Rick Gonzalez
Rick Gonzalez (Wilson De Leon, Jr.) plays guitarist Pat Smear in the biopic of the notorious L.A. punk band of the 80’s The Germs, in WHAT WE DO IS SECRET.
Gonzalez currently stars in the CW’s new series, “Reaper.” He will next be seen in a lead role in the highly anticipated thriller Illegal Tender, from producer John Singleton and writer/director Franc. Reyes. The movie tracks a young Latino man (Gonzalez) on the run to clear his family name and save his mother’s (Wanda De Jesus) life. Most recently, he appeared in Dimension Films’ supernatural thriller PULSE, a film about a web site hoax that turns deadly when a supernatural force begins controlling and dominating the lives of those who log on. He has also signed on to New Line’s upcoming drama Pride and Glory, Dimension Films’Quebec and the independent films FIRST SNOW and ORANGES.
Gonzalez received critical acclaim for his star-making performance as Timo Cruz in Paramount’s COACH CARTER, opposite Samuel L. Jackson. Based on a true story, this inspirational film stars Jackson as a high school basketball coach who benched his undefeated team due to their collective poor academic record. Gonzalez’s Cruz is the heart of the film; he portrayed a young man torn between his roots and a burning desire to achieve, both in basketball and in the classroom. In ROLL BOUNCE, a 1970s roller skating coming-of-age comedy from 20th Century Fox, Gonzalez played the role of Naps, a young Latino who takes part in the annual Roller Jam competition on the more affluent side of the tracks. Most recently, Gonzalez was seen in Steven Spielberg’s updated version of the H.G. Wells’ classic WAR OF THE WORLDS, in which he starred opposite Tom Cruise.
Hollywood first began to take notice when Gonzalez won the role of “Primo,” opposite Laurence Fishburne, in the motorcycle actioner BIKER BOYZ for DreamWorks. He followed this memorable role by winning a spot as a member of Dennis Quaid’s struggling baseball team in Disney’s box-office hit, THE ROOKIE. Additional big screen credits include the ensemble comedy OLD SCHOOL, with Luke Wilson and Vince Vaughn, and LAUREL CANYON, with Frances McDormand and Kate Beckinsale.
In the television realm, Rick had a recurring role on the David E. Kelly drama “Boston Public.” Additional television credits include guest turns on “CSI Miami,” “CSI,” “The Shield,” “ER,” “Law & Order: SVU,” “Touched by an Angel” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.”
Of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent, Gonzalez was trained at New York’s High School of the Performing Arts, where he excelled in basketball and baseball. While in the city, he appeared in numerous off-Broadway productions at the Harold Clurman Theatre.
