Andy Garcia

Garcia established CineSon Productions to produce and develop films and music of a personal nature. The urban romance Just the Ticket, in which he starred opposite Andie MacDowell, was released in 1999 and was the company's maiden feature film release. He also produced, performed and wrote numerous songs for the soundtrack.

ANDY GARCIA (Terry Benedict) most recently received a Golden Globe nomination for his role as legendary Cuban trumpeter Arturo Sandoval in the HBO bio-picture For Love Or Country: The Arturo Sandoval Story, which he also executive-produced for his own CineSon Productions. He also produced the soundtrack.

Garcia received Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for his role of Vincent Mancini in The Godfather Part III. That same year, he was voted Star of the Year by the National Association of Theater Owners for his performances in Internal Affairs and The Godfather Part III. Among the numerous awards he has received, Garcia was honored with the Harvard University Foundation Award for outstanding contributions to the American Performing Arts and Intercultural Relations. He also received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, a Hispanic Heritage Award for the Arts and a Father's Day Council Father of the Year Award. As well, he is also the recipient of an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts Degree from St. John's University, and an Oscar de la Hoya Foundation Champion Award.

Among recent CineSon productions are The Man From Elysian Fields, in which he co-starred in with Mick Jagger, James Coburn, Julianna Margulies, Olivia Williams and Angelica Huston. The film was in association with Pfilmco and Zuckerman Entertainment. He also recently starred in and executive-produced Unsaid, for CineSon, in association with New Legend Media and co-starred with Harry Belafonte in Swing Vote, which he co-executive produced with Jerry Bruckheimer for ABC.

Among his other feature film credits are Desperate Measures, for which he received an ALMA Award from the National Council of La Raza for Best Film Actor in a Crossover Role; Sidney Lumet's Night Falls on Manhattan; Hoodlum, in which he starred as Lucky Luciano and The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, in which he portrayed the celebrated Spanish playwright and poet, Federico Garcia Lorca.

Garcia's other celebrated performances include Things to Do In Denver When You're Dead, Steal Big Steal Little (for which he produced, wrote and performed four songs for the soundtrack); When a Man Loves a Woman (for which he and co-star Meg Ryan won the first ever PRISM Heritage Award for portraying the turbulence of alcohol abuse in a truthful manner); Jennifer 8; Hero; Dead Again; Black Rain; The Untouchables; 8 Million Ways to Die; Stand and Deliver; The Mean Season; American Roulette and Clinton and Nadine, one of the first HBO telefilms.

Under the CineSon banner, Garcia made his directorial debut with Cachao…Como Su Ritmo No Hay Dos (Like His Rhythm There Is No Other) a feature-length documentary concert film about renowned Cuban bass player and composer Israel Lopez Cachao, a co-creator of the Mambo. The film, which he co-produced, received worldwide critical recognition.

He subsequently produced and performed on Volumes I and II of Cachao - Master Sessions, the former a 1994 Grammy Award winner and the latter a 1995 Grammy Award nominee, both of which were CineSon productions, released under the Crescent Moon Records label through Sony/Epic Music. Garcia and Cachao again teamed up and recorded Cachao - Cuba Linda, for his CineSon record label. The record was nominated for a Grammy Award as well as being nominated for the 2000 Latin Grammys.

Born in Havana, Cuba, Garcia's family fled in exile to Miami Beach, Florida as a result of Fidel Castro's takeover of his homeland at the age of five. He attended Florida International University, and spent several years performing in regional theater productions before moving to Los Angeles in the late 1970s.