
He was born and raised in El Paso Texas. Miguel Ortega (father) was a cross country truck driver and Paulina Ortega (mother) a housewife. Began career doing summer stock theater for 2 years - El Paso Del Norte. Moved to Los Angeles in 1978. Shortly after arriving, he started to work as a stuntman on a picture by the name of Hooper (1978). His first acting job was in a guest starring role on a TV show by the name of CHiPs (1977). He has won a Stuntman's Award - Most Spectacular Sequence - "North & South" miniseries. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award - Outstanding Performance By Cast - Traffic (2000).

Babylon
2022 · as Elephant Wrangler

Crank: High Voltage
2009 · as Groundskeeper (uncredited)

Traffic
2000 · as Arrested Man in Apartment

Just Like Heaven
2005 · as Security Guard

L.A. Confidential
1997 · as Second Mexican (uncredited)

The A-Team
2010 · as Mexican Captor #2

The Rum Diary
2011 · as Cop on Fire

Sabotage
2014 · as Sicario #1

Last Man Standing
1996 · as Ramirez Bodyguard

The Replacement Killers
1998 · as Gangster

Beverly Hills Cop III
1994 · as Rondell

The Double
2011 · as Coyote

Vampires
1998 · as Male Vampire #1

Knox Goes Away
2024 · as Guard

Man of the House
2005 · as Border Bus Driver

Internal Affairs
1990 · as Oscar

Moving Violations
1985 · as Spanish Immigration Officer

Persons Unknown
1996 · as Comet (as Jim Ortega)