Gary Perez

Hailing from the hi-rise Lincoln projects of Harlem, Gary was always curious about the arts. After a move to the Bronx, Gary Perez was accepted into a special school program for artistically gifted kids, along with a life-long buddy and colleague David Zayas, where dance became his first passion. Later Gary attended the High School of Performing Arts as a Ballet Major but he would soon be bitten by the acting bug. Choosing to cut class one day he walked one block west from his high school on 46th street, to see a Broadway matinee production of Equus. It starred Leonard Nimoy as Dr. Dysart and was utterly blown away by the power of the actors on the stage. Never looking back, Gary is now an Award-nominated, television, film and stage actor and is an original founder of the acclaimed LAByrinth Theater Company (originally Latino Actors Base) that he founded along with John Ortiz, Paul Calderon, and Philip Seymour Hoffman. Along with a long list of theater credits he has worked with many top writers including Pulitzer Prize winners - John Patrick Shanley, Nilo Cruz, Lynn Nottage and Stephen Adly Guirgis. As well he has worked with multiple award-winning directors Anna D. Shapiro, Tony Taccone, Brian Kulick, and Jo Bonny at such theaters as Steppenwolf, Yale Rep, 2nd Stage, The McCarter, La Jolla Playhouse, Berkeley Rep, and The Joseph Papp, Public Theater. Gary was nominated for a JEFF Award for his portrayal of Cousin Julio, in Steppenwolf's historic first, all Latino cast of The Mother Fucker with the Hat - directed by Anna D. Shapiro, playing alongside his long-time friend, John Ortiz (with whom he co-founded LAByrinth Theater company) and Jimmy Smits. Gary has recently joined the outstanding cast and the writing team of 13 Reason Why as Arturo Padilla directed by Tom McCarthy and executive produced by Diana Son and Selena Gomez. Other television Guest Star roles include - Blue Bloods, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Chicago PD, Madame Secretary, NCIS - Los Angeles, Person of Interest, The Closer, Awake, Prime Suspect, Lie to Me, The unit, Numb3rs, Without a Trace, Law & Order, Third Watch, along with Guest Star Recurring roles on two HBO hits: OZ and The Sopranos and the NBC pilot Tin Man, directed by DJ Caruso. Last year he joined Whoopi Goldberg in the pilot Delores and Jermaine as a Series Regular where he got to use his comedic chops. Film credits include the Award-winning Merchant-Ivory film Side Streets; the John Singleton produced, Illegal Tender directed by Franc Reyes and many other New York Indie films including a lead role in the recently wrapped Chapter & Verse, directed by Jamal Joseph.