- Born
- Birth nameDan Trejo
- Nickname
- The Mayor
- Height5′ 5¾″ (1.67 m)
- Danny Trejo was born Dan Trejo in Echo Park, Los Angeles, to Alice (Rivera) and Dan Trejo, a construction worker. A child drug addict and criminal, Trejo was in and out of jail for 11 years. While serving time in San Quentin, he won the lightweight and welterweight boxing titles. Imprisoned for armed robbery and drug offenses, he successfully completed a 12-step rehabilitation program that changed his life. While speaking at a Cocaine Anonymous meeting in 1985, Trejo met a young man who later called him for support. Trejo went to meet him at what turned out to be the set of Runaway Train (1985). Trejo was immediately offered a role as a convict extra, probably because of his tough tattooed appearance. Also on the set was a screenwriter who did time with Trejo in San Quentin. Remembering Trejo's boxing skills, the screenwriter offered him $320 per day to train the actors for a boxing match. Director Andrei Konchalovsky saw Trejo training Eric Roberts and immediately offered him a featured role as Roberts' opponent in the film. Trejo has subsequently appeared in many other films, usually as a tough criminal or villain.
Trejo is of Mexican descent.- IMDb mini biography by: Murray Chapman <muzzle@imdb.com>
- SpouseDebbie Trejo(December 12, 1997 - 2017) (divorced, 2 children)
- ChildrenDanny TrejoGilbert TrejoDanielle Trejo
- ParentsDan TrejoAlice Trejo (Rivera)
- The tattoo on his chest of a woman wearing a sombrero (you see it in almost all of his movies).
- Usually plays criminals in one form or another (assassins, prisoners, etc)
- Usually cast in Robert Rodriguez's films
- Often plays characters who are skilled with knives
- Very muscular physique with many tattoos
- He is one of the most prolific of American actors, having usually done at least 4 films a year since the 1990s. In 2002 alone, he did 9 films.
- Trejo spent much of the 1960s in California prisons--Tracy (1963-1965), San Quentin (1965-1968), Soledad (1968-1969).
- Despite being known for playing intimidating and violent characters, he is widely known as being one of the nicest and friendliest actors in Hollywood who has been described as a joy to work with by co-stars.
- He and director Robert Rodriguez are second cousins.
- He was forty-one years old when he acted in his first feature film.
- [of on-set competition between actors] I've watched so many of those kinds of things turn bad, and the last thing you want to do is compete with somebody, 'cause he might be a sore loser.
- [on being promoted from a $50/day extra to a $350/day boxing coach] How bad do you want this kid beat up?
- [after being told an actor he was supposed to hit might hit back] For $350 a day, give him a bat. I used to get beat up for free.
- Juvenile hall, youth authority . . . I was in a lot of trouble. I grew up like the characters I've been playing. But would I do things differently? I honestly believe that circumstances create destiny, almost. There weren't too many ways I could have done things. The only things that were available to me were either be a laborer or be a drug dealer. So I became an armed robber. It was a lot simpler.
- I'll be watching TV and all of a sudden I'll think, "Hey, I'm in this!" A lot of times I don't even know the names of [the movies]. I just show up. From 1985, when I first started, to 1990, I did a shitload of B-movies about prisons. They would always say, "Get that Mexican guy with the big tattoo". I'd show up and I'd have one line, like, "Kill 'em all!" or something.
- Runaway Train (1986) - $320 /day
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content