Robert Beltran

Chakotay, the First Officer onboard the USS Voyager
Actor:	Robert Beltran
Character:	Chakotay
Born:	November 19th, 1953
Place:	Bakersfield, California

Robert Adame Beltran (born November 19, 1953) is the actor most famous for his role as Lieutenant Commander Chakotay on the television series Star Trek: Voyager.

He had already gained a certain degree of fame long before coming aboard Voyager. In 1982, in only his second film appearance, he starred as the titular character in the dark comedy Eating Raoul. Written and directed by Paul Bartel and also feauturing appearances by future Star Trek: Deep Space Nine guest actor Hamilton Camp and future Voyager guest star Ed Begley, Jr., the voyeuristic Raoul has become a cult favorite. Beltran would go on to have several lead roles in other films throughout the rest of the 80s, no doubt as a result of his role as Raoul.

Beltran had made his film debut with a small role in the 1981 film Zoot Suit, also featuring Tony Plana and Kurtwood Smith. In 1983, he went on to co-star opposite action superstars Chuck Norris and David Carradine in Lone Wolf McQuade. By the following year, however, he was being offered lead roles. He starred in the popular science fiction film Night of the Comet, which has also reached cult status. In 1985, he starred in the war drama Latino, produced by George Lucas, which also featured his fellow Zoot Suit actor Tony Plana.

Beltran also starred in several made-for-TV movies. Among these were 1984's The Mystic River, co-starring Nick Ramus and Ron Soble, and 1986's The Family Martinez, co-starring Denise Crosby.

By 1987, however, Beltran was back to playing supporting roles. That year, he co-starred with fellow Star Trek alumni Rosalind Chao, Herta Ware, and John Fleck in the film Slam Dance. That same year, he had a supporting role in the acclaimed drama Gaby: A True Story, co-starring Lawrence Monoson.

In 1989, Beltran reteamed with his Eating Raoul director, Paul Bartel, for another dark comedy, Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills. Ed Begley, Jr. and Wallace Shawn also had roles in this film. Beltran also co-starred with Cliff deYoung in Forbidden Sun that same year. He and deYoung would also co-star together in 1990's To Die Standing.

Beltran played the title role of the 1991 TV movie El Diablo, co-starring one-time DS9 guest star John Glover and Star Trek: Enterprise actor Jim Beaver. That same year, Beltran would again co-star with Tony Plana in the short-lived TV series Veronica Clare. Also in 1991, Beltran appeared in the gangster film Bugsy, which also featured one-time Star Trek: The Next Generation guest star Bebe Neuwirth.

Afterwards, Beltran appeared primarily in TV movies, including State of Emergency, with Paul Dooley and Richard Beymer, in 1994. That same year, he was cast as Chakotay in Star Trek: Voyager.

Since Voyager first aired, Beltran has only appeared in one other major feature film. He played one of the Watergate burglars in the 1995 biographical drama Nixon, chronicling the fall of U.S. President Richard M. Nixon. Trek alumni such as Tony Plana, Saul Rubinek, and Paul Sorvino also had roles in this film.

While still filming Voyager in 2000, Beltran co-starred opoosite future Star Trek: Enterprise star Scott Bakula in the independent film Luminarias, based on the play of the same name. He also voiced Lieutenant Commander Chakotay in the video game Star Trek: Voyager - Elite Force.

After Voyager ended in 2001, Beltran worked in the TV movie Manticore, in which he co-stars with DS9 actress Chase Masterson. He will next be seen in TV's Alien Fire, written by Garfield and Judith Reeves-Stevens.

Beltran, like Enterprise actress Jolene Blalock, was infamous for his outspoken views on how the Trek franchise was progressing. Despite this, Beltran won a Golden Eagle Award as Outstanding Actor in a Television Series for his role as Chakotay in 1997, and has also been nominated for two ALMA Awards.

External links

• Template:IMDb-link
• Robert Beltran at Wikipedia