Steven Bauer

Steven Bauer, born Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson on December 2, 1956, in Havana, Cuba, relocated to the United States with his family at the age of three in 1960, settling in Miami, Florida. He adopted the stage name Steven during his extensive acting career, beginning with studies at Miami Dade Community College and the University of Miami, where he developed his craft alongside fellow actor Ray Liotta. His early professional work included portraying Joe Peña, the son of Cuban immigrants, in the PBS bilingual sitcom ‘Qué Pasa, USA?’ from 1977 to 1979.

Bauer’s breakout role came in 1983 as Manny Ribera in the crime drama ‘Scarface,’ where he starred alongside Al Pacino. This performance garnered him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor, establishing his presence in Hollywood. He continued to take on significant roles, including DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena in the 1990 miniseries ‘Drug Wars: The Camarena Story’ and various characters in prominent films such as ‘Primal Fear’ (1996) and ‘Traffic’ (2000). His television career saw him in series like ‘Wiseguy’ (1990) and the soap opera ‘General Hospital’ from 1991 to 1993, where he played Sonny Corinthos.

More recently, Bauer has been recognized for his roles in critically acclaimed television series, including Don Eladio Vuente in ‘Breaking Bad’ (2011) and its prequel ‘Better Call Saul’ (2017–2022), and as the retired Mossad agent Avi Rudin in ‘Ray Donovan’ (2013–2017). His extensive filmography also includes appearances in ‘The Lost City’ (2005) and ‘S.W.A.T.’ (2023), demonstrating a sustained career marked by diverse and memorable performances.