Danny Trejo

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Early life I am native of the Echo Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. My life as a youngster wasn't easy: I roamed the streets around my home area while committing various crimes and became addicted to drugs. I was in and out of jail many times as a teenager.While on the streets, I developed talent as a boxer and considered taking up boxing as a profession. That ambition was dashed by a long prison sentence. While serving time in San Quentin State Prison, I became the California state jail's champion in both the lightweight and welterweight categories. During this time, I also successfully completed a 12-step rehabilitation program that helped me leave behind the lifestyle of crime and drugs.Movie career While attending a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985, I met a young man in the movie business. My newfound friend invited me to the set of Runaway Train, where I was offered a job as an extra. Edward Bunker, himself a former convict and well-respected crime author who was writing the screenplay for the film (it was based on his novel 'No Beast So Fierce), recognized me: we had done time together at San Quentin. Remembering my boxing skills, he offered me $350 per day to train Eric Roberts, one of the movie's stars, for a boxing scene. Director Andrei Konchalovsky liked my work and decided to offer me a prominent role in the film.I often play thugs or lowlife characters, although I have displayed range as a good guy with films such as Robert Rodriguez's Spy Kids trilogy, Bubble Boy, Heat and an amusing guest appearance on the USA Network series Monk with art imitating life as a convict roommate to Tony Shalhoub's undercover detective.Private life I'm married to Debbie Trejo. We have three children: Danny Boy (b. 1981, from a previous marriage), Gilbert (b. 1988), and Danielle (b. 1994).I'm amazed when I walk the streets where I used to commit crimes and children ask me for autographs. I often chooses to play "bad guys" to teach young children that bad guys often die.