news platform that covers the Indigenous world, including American Indians, Alaska Natives and First Nations. It was founded in 1981 as a weekly print newspaper, ''The ...

'' has reported that Phillips is part

Cherokee The Cherokee (; chr, ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯᎢ, translit=Aniyvwiyaʔi or Anigiduwagi, or chr, ᏣᎳᎩ, links=no, translit=Tsalagi) are one of the indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands of the United States. Prior to the 18th century, t ...

on his father's side. He has remained close to the Native American community and was adopted by an Oglala Lakota Sioux family in a traditional ceremony in 1991. His Lakota name translates to "Star Keeper". In 1990, Phillips organized a concert called "The Winds of Life" to benefit Native American causes. Phillips is also a member of the Canadian charity Artists Against Racism. In 2020, he appeared in the

NoH8 The NOH8 Campaign (NOH8 meaning "No Hate") is a charitable organization whose mission is to promote LGBT marriage, gender and human equality through education, advocacy, social media, and visual protest. The campaign was created as photographic ...

LGBTQ ' is an initialism that stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender. In use since the 1990s, the initialism, as well as some of its common variants, functions as an umbrella term for sexuality and gender identity. The LGBT term is a ...

equality campaign.

Awards and achievements

* 1989 –

(''

'', 1988) * 1989 –

nominee for Best Supporting Actor – Motion Picture (''Stand and Deliver'', 1988) * 1989 – Western Heritage Award Bronze Wrangler Theatrical Motion Picture ('' Young Guns'', 1988). Shared with

John Fusco John Fusco is an American screenwriter, producer, and television series creator born in Prospect, Connecticut. His screenplays include '' Crossroads'', '' Young Guns'', '' Young Guns II'', ''Thunderheart'', ''Hidalgo'', '' Spirit: Stallion of t ...

(producer),

Christopher Cain Christopher Cain (born October 29, 1943) is an American director, screenwriter, and producer. Cain was born in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In 1969, he married Sharon Thomas, and adopted her two sons, Roger and Dean. The couple's daughter Krisin ...

(producer),

Charlie Sheen Carlos Irwin Estévez (born September 3, 1965), known professionally as Charlie Sheen, is an American actor. He has appeared in films such as ''Platoon'' (1986), ''Wall Street'' (1987), '' Young Guns'' (1988), '' The Rookie'' (1990), ''The Thr ...

(actor),

(actor) * 1993 – Oxfam America award for his dedication toward ending world hunger * 1994 – Houston International Film Festival Gold award for Best Theatrical Feature Film for ''Ultimate Revenge'' * 1996 – Tony Award nominee for Best Actor on Broadway (''The King And I'') * 1996 – Theater World Award: ''The King and I'' * 1996 – New York Outer Critics Circle: Outstanding Broadway Debut Award of an Actor, ''The King & I'' * 1997 –

Blockbuster Entertainment Award The Blockbuster Entertainment Awards was a film awards ceremony, founded by Blockbuster Entertainment, Inc., that ran from 1995 until 2001. They were produced each year by Ken Ehrlich. Formation and first awards The awards were first held on J ...

for Favorite Supporting Actor – Adventure/Drama (''

'', 1996) * 1997 – Lone Star Film & Television Award for Best Supporting Actor (''Courage Under Fire'', 1996) * 2001 – ''Filipinas'' magazine "Achievement award for Entertainment" * 2003 – Cinemanila Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (

) * 2005 – Asia Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Entertainment and Arts * 2009 – '' I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!'': King of the Jungle * 2012 – '' Rachael vs. Guy: Celebrity Cook-Off'': Winner

Filmography

Film

Television

References

External links

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Lou Diamond Phillips BLVD
(showcases the life and career of the actor since 1999) * * * *
Lou Diamond Phillips Hendon Mob poker tournament results
{{DEFAULTSORT:Phillips, Lou Diamond 1962 births Living people Male actors from Texas American film directors of Filipino descent American people of Chinese descent Cherokee Nation artists American people of Scotch-Irish descent American people of Spanish descent American male actors of Filipino descent American male film actors American male screenwriters American male television actors American television directors Film directors from Texas Hispanic and Latino American male actors I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! winners Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male winners Native American male actors People from Corpus Christi, Texas People from Zambales Screenwriters from Texas Theatre World Award winners University of Texas at Arlington alumni