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Our guest today is 80s star, multiple-awards film, and theater actor, and activist,\xa0Edward James Olmos.

Olmos\u2019s roles in films or TV shows like\xa0Stand and Deliver,\xa0Battlestar Galactica, broadway musical and film\xa0Zoot Suit,\xa0Blade Runner\xa0as detective\xa0Gaff, and many others are some of the most memorable of all time and he\u2019s still dominating our screens.

While I could not resist talking about his iconic roles over several decades, we mainly discussed Olmos\u2019 new must-see film,\xa0Chasing Wonders.

The picturesque Australian/British drama was the official selection at the\xa0Adelaide film festival in 2020. The beautiful cinematography of the film was shot over a five years period to authentically capture the coming of age story by screenwriter,\xa0Judy Morris.\xa0Chasing Wonders is a story of hope, possibility adventure, and overcoming your past \u2013 a heart-warming story of a young boy, who, encouraged by his grandfather (Olmos) to live a life of hope and possibility, takes off on the adventure of a lifetime to find the magical Emu Plains. His journey through the lush landscapes of Australia and Spain leads him to the heart of the human condition \u2013 learning to acknowledge the complexity of what comes before us but struggling not to be defined by the past.

The Hollywood Walk of Famer earned an Academy nomination for Best Actor in the 1988 drama,\xa0Stand and Deliver. He gave a stellar lead performance as Bolivian- American educator Jaime Alfonso Escalante Guti\xe9rrez.

Olmos filmography is quite extensive. Literally, the man has stayed booked and busy since 1974. He\u2019s appeared in over 130 films, TV shows, and plays.

One of his outstanding roles is perhaps,\xa0\xa0Lieutenant Martin Castillo\xa0in the\xa0Miami Vice (1984) as a series regular. A fan-favorite for sure.

But if we do talk about Lieutenant Castillo we must mention Olmos\u2019 role as\xa0Detective Gaff\xa0in\xa0Blade Runner\xa0(1982) and a brief reprise in the sequel\xa0Blade Runner 2049\xa0(2017). Gaff is the Los Angeles police officer who detains and escorts Deckard (Harrison Ford) throughout his mission as a \u2018Blade Runner\u2019 to track down bioengineered humanoids known as replicants and terminally \u201cretire\u201d them.

Olmos showed the world his versatility in both the Broadway play and film adaptation of the musical comedy, Zoot Suit.\xa0The story weaves the real-life events of the Sleepy Lagoon murder trial \u2013 resulting in the racially fueled Zoot Suit Riots throughout Los Angeles.\xa0Olmos\xa0portrays El Pachuco, an idealized Zoot Suiter, who functions as narrator throughout the story and serves as Henry\u2019s conscience in both adaptations.

Honestly, I could go on and on down Olmos\u2019 filmography, but we can\u2019t spotlight all of his other spectacular films right now. So, let\u2019s get into this interview, shall we?

Don\u2019t forget to click the links in the show notes to watch\xa0Chasing Wonders.

Please enjoy my conversation with Edward James Olmos.

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