Who is Lorenzo Lamas?
Popular American actor Lorenzo Fernando Lamas was born in Santa Monica, California USA, on 20 January 1958, making Aquarius his zodiac sign. He’s appeared in over 120 TV series and movies, but is perhaps still known best for playing the lead character Chilly in the 1984 musical movie “Body Rock”, directed by Marcelo Epstein, and which also starred Vicki Frederick and Cameron Dye. It follows Chilly who’s a talented break-dancer, and has now gone professional; the film was nominated for two awards.
Lorenzo’s still today highly active in the film industry, and is currently shooting for the upcoming movies “Palm Springs Confidential” and “Team of Two”.
Education and early life
Lorenzo was raised in Santa Monica by his mother the late American actress Arlene Dahl, and father Fernando Alvaro Lamas y de Santo who was an Argentinian actor; his parents divorced before he turned 10, and his father married the late American competitive swimmer and actress Esther Williams.
Lorenzo was somewhat thrown into the film industry, as he was 11 when he made his debut film appearance, playing Indian Boy in the 1969 war adventure “100 Rifles”; he then focused on his education, and had no roles in the following eight years.
Lorenzo matriculated from Admiral Farragut Academy in 1975, and then focused on his acting career; he became interested in martial arts in 1979, eventually earning his third-degree black belt in Taekwondo, while he also earned a black belt in Aikido, Jiu Jitsu and Shotokan Karate.
Roles in TV series
Lorenzo made his debut TV series appearance in the 1977 crime action “Switch”, and the remainder of the ‘70s saw him appear in an episode or two of the adventure “Sword of Justice”, the crime drama “Dear Detective” and the adventure “California Fever”.
In 1980 and 1981, he starred as Burt Carroll in the drama “Secrets of Midland Heights”, which also starred Bibi Besch, Jordan Christopher and Robert Hogan, and follows the lives of members of the wealthy Millington family. What marked the decade for Lorenzo was starring as Lance Cumson in all the 228 episodes of the romantic drama “Falcon Crest”, which Earl Hamner Jr. created, and which also starred Chao Li Chi and Jane Wyman. It follows the conflicts within the wealthy Gioberti family, the series aired from 1981 through 1990, and won eight of its 55 award nominations.
From 1992 through 1997, Lorenzo portrayed the lead character Reno Raines in the action crime adventure “Renegade”, created by Stephen J. Cannell, and which also starred Branscombe Richmond and Don LaFontaine. It follows Reno Raines who’s been framed for his girlfriend’s murder by corrupt police officer Lieutenant ‘Dutch’ Dixon, and the series was nominated for only a single award.
Lorenzo had only a couple of TV series roles in the 2000s – it was his portrayal of the supporting character Hector Ramirez in 191 episodes (2004-2006) of the soap opera “The Bold and The Beautiful” that marked the decade for him.
The 2010s then saw/heard him play and voice characters in an episode of several series, including the animated comedy “American Dad!” (voice role), the comedy “Bail Out” and the sports action “Lucha Underground”.
Most recently, in 2022, he played Ethan Walker in six episodes of the drama “Sons of Thunder”, which starred Randal Reeder, Mavrick Von Haug and Vanessa Angel, and follows combat veteran Simon as he’s travelling across the country on his motorcycle.
Roles in movies
The year 1978 saw Lorenzo play Tom Chisum in the evergreen romantic musical comedy “Grease”, which starred Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, and was directed by Randal Kleiser. It follows greaser Danny Zuko and ‘good girl’ Sandy Olsson who’ve fallen in love, and the movie won seven of its 17 award nominations, including an Oscar nomination for Best Music, Original Song. Some of Lorenzo’s following roles were in the family comedy “Take Down”, the drama “Promises in the Dark” and another drama “Tilt”, all released in 1979.
What marked the ‘80s for him was perhaps playing the lead character Jack ‘Soldier’ Kelly in the 1989 action “Snake Eater”, directed by George Erschbamer, and which also starred Josie Bell and Robert Scott. It follows the elite division of the Marines known as Snake Eaters.
Some of Lorenzo’s most notable performances in the ‘90s were perhaps in the 1991 action adventure “Killing Streets”, the 1994 action “Bad Blood”, and the 1998 action thriller “Back to Even”.
