Danny Trejo Biography
Born: May 16, 1944
Date of Birth: May 16, 1944
Danny Trejo has developed a prolific career in the movie business, yet his road to success has been hard earned and everything but typical. From imprisonment to helping young people battle drug addiction, and from acting to producing—the name, face, and achievements of Danny Trejo are well recognized in Hollywood.
Despite growing up on the streets of Los Angeles and spending the latter part of his youth and early adulthood incarcerated, Danny rose to great accomplishment. Upon his release from San Quentin prison, he became involved in programs aimed at helping those who, like him, battle drug and alcohol addictions.
Years later, Danny went to the set of the motion picture production Runaway Train to offer support to a man he'd been counseling. Upon his arrival on set, Danny was offered a role in the film as a convict. He has since gone on to star in dozens of films, including Desperado, the From Dusk 'Till Dawn film series, Heat starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, Con Air starring Nicolas Cage, Once Upon A Time In Mexico starring Johnny Depp, and the Spy Kids movie series.
In Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse, Danny appeared in a trailer, which led to the spin-off feature film Machete (2010). He also played a key role in the box-office hit Predators.
Danny's other credits include the independent films Sherry Baby starring Maggie Gyllenhaal, Delta Farce starring Larry the Cable Guy, and Rob Zombie's films The Devil's Rejects and Halloween.
His numerous television credits include a recurring voice role on the animated series King of the Hill, and appearances on Monk, Desperate Housewives, Stargate: Atlantis and Breaking Bad.
In 2000, Danny formed his production company, Starburst, where he produced the award-winning short An Eye For Talent, followed by The Animal Factory directed by Steve Buscemi. He then starred in Bad Ass (2012) and Machete Kills(2013) and also lent his voice to the animated films Preggoland (2014) and Storks (2016).
Danny reprised his role as Goldberg in the fourth installment in the Death Racefranchise, Death Race: Beyond Anarchy(2018), starring alongside Zach McGowan and Danny Glover. Most recently, he provided the voice of Boots in the family adventure film, Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019).
Despite his impressive list of credits, it is Danny's ongoing role as a father of three and as an intervention counselor that bring him the most satisfaction. He's also a business owner and oversees several restaurants and food franchises in Los Angeles. He and his wife Debbie divorced in 2009 after 12 years of marriage.