Lou Diamond Phillips

Lou Diamond Phillips (born Tung Redcorn on February 19, 1962, at Subic Bay Naval Station, Philippines), named for Marine legend Lou Diamond, is an American actor. He adopted his surname Phillips from his stepfather.

He is of Filipino, Vietnamese, American Indian, Scottish and Irish heritage.

Biography

Phillips worked as an assistant director and instructor at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he also studied Drama under Nita Cox, between 1983 - 1986. In 1982 he met Adam Roarke, of the Film Actors Lab (Arlington, Texas), who became an important figure in his life. At the Film Actors Lab he studied Film Acting Technique and later joined the team as an instructor.

He attended Flour Bluff High School, and briefly attended Del Mar College, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Phillips' big break came with the starring role in 1987's La Bamba as doomed early rocker Ritchie Valens. Though the role garnered him laud from critics, he has since found it difficult to find another leading role in a big-budget Hollywood film. In 1988, he co-starred along Edward James Olmos in the inner-city high school drama, Stand and Deliver, as Angel Guzman, a wannabe cholo who is inspired by his math teacher, Jaime Escalante, to challenge himself at calculus and along the road, creates a friendship with his teacher.

The first low budget film in which he starred in was called Trespasses. During the making of this film, he met Julie Cypher, an assistant director who would become his wife. They later divorced.

He met Jennifer Tilly, to whom he was briefly engaged, although the two never married. He later married model Kelly Preston (not to be confused with John Travolta's actress wife of the same name). They had twin daughters. They separated in 2005 and their divorce is pending.

Phillips also plays on the World Poker Tour in the Hollywood Home games. He plays for the Sierra Canyon H.S. & Santa Suzanna Montessori charity.

2006 Arrest for Domestic Violence

Friday, August 11, 2006, Phillips was arrested for alleged domestic violence. Los Angeles Police confirmed that Phillips was arrested at his home in the Los Angeles suburb of Northridge following an alleged dispute with his girlfriend, makeup artist Yvonne Boismier. Police state that he was held "on suspicion of 'co-habitant abuse'" His bail was set at $50,000, although his publicist said he was released on his own recognizance. A source at the Los Angeles prosecutors office said the incident will likely be handled through mediation, not prosecution (source, Los Angeles Times)

Awards and Achievements

1989 Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Male(Stand and Deliver, 1988)
1989 Golden Globe award nominee for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture (Stand and Deliver, 1988)
1989 Western Heritage Award Bronze Wrangler Theatrical Motion Picture(Young Guns, 1988).Shared with: John Fusco (producer), Christopher Cain (producer), Charlie Sheen (actor), Emilio Estevez (actor), Kiefer Sutherland (actor)
1993 Oxfam America award for his dedication toward ending world hunger
1994 Houston International Film Festival Gold award for Best Theatrical Feature Film for Ultimate Revenge
1996 Tony Award nominee for Best Actor on Broadway (The King And I)
1996 Theatre World Award: The King and I
1996 New York Outer Critics Circle: Outstanding Broadway Debut Award of an Actor, The King & I
1997 Blockbuster Entertainment Award Favorite Supporting Actor - Adventure/Drama (Courage Under Fire, 1996)
1997 Lone Star Film & Television Award for Best Supporting Actor (Courage Under Fire, 1996)
2001 Filipinas magazine Achievement award for Entertainment
2003 Cinemanila Film Festival Lifetime Achievement Award (Philippines)
2005 Asia Pacific Islander Heritage Award for Excellence in Entertainment and Arts

Selected filmography

Fingerprints (2007)
Law and Order: SVU (television) (2006) Guest stars as a perp who kidnaps two children and slashes Detective Benson in the seventh season episode "Fault".
Bloodlines (2006)
The Triangle (television) (2005) Mini-series on Sci-fi channel, inspired by paranormal events in the Bermuda Triangle
Alien Express (television) (2005)
Murder at the Presidio (television) (2005)
The Trail to Hope Rose (television) (2004)
Gone But Not Forgiven (television) (2004)
K10C: Kids' Ten Commandments (television) (2003) guest star as robber on third episode
Red Water (television) (2003)
Hollywood Homicide (2003)
Absolon (2003)
Malevolent (2002)
Stark Raving Mad (2002)
Lone Hero (2002)
24 (2002) TV series - cameo as a warden at a government top secret underground prison, alongside Kiefer Sutherland.
Wolf Lake (2001) TV Series
Knight Club (2001)
Route 666 (2001)
Supernova (2000)
A Better Way to Die (2000)
Picking Up the Pieces (2000)
In a Class of His Own (television) (1999)
Bats (1999)
Brokedown Palace (1999)
The Big Hit (1998)
Courage Under Fire (1996)
Undertow (1996)
The Wharf Rat (television) (1995)
Override (television) (1994)
Teresa's Tattoo (1994)
Boulevard (1994)
Sioux City (1994)
Dangerous Touch (1994)
Wind in the Wire (1993)
Extreme Justice (1993)
Shadow of the Wolf (1992)
Avenue Z Afternoon (1991) Television seies
Ambition (1991)
The Dark Wind (1991)
Harley (1990)
The First Power (1990)
A Show of Force (1990)
Young Guns II (1990)
Renegades (1989)
Disorganized Crime (1989)
Young Guns (1988)
Stand and Deliver (1988)
Dakota (1988)
The Three Kings (television) (1987)
La Bamba (1987)
Trespasses (1986)
Interface (1984)