The year 2007 saw him play the main character Lieutenant Michael Arronax in the science fiction action “30,000 Leagues Under the Sea”, directed by Gabriel Bologna, and which also starred Sean Lawlor and Natalie Stone; it follows the adventures of Captain Nemo.
In 2013, Lorenzo starred as Special Agent Logan in the action adventure comedy “The Dinosaur Experiment”, written and directed by Dan Bishop, and which also starred Jana Mashonee and Cole Brown. It tells the story of a group of people who are fighting off prehistoric velociraptors that have escaped their secret breeding ground.
Lorenzo’s three most recent film roles have been in the 2019 action “Las Vegas Vietnam: The Movie”, the 2020 action “Scorpion Girl: The Awakening”, and the 2022 horror thriller “Bleach”.
Other credits
Lorenzo has two directing and six producing credits, while some of his most notable producing work has perhaps been on the 2013 drama movie “Cathedral Canyon”, the 2013 comedy film “Bike Cops Van Nuys” and the 2015 action adventure thriller movie “Atomic Eden”.
Some of his recent talk-show appearances have been in “Paparazzi X-Posed”, “Blue Collar Auction” and “Daily Blast Live”.
From 2010! #FalconCrest cast reunion pic.twitter.com/OnAfuawv0a
— KCguy (@KCguy116) November 16, 2022
Awards and nominations
Lorenzo’s won five of his 12 award nominations, including a 1982 Golden Apple Award for Male Discovery of the Year, a 2017 Atlantic City Cinefest Prize for Best Dramatic Feature, for “Driver” and a 2022 Golden Reel International Film Festival Award for Best Ensemble Cast, for his and his colleagues’ performance in “Chinaman’s Chance: America’s Other Slaves”.
Lorenzo was also nominated for a 1983 Golden Globe Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, for “Falcon Crest”.
Wife and children
Lorenzo has six children, and has been married five times. He exchanged vows with his first wife, American non-celebrity Victoria Hilbert in 1981, but their divorce was finalized in the following year.
His second wife was American publicist Michele Cathy Smith, whom he married in 1983. She gave birth to their son Alvaro Joshua ‘A. J.’ in the same year, and their daughter Shayne followed in 1985; both Alvaro and Shayne are today actors. Lorenzo and Michele divorced in 1985.
He was in a relationship with American actress Daphne Lee Ashbrook for the following three years, and she gave birth to their daughter Paton Lee in 1988; Paton’s today also an actress.
Lorenzo and American actress Kathleen Kinmont married in 1989 and divorced in 1993.
His fourth wife was American actress Shauna Sand, who’s perhaps known best for having been Playboy’s Playmate of the Month in May 1996; she gave birth to their first daughter Alexandra Lynne in 1997, second daughter Victoria in 1999 and third daughter Isabella Lorenza in 2001, but Lorenzo and Shauna then divorced in 2002.
He and non-celebrity American Shawna Craig had been dating for five months when they married in 2011; they divorced in 2018.
Since April 2020, Lorenzo’s been in a relationship with non-celebrity American Kenna Scott; they were to marry in May 2022, but the wedding’s been postponed for unknown reasons.
Interesting facts and hobbies
Lorenzo was close friends with the late American actress Jane Wyman, who starred alongside him in the series “Falcon Crest”; she passed away on 10 September 2007, aged 90, and Lorenzo released a statement identifying the ‘huge influence’ that Jane had on his life and career.
He published his autobiography “Renegade at Heart” in December 2014.
Lorenzo’s a philanthropist, and has volunteered with the charity organization Angel Flight; he has a commercial pilot’s license.
His stepmother Esther passed away aged 91 on 6 June 2013.
Lorenzo’s a conservative Republican, and in the past supported George W. Bush and Ronald Reagan.
He’s a fan of tattoos, and once had a woman riding a unicorn tattooed on his shoulder; it’s recently been amended to a tattoo of a Conquistador on a blue horse.
Lorenzo’s favorite actor is Morgan Freeman, and some of his favorite films include “Driving Miss Daisy”, “Invictus” and “London Has Fallen”.
Height, eyes and wealth
Lorenzo’s age is 65. He has brown eyes and hair, his height’s 6ft 1in (1.87m) and he weighs around 184lbs (85kgs).
His net worth’s been estimated at over $2 million, as of April 2023.