This Day in Indie History: Freddy Rodríguez

Freddy Rodriguez in the “Planet Terror” segment of Dimension Films’ Grindhouse – 2007

Chicago native Freddy Rodríguez entered the world 32 years ago today. In 1988 Rodríguez landed his first film role—after a considerable high school stage career—in the drama The Undertaker, though his first significant role came in 1995 when he appeared alongside Keanu Reeves in A Walk in the Clouds. But the Puerto Rican-American actor is perhaps best known for his role in the HBO series “Six Feet Under,” landing an Emmy nomination and two SAG awards for his performance as the harried apprentice undertaker Federico Diaz during his five years with the show.

For representing his Latino origins, Rodríguez also won Imagen and ALMA awards for this role. The actor launched back into film after the series’ finale with four features released in 2006 alone. You might have caught him in Harsh Times with Christian Bale, in the recent remake of Poseidon, as the oddly muscular tenant in Lady in the Water or in Emilio Estevez’s ensemble drama Bobby.

Film Star Factoid: Freddy Rodríguez will next be seen in Robert Rodriguez’s Planet Terror segment of Grindhouse—the highly anticipated horror flick that is comprised of two separate films, written and directed by the Texan director and his quirky pal, Quentin Tarantino.