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Ruben Santiago-HdsonAmerican actor and playwright
Date of Birth: 24.11.1956
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Ruben Santiago-Hudson
Ruben Santiago-Hudson is an American actor and playwright, and a Tony Award winner. He had a challenging journey to fame, with many people telling him that he was not suited for classical theater. However, Ruben managed to break through on Broadway in the early 1990s. He is most well-known for his involvement in three projects: the musical 'Jelly's Last Jam', the play 'Seven Guitars', and the play 'Henry VIII'.
His role as August Wilson in 'Seven Guitars' caught the attention of Hollywood representatives, and in 1997, he had the opportunity to act alongside Al Pacino and Keanu Reeves in 'Devil's Advocate'. Soon after the success of the film, Ruben landed a recurring role in the CBS series 'Michael Hayes'.
Early Life and Challenges
Ruben Santiago-Hudson was born and raised near Buffalo, New York. His childhood was tough; his parents divorced early on, and Ruben lived with his mother, who struggled with drug addiction. Additionally, he was one of the few African American students in his local school, and racism from his classmates significantly reduced his desire to excel academically.
Nevertheless, Ruben managed to attend college, although racism continued to hinder his progress. Due to his skin color, he was often denied the opportunity to play popular classical roles. He moved to New York City, but his luck didn't change. He was rejected by the Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre due to his lack of Spanish language skills and by the Negro Ensemble Company due to his Puerto Rican heritage.
Taking a new surname, a combination of his parents' names, Ruben finally secured a small role in one of the plays produced by the Negro Ensemble Company. It took him almost ten years to make it to Broadway, making his debut in the production of 'Jelly's Last Jam'.
Career in Television and Film
Ruben also tried his hand in television, but he didn't achieve much success there. However, he did manage to land a few decent roles, including Captain Billy Cooper in the daytime soap opera 'Another World' and a couple of episodic characters in the popular NBC comedy series 'Dear John'.
In 1994, Ruben made his film debut in a small role in 'Blown Away'. Currently, he is playing the lead role of Captain Roy Montgomery in the television series 'Castle'.
