Age, Biography, and Wiki
Jimmy Smits was born to a family with diverse cultural roots; his father, Cornelis Leendert Smits, was from Suriname, and his mother, Emilina Pola, was from Puerto Rico. This cultural blend influenced his upbringing and personality. Smits spent part of his childhood in Puerto Rico before returning to Brooklyn for his education. As of 2025, Jimmy Smits is 69 years old.
| Occupation | Voice Actors |
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| Date of Birth | 9 July 1955 |
| Age | 70 Years |
| Birth Place | New York City, U.S. |
| Horoscope | Cancer |
| Country | U.S |
Height, Weight & Measurements
While specific details about Jimmy Smits' height and weight are not widely reported, he is often noted for his tall stature and distinctive appearance on screen.
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Dating & Relationship Status
Jimmy Smits has been married twice. His first marriage was to Barbara Smits, and he later married actress Wanda De Jesus. However, the current status of his marriage or any recent relationships is not extensively discussed in public forums.
Smits's father, Cornelis Leendert Smits (1929–2015), was from Paramaribo, Suriname, and was of Dutch descent. Smits's mother, Emilina (née Pola; 1930–2015), was Puerto Rican, born in Peñuelas. He and his two sisters, Yvonne and Diana, grew up in a working-class neighborhood. When he was ten years old, he moved to Puerto Rico for a couple of years. Until then he did not speak Spanish. He described attending a Spanish-only school as "jarring" and "traumatic."
Smits appeared as Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan in George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), in which the character becomes Princess Leia's adoptive father. He reappeared as Bail Organa in the game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (2008) and the spinoff Disney era movie Rogue One (2016). He later reprised the role for Obi-Wan Kenobi (2022).
Smits joined the Sons of Anarchy cast in season 5 as Nero Padilla, a high-level pimp who refers to himself as a "companionator". He builds a relationship with Gemma Teller Morrow (Katey Sagal) and forms an alliance and mentorship with Gemma's son, the central character Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam).
He has been in a relationship with actress Wanda De Jesus since 1986. They live together in Los Angeles. In 1987, Smits pled guilty to disturbing the peace following an altercation with police at his residence where he was charged with battery and resisting arrest.
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| Husband | Barbara Smits (m. 1981-1987) |
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Net Worth and Salary
Jimmy Smits' net worth is reported to be around $12 million by several sources, including Celebrity Net Worth and The Things. However, other estimates suggest it could be higher, potentially around $15 million or even $25 million according to different reports. His salary for the show "Outlaw" was $150,000 per episode.
Career, Business, and Investments
Jimmy Smits has had a successful acting career, with notable roles in L.A. Law, NYPD Blue, and The West Wing. He also appeared in the Star Wars prequels as Senator Bail Organa. Outside of television, Smits has been involved in film projects such as "Switch" and "My Family".
In the mid-1980s, Smits acted in numerous performances at the Hangar Theatre in Ithaca, New York, Cornell's summer repertory program. In 1982 at the Hangar his roles included Max in Cabaret, Paul in Loose Ends, and the lead in Pudd'nhead Wilson. Smits has participated in the Public Theater's New York Shakespeare Festival, playing the role of Duke Orsino in Twelfth Night in 2002 and Benedick in Much Ado about Nothing in 2004. In 2003, Smits starred in the Broadway production of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Anna in the Tropics, by Nilo Cruz, performed at the Royale Theatre. From November 2009 to February 2010, he appeared opposite Christine Lahti, Annie Potts, and Ken Stott in the critically lauded Broadway play God of Carnage, replacing Jeff Daniels. In December 2012 through March 2013, he appeared in Chicago in The Motherfucker with the Hat, at Steppenwolf Theatre Company.
Smits has received multiple nominations and awards for his work in film and television. He is the recipient of one Golden Globe Award for his role on NYPD Blue as well as one Primetime Emmy Award for L.A. Law. Throughout his career on television, he has garnered eleven Screen Actors Guild Awards nominations, winning once in the Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series in 1995 for NYPD Blue. He starred on The West Wing from 2004 to 2006 and won an ALMA Award for his role. And in 2008, guest starred on Dexter, for which he was nominated for his twelfth Primetime Emmy Award and winning a Saturn Award for Best Guest Starring Role on Television.
Social Network
Jimmy Smits is not particularly active on social media platforms, which is common among some actors who prefer to keep a low online profile.
Additionally, Smits played a repairman on Pee-wee's Playhouse, and he starred in the multigenerational story of a Chicano family in the film My Family (1995), alongside Edward James Olmos and Jennifer Lopez.
Education
Smits attended Brooklyn College and later earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from Cornell University in 1982. This educational background has contributed to his sophisticated acting skills and career trajectory.
Jimmy Smits is celebrated for his versatility and talent in both television and film, with a career that continues to evolve and earn him recognition in the entertainment industry.
Smits was an athlete in his youth. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School and earned a bachelor's degree from Brooklyn College in 1980 and an MFA from Cornell University in 1982.
