credit: NYPD Blue
Jimmy Smits was made to star in television shows about police dramas. From his time on NYPD Blue to his time on The West Wing to Dexter, he’s a man who plays a great character. The fact that he’s been acting for 39 years of his life also helps. He’s got the talent and the experience, which is why we are so excited about Jimmy Smits’ new show. He’s starring in a new series about – you guessed it – New York City police officers. The show is called East New York and follows the story of deputy inspector Regina Haywood. Her goal is to go to work each morning and find a cold case to solve.
Smits plays a 3-Star Chief. His character is Chief John Suarez, and he is going to do this job brilliantly. We only say that because he takes on every character he plays brilliantly, and we don’t see him changing the game now. The show is one we will all tune into – who can resist a good police drama, after all? But there are a few things we thought you might want to know about Jimmy Smits beforehand.
1. How Old is Jimmy Smits?
We did mention he’s almost four decades into his acting career, so he’s not a toddler. Jimmy Smits is, however, a lot older than you think he is. He was born on July 9, 1955, in New York City. He grew up with his mother, father, and his two sisters in a very working-class lifestyle. He was in New York most of his life, but he did move to Puerto Rico for a few years when he was around 10. He moved there knowing not a word of Spanish, but he learned quickly when he enrolled in school and had no other choice.
2. How Much is Jimmy Smits’s Net Worth?
He’s been working in Hollywood for a long time and has made good money. As of 2023, Jimmy Smits’s net worth is somewhere in the ballpark of $12 million. He’s doing well, and his girlfriend has her own money to spend. She’s a working actress with a net worth of around $10 million.
credit: NYPD Blue
3. Is Jimmy Smits Married?
No, he is not married. He was married in the past, but he is not married now. He is in a relationship, though, and it’s a long one. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbara, in 1981. They did not marry right out of high school. They waited a few years until they were well into their 20s, but that didn’t an equal success for them. Their marriage was over relatively quickly. They were divorced in 1987.
However, they had a child when they were both young. Their daughter, Taina, was born in 1975 when they were 20. Their son, Joaquin, was born in 1983, two years after they married. Their marriage was over long before their divorce was finalized. Jimmy Smits began dating actress Wanda De Jesus in 1986, and his divorce was not finalized until 1987.
On that note, he’s still dating and living with Wanda De Jesus. They’re almost forty years into their relationship, and things seem to be going quite well. They never had children together, but she’s been part of the lives of his two children for many years.
4. Jimmy Smits Was Arrested
He typically plays a good guy on the right side of the law, but he had a moment in 1987 when things did not look good for him. Police responded to a call at his home. Someone called to report an issue in the home. When the police arrived, De Jesus gave a false name for herself and attacked the officers who were questioning her about what was going on in the home. That’s when Smits began to fight the officers, too, and they were both arrested and charged with battery. Neither one of them has had trouble with the law since.
credit: NYPD Blue
5. Why Didn’t Smits Marry De Jesus?
At the end of the day, they seem like they are in a happy, committed relationship with one another, and that’s all that matters. Why people choose to do what they do so long as it is not hurting anyone is really no one’s business, but we also don’t know. As far as we know, they’ve not discussed it with the press, and they certainly are not obligated to do so. They are together and live their lives as a married couple. They share a home, they share a life, and they seem good together. That’s all that matters.
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