Rick Najera

Rick Najera

California born Rick Najera started his artistic career as an actor. He is an award-winning actor-writer-director-producer with credits in film, television, theatre and Broadway. Early in his career, he was inspired and mentored by Oscar-winning actress Whoopi Goldberg, Keenen Ivory Wayans and comedian Cheech Marin. Realizing there were few roles for him to play, he took matters into his own hands and started writing his way into Hollywood, and landed his first big writing gig on In Living Color. Rick Najera is one of three Latinos in the history of Broadway to write and star in his own show. Najera made his Broadway debut in 2005 with his award-winning sketch comedy show, Latinologues (TM), the longest running and only showcase of its kind for Latinos in America. Najera penned the holiday film Nothing Like the Holidays starring Debra Messing, Alfred Molina and John Leguizamo, which won him an Alma Award. He was also honored with two WGA nominations for his writing on MADtv. Najera has been honored twice as 100 Most Influential Latinos in America along with several other awards. Rick Najera's fourth book was released in 2013, Almost White: Forced Confessions of a Latino in Hollywood garnering a press tour and five-star reviews on Amazon.com. Rick Najera is the director of the annual CBS Diversity Sketch Comedy Showcase going on 12 years. Rick Najera is a regular contributor to NPR radio and is also a professional speaker (The World Bank, Google, Harvard Law School, Wellesley College, Stanford, CBS, CNN, Al Jazeera, UCLA and more). He is the writer of the multi-Emmy nominated Hulu original series, East Los High and producer of talk show, Latino Thought Makers.

Movies for Rick Najera...

