24: Legacy

Season 1 FOX (*125) 20:10 Action

Playing the president would suit few actors better than it does Jimmy Smits. He’s onscreen in action show 24: Legacy (2017-current) as Senator John Donovan and he’s after the big seat in the White House. But this isn’t the first time the 61-year-old Brooklyn native has taken on a role of power, or even politics – he won critical acclaim as President Santos in 37 episodes of award-winning drama The West Wing (1999-2006).

“I worked in the labour unions after college,” says Jimmy. “I understand the thirst for control and how to play that.” Before playing associate lawyer Victor Sifuentes in LA Law (1986-1994), Jimmy was going to be Don Johnson’s partner in action show Miami Vice (1984 -1990) but that fell through and he had a oneepisode role instead. Luckily his next move was a success and the 1.9m-tall actor jokes, “I guess they liked my intimidating presence and how I looked in a suit.” He played no-nonsense Detective Bobby Simone in 90 episodes of crime drama series NYPD: Blue (19932005) between 1994 and 1998 and that opened the doors for other law-related roles, including 2008’s assistant district attorney Miguel Prado in Dexter (20062013) and uptight ex-detective Victor Santiago in a 2016 episode of cop comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013-current).

Jimmy says that “there are no right or wrong ways to work in this business, but there are basic practices. Work hard and give more than they expect”. He adds that “you need to work on delivery – be clear, powerful and don’t let anyone knock you down”. Even when he plays sleazy brothel owners like Nero in drama Sons Of Anarchy (2008-2014), his co-stars can’t help but stand in awe: “He’s Jimmy – you see him and you just stop in your tracks,” laughs Charlie Hunnam, Jax Teller in Sons Of Anarchy.