''Piñero'' is a 2001 American
biopic
A biographical film or biopic () is a film that dramatizes the life of a non-fictional or historically-based person or people. Such films show the life of a historical person and the central character's real name is used. They differ from docudr ...
about the troubled life of
Nuyorican
Nuyorican is a portmanteau of the terms "New York" and "Puerto Rican" and refers to the members or culture of the Puerto Ricans located in or around New York City, or of their descendants (especially those raised or currently living in the N ...
poet
A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator ( thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems ( oral or wr ...
and
playwright
A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes plays.
Etymology
The word "play" is from Middle English pleye, from Old English plæġ, pleġa, plæġa ("play, exercise; sport, game; drama, applause"). The word "wright" is an archaic English ...
Miguel Piñero
Miguel Piñero (December 19, 1946 – June 16, 1988) was a playwright, actor and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café. He was a leading member of the Nuyorican literary movement.
Early years
Piñero was born on December 19, 1946, in Gur ...
, starring
Benjamin Bratt
Benjamin Bratt (born December 16, 1963) is an American actor and producer who has worked in film and on television. He had supporting roles in the 1990s in such box office hits as ''Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Clear and Present Danger'' (1994), ...
as the title character.
It was written and directed by the
Cuban filmmaker,
Leon Ichaso
Leon Ichaso (born August 3, 1948) is a Cuban-American writer and film director. Some of his prominent works include El Super, Bitter Sugar, and others.
Biography Early life
Leon Ichaso was born in Havana, Cuba, on August 3, 1948. Ichaso migrated ...
,
[ premiered at the ]Montreal World Film Festival
The Montreal World Film Festival (WFF; french: le Festival des Films du Monde) was one of Canada's oldest international film festivals and the only competitive film festival in North America accredited by the FIAPF (although the Toronto Interna ...
on August 31, 2001, and then received a limited theatrical release in the United States on December 13, 2001.
Cast
*Benjamin Bratt
Benjamin Bratt (born December 16, 1963) is an American actor and producer who has worked in film and on television. He had supporting roles in the 1990s in such box office hits as ''Demolition Man'' (1993), ''Clear and Present Danger'' (1994), ...
as Miguel Piñero
* Talisa Soto as Sugar
*Giancarlo Esposito
Giancarlo Giuseppe Alessandro Esposito (; born April 26, 1958) is an American actor and director. He is best known for portraying Gus Fring in the AMC crime drama series ''Breaking Bad'', from 2009 to 2011, and in its prequel series ''Better Ca ...
as Miguel Algarin
*Rita Moreno
Rita Moreno (born Rosa Dolores Alverío Marcano; December 11, 1931) is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer. Noted for her work across different areas of the entertainment industry, she has appeared in numerous film, television, and thea ...
as Miguel's mother
*Michael Irby
Michael Clinton Irby (born November 16, 1972) is an American actor known for portraying Sergeant First Class Charles Grey in the CBS series ''The Unit'' (2006–2009), and more recently, for his work as Obispo 'Bishop' Losa in ''Mayans M.C.'' ...
as Reinaldo Povod
*Mandy Patinkin
Mandel Bruce Patinkin (; born November 30, 1952) is an American actor and singer, known for his work in musical theatre, television and film. He is a critically acclaimed Broadway performer, having received three Tony Award nominations, winning ...
as Joseph Papp
Joseph Papp (born Joseph Papirofsky; June 22, 1921 – October 31, 1991) was an American theatrical producer and director. He established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in Lower Manhattan. There Papp created a y ...
*Griffin Dunne
Thomas Griffin Dunne (; born June 8, 1955) is an American actor, film producer, and film director. Dunne studied acting at The Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theatre in New York City. He is known for portraying Jack Goodman in '' An Amer ...
as Agent
*Ray Santiago
Raymond "Ray" Santiago (born June 15, 1984 in South Bronx, New York) is an American actor of Puerto Rican descent.
Early life
Santiago graduated in 2002 from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School for the Arts in New York City.
Career
Raymond Sa ...
as Willie
*O.L. Duke
Orville Lewis Duke (August 12, 1953
– September 10, 2004) was an American stage, television and film actor.
He was a member of the renowned Actors Studio and was the interim Artistic Director of the Negro Ensemble Company (NEC) from 2002 to ...
as Paul
*Fisher Stevens
Fisher Stevens (born Steven Fisher; November 27, 1963) is an American actor, director, producer and writer. As an actor, he is best known for his portrayals of Ben in ''Short Circuit'' and '' Short Circuit 2'', Chuck Fishman on the 1990s televi ...
as Public Theater
The Public Theater is a New York City arts organization founded as the Shakespeare Workshop in 1954 by Joseph Papp, with the intention of showcasing the works of up-and-coming playwrights and performers.Epstein, Helen. ''Joe Papp: An American L ...
Cashier
*Tara Wilson as Tito's girlfriend
*Nelson Vasquez as Tito Goya
Tito Goya (real name Andrew Butler) (April 4, 1951 – December 1, 1985) was a Puerto Rican actor known for his portrayal of "Cupcake" in the 1977 film '' Short Eyes''.
Goya appeared in '' Marathon Man'' (1976), ''Andy Warhol's Bad'' (1977 ...
References
External links
*
*
2001 films
2001 biographical drama films
American biographical drama films
Films set in the 1970s
Films about drugs
2001 drama films
Biographical films about writers
Films directed by Leon Ichaso
2000s English-language films
2000s American films
{{bio-film-stub