Feliz NaviDAD
Title: Feliz NaviDAD
Character: Minister
Released: November 21, 2020
Type: Movie
David Morales, an Arizona high school principal and single dad, has lost the holiday spirit after also losing his wife a few years ago during the Christmas season. Now, David will do anything to avoid Christmas so he moonlights as a delivery driver during the holidays. But this year David’s 14-year-old daughter, Noel, and his live-in sister, Marissa, are determined to bring the yuletide spirit back to the family and, with a little luck, also help David find love again via online dating. So when Sophie, a witty musician and customer on David’s delivery route, swipes right on him, something magical happens between them.
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Habla Men
Title: Habla Men
Character: Self
Released: March 18, 2014
Type: Movie
Habla Men will enlighten audiences on what it means to be Latino in the United States through the perspective of a diverse group of Hispanic role models whose personal stories are told straight into the camera. Raw, humorous yet sincere, this series will feature the likes of a handsome sensitive man, a "tough guy" actor, a gay championship boxer, a legendary wrestler, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, and a 6'2 transgendered blond bombshell among others. The personal experiences each of the participants openly disclose will keep viewers not only entertained, but challenge preconceived notions.
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Legally Brown
Title: Legally Brown
Character: Bubba Gomez
Released: May 26, 2011
Type: Movie
Legally Brown brings together for one night the funniest headline comedians who just happen to share one common threat, the color of their skin and their perspective on what that means in a post 911 world. Hosted by Tony Plana (ugly Betty) and starring, Alex Reymundo (Latin Kings of Comedy) Jerry Bednob, (Kumar go to white castle) Cristela Alonzo (Last Comic Standing runner up) Willie Barcena (Comedy Central) Omar Elba (Egyptian Born) and Border Patrol Agent Bubba Gomez (Rick Najera) poke fun at stereo types and the Arizona immigration law and prove that once and for all funny is truly funny no matter what color or religion you are.
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Loco Comedy Jam Volume 1
Title: Loco Comedy Jam Volume 1
Released: May 6, 2008
Type: Movie
Stars: Alonzo Bodden, Pablo Francisco, Jeffrey Garcia
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Universal Remote
Title: Universal Remote
Character: Beta Max
Released: January 1, 2007
Type: Movie
Charlie Murphy takes the lead for this comedy concerning two best friends sent hurtling through a politically-incorrect television landscape thanks to a magical remote control that redefines the concept of interactive entertainment. Now, with each change of the channel, the shows get more bizarre, leaving hapless knuckleheads Bubba and Leroy scrambling to find a way back into the real world.
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Pledge This!
Title: Pledge This!
Character: Buford Gomez
Released: December 1, 2006
Type: Movie
At popular South Beach University, filthy rich super-snob Victoria English is the absolute queen of leading Greek student club, Sigma Sigma. In order to achieve her crowning ambition, winning FHM Magazine's annual best sorority, she must recruit atypical 'Sigmies' to fulfill the diversity criteria. Ambitious sycophant pledge Kristen Haas helps her attract 'losers' (too poor, ugly, unfashionable), who are cruelly put through excruciating hazing, without intent to actually enroll them. Gloria, the brightest and most assertive pledge, wins the heart of Derek 'baby Dick', Victoria's ideal, yet constantly abused boyfriend, whose bitch-addiction is cured by this alternative lover. Together they lead the revolt of the not-even-nerds.
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National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
Title: National Lampoon's TV: The Movie
Character: Alfredo Garcia Steven / Self
Released: August 6, 2006
Type: Movie
A celebration of the ever increasing depravity of television in our society-- it's a channel surfing adventure through the most utterly ridiculous spoofed television programming and commercials.
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Title: The West Wing
Character: Ivan 'Izzy' Perez
Released: September 22, 1999
Type: TV
The West Wing provides a glimpse into presidential politics in the nation's capital as it tells the stories of the members of a fictional presidential administration. These interesting characters have humor and dedication that touches the heart while the politics that they discuss touch on everyday life.
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Title: Spicy City
Character: Vic Guapo (voice)
Released: July 11, 1997
Type: TV
Spicy City is an animated television series which was created by Ralph Bakshi for HBO. The series lasted for one season which consisted of six episodes.
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Title: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Character: The Pig Farmer (voice)
Released: March 12, 1995
Type: TV
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child is an American anthology animated television series.
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Title: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Character: Prince Pepito / Thug #1 (voice)
Released: March 12, 1995
Type: TV
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child is an American anthology animated television series.
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Title: Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child
Character: Sheriff de Jamon (voice)
Released: March 12, 1995
Type: TV
Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child is an American anthology animated television series.
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Floundering
Title: Floundering
Character: Good Samaritan
Released: November 4, 1994
Type: Movie
A disaffected and increasingly disturbed young man journeys through post-riot Los Angeles.
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Title: Bakersfield P.D.
Character: Dispatcher
Released: September 14, 1993
Type: TV
Bakersfield P.D. is a short-lived American television comedy series that aired on the Fox network in 1993-94. The show was based in the police department of the city of Bakersfield, California. It was shot with naturalistic lighting and without a laugh track. Fox canceled the show after one season, citing low ratings. The cable channel Trio reran the show under its "Brilliant But Cancelled" umbrella.
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Red Surf
Title: Red Surf
Character: Calavera
Released: December 1, 1989
Type: Movie
Remar and Attila are a couple of surfers who also deal drugs to make a living. They are trying to set up a final deal with local drug lord, Calavera, when their friend True Blue is busted by the cops. Blue talks too much in the police station and Calavera is out for revenge because of the betrayal.
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Title: China Beach
Released: April 26, 1988
Type: TV
Dateline: November 1967. Within klicks of Danang, Vietnam, sits a U.S. Army base, bar and hospital on China Beach filled with wounded soldiers and one very lovely but damaged Army Nurse Colleen McMurphy. Many heroes, dead and alive, try to make sense of life and death in between bourbon, bullets and battles.
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Title: Falcon Crest
Character: Paco
Released: December 4, 1981
Type: TV
Falcon Crest is an American primetime television soap opera which aired on the CBS network for nine seasons, from December 4, 1981 to May 17, 1990. A total of 227 episodes were produced. The series revolves around the feuding factions of the wealthy Gioberti/Channing family in the Californian wine industry. Jane Wyman starred as Angela Channing, the tyrannical matriarch of the Falcon Crest Winery, alongside Robert Foxworth as Chase Gioberti, Angela's nephew who returns to Falcon Crest following the death of his father. The series was set in the fictitious Tuscany Valley northeast of San Francisco.
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Title: Columbo
Character: Henry Santos
Released: September 15, 1971
Type: TV
Columbo is a friendly, verbose, disheveled-looking police detective who is consistently underestimated by his suspects. Despite his unprepossessing appearance and apparent absentmindedness, he shrewdly solves all of his cases and secures all evidence needed for indictment. His formidable eye for detail and meticulously dedicated approach often become clear to the killer only late in the storyline.