- Known For
- Acting
- Born
- July 16, 1948
- Place of Birth
- Panama City, Panama
Rubén Blades
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Rubén Blades Bellido de Luna (born July 16, 1948) is a Panamanian salsa singer, songwriter, lawyer, actor, Latin jazz musician, and politician, performing musically most often in the Afro-Cuban and Latin jazz genres. As songwriter, Blades brought the lyrical sophistication of Central American nueva canción and Cuban nueva trova as well as experimental tempos and political inspired Nuyorican salsa to his music, creating thinking persons' (salsa) dance music. Blades has composed dozens of musical hits, the most famous of which is "Pedro Navaja," a song about a neighborhood thug who appears to die during a robbery (his song "Sorpresas" continues the story), inspired by "Mack the Knife." He also composed and sings what many Panamanians consider their second national anthem. The song is titled "Patria" (Fatherland). He is an icon in Panama and is muc…
Filmography
movieCampeón Gabacho
2026
moviePedro Navaja
2026 · Author
movieSalsa Lives
2025 · Ruben Blades
movieStevie Van Zandt: Disciple
2024 · Self
movieStay Homas. The Band That Shouldn’t Exist
2024 · Self - Singer
movieNueva York: A Musical History of Latin New York
2021 · Self (archive footage)
movieRed Pill
2021 · Rocky
movieEl accidente feliz
2020 · Self (Archive Footage)
movieOperation Just Cause
2019 · Music
movieRaúl Juliá: The World’s a Stage
2019 · Self
movieJohn Leguizamo's Latin History for Morons
2018 · Self
movieRuben Blades Is Not My Name
2018 · Self
movieHands of Stone
2016 · Carlos Eleta
tvFear the Walking Dead
2015 · Daniel Salazar
Yo soy la salsa
2014
movieInvasion
2014 · Self
movieThe Counselor
2013 · Jefe
movieOutlaws - For Greater Glory
2012 · Président Calles
movieSafe House
2012 · Carlos Villar
¡Sonó, Sonó… Tite Curet!
2011
Músicos de Latinoamérica
2011 · Self
movieThe Next Season
2011 · Benito
Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 2
2011
Rubén Blades: Todos Vuelven Live, Vol. 1
2011
movieSpoken Word
2009 · Cruz-Sr.
La clave
2008
movieLo mejor de nuestra música popular: 15 años de éxitos
2007 · Self
movieThe Hunters and the Hunted: The Making of 'Predator 2'
2005 · Self (archive footage)
movieEn mi país
2004 · Self
movieSecuestro Express
2004 · Carla's Father
movieSpin
2003 · Ernesto
movieImagining Argentina
2003 · Silvio Ayala
movieOnce Upon a Time in Mexico
2003 · Jorge, Retired FBI Agent
movieAssassination Tango
2003 · Miguel
movieThe Maldonado Miracle
2003 · Cruz
Encuentro
2002
movieEmpire
2002 · Original Music Composer
tvLas Lunas del Auditorio
2002 · Self
movieLas caras lindas de Tite Curet
2002 · Self
movieAll the Pretty Horses
2000 · Rocha
tvGideon's Crossing
2000 · Dr. Max Cabranes
tvLatin Grammy Awards
2000 · Self
movieCradle Will Rock
1999 · Diego Rivera
movieWillie Colón & Rubén Blades - Live In Venezuela
1998 · Rubén Blades
A Roll of the Dice: The Capeman on Broadway
1998
movieChinese Box
1997 · Jim
Arthouse
1997 · Self
From Son to Salsa
1997
movieThe Devil's Own
1997 · Edwin Diaz
Al compás de un sentimiento: la música de Pedro Flores
1996
movieScorpion Spring
1996 · Border Patrolman Sam Zaragosa
movieSomos un solo pueblo
1995 · Self
movieColor of Night
1994 · Hector
movieA Million to Juan
1994 · Bartender
tvThe X-Files
1993 · Conrad Lozano
movieLife with Mikey
1993 · Angie's Dad (uncredited)
movieMiracle on Interstate 880
1993 · Pastor Beruman
movieThe Super
1991 · Marlon
Rabbit Ears - Joseph and His Brothers
1991 · Narrator (voice)
movieCrazy From the Heart
1991 · Ernesto Ontiveros
movieOne Man’s War
1991 · Perrone
movieThe Josephine Baker Story
1991 · Count Giuseppe Pepito Abatino
Just cause, ¿para quién?
1991 · Music
moviePredator 2
1990 · Danny Archuleta
movieThe Two Jakes
1990 · Mickey Nice
movieMo' Better Blues
1990 · Petey
movieQ & A
1990 · Original Music Composer
The Heart of the Deal
1990
movieThe Lemon Sisters
1989 · C.W.
movieDisorganized Crime
1989 · Carlos Barrios
movieDead Man Out
1989 · Ben
movieOliver & Company
1988 · Songs
movieThe Story of Fausta
1988 · Original Music Composer
movieCoverup: Behind the Iran Contra Affair
1988 · Music
movieHomeboy
1988 · Doctor
movieThe Milagro Beanfield War
1988 · Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
movieFatal Beauty
1987 · Carl Jimenez
movieCritical Condition
1987 · Louis
movieThe Return of Rubén Blades
1985 · himself
Crossover Dreams
1985 · Rudy Veloz
movieThe Making of Sun City
1985 · Self
movieBy the Green Trail
1984 · Music
moviePeter Knife
1984 · Songs
movieWhen the Mountains Tremble
1983 · Original Music Composer
movieThe Last Fight
1983 · Andy "Kid" Clave
Ligia Elena
1983 · Music
tvLate Night with David Letterman
1982 · Self - Musical Guest
movieRubén Blades: un Rey de la salsa
1982 · Self
movieBeats of the Heart: Salsa
1979 · Self
Armadillo United
— · Coach Yepez
Pa'l Pueblo: Fania for the People
— · Self