There might not be a public ceremony, with the event being streamed on the socials of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, but fans around the world and across the galaxy will be celebrating the news that Jimmy Smits – Bail Organa in the prequel trilogy and Rogue One – is to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The star will be situated at 6100 Hollywood Blvd., near Gower Street and will be the 2,696th since the completion of the Walk of Fame in 1961 with the first 1,558 stars.
Born July 9, 1955, in Brooklyn, Smits received a bachelor’s degree from Brooklyn College in 1980 and a master’s degree from Cornell University in 1982. He made his television debut in a 1983 episode of the ABC daytime drama “Ryan’s Hope” and his prime-time debut in the pilot of “Miami Vice,” portraying the partner of Detective Sonny Crockett (Don Johnson) who was killed by a car bomb in the episode’s first five minutes.
Smits’ first series role was as attorney Victor Sifuentes in the NBC legal drama “L.A. Law,” which brought him supporting actor in a drama series Emmy nominations in each of his six seasons on the series and his only win, which came in 1990.
After leaving “L.A. Law” in 1992, Smits joined the cast of “NYPD Blue” in 1994, receiving lead actor in a drama series Emmy nominations all five seasons he was on the series.
Smits was also a cast member of “The West Wing” for its final two seasons as Rep. Matt Santos. His other television credits include “How To Get Away With Murder,” “Sons of Anarchy,” “Brooklyn Nine Nine” and “Dexter,” which brought him his most recent Emmy nomination, for outstanding guest actor in a drama series in 2009.
On the big screen, Smits’ credits include three “Star Wars” films — “Attack of the Clones,” “Revenge of the Sith” and “Rouge One”; “Old Gringo”; “Switch”; “My Family/Mi Familia”; “The Jane Austen Book Club”; and “Mother and Child.”