Esai Morales

About

Esai Manuel Morales Jr. (born October 1, 1962) is an American actor. He has had notable roles in  Bad Boys with Sean Penn and La Bamba with Lou Diamond Phillips. His television roles include the PBS 2002 drama series American Family, the Showtime series Resurrection Blvd. (2000–2002), portraying Lt. Tony Rodriguez on NYPD Blue (2001–2003), Joseph Adama in the science fiction series Caprica (2009–2010), Camino del Rio in the Netflix original series Ozark (2017), and the DC Comics supervillain Slade Wilson / Deathstroke in the superhero series Titans (2019). Morales appeared as Gabriel, the main antagonist in the 2023 spy action film Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One opposite Tom Cruise, a role reprised in Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning in 2025.

Known for

Law & Order: Special Victims UnitSeries • 1999Criminal MindsSeries • 2005CSI: MiamiSeries • 2002Chicago P.D.Series • 2014NCIS: Los AngelesSeries • 2009Curb Your EnthusiasmSeries • 2000NYPD BlueSeries • 1993How to Get Away with MurderSeries • 2014Miami ViceSeries • 1984Burn NoticeSeries • 2007American PlayhouseSeries • 1982TitansSeries • 2018OzarkSeries • 2017Major CrimesSeries • 2012Dora the ExplorerSeries • 2000The EqualizerSeries • 1985The Outer LimitsSeries • 1995The Twilight ZoneSeries • 1985War MachineMovie • 2026Tales from the CryptSeries • 1989Mission: Impossible - The Final ReckoningMovie • 2025FameSeries • 1982Family LawSeries • 1999JerichoSeries • 2006