Performer
A performer whose catalogue work here is strong, with the fuller case still to be made.
Nutevio rank
#496
of 909177 performers
Top 1%
Luis Guzmán represents the rare performer whose career became more ambitious with every decade — 40 years in, and Luis is still choosing the harder script.
The essay
Our editors on the work, the patterns and the reason this body of work holds together.
Luis Guzmán appears in 53 films in the Nutevio catalogue, and none of them would work the same way without Luis. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the clearest case: a film rated 8.3 by our editors, where the performance carries weight the script only implies.
The recognisable elements are versatility, transformation, quiet performance. Watch two of these films back to back and the method separates from the material — the same instrument, tuned differently for comedy, adventure, family. It is a style built on what is withheld as much as what is played.
Working with Aaron Horvath, Tyler Spindel, Gareth Evans and others, Luis Guzmán helped set a standard other performers now audition against. Awards bodies have been slower than the work, which is usually the sign of a career built on choices rather than campaigns.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) as Wart (voice) · Entergalactic (2022) as Huge Mover (voice) · Magnolia (1999) as Luis
Career snapshot
Ranked #496 of 909177 performers tracked in the Nutevio library.
Films in Nutevio
53
1987–2027
Career length
40 yrs
Measured across our catalogue
Academy Awards
—
Unknown
Oscar nominations
—
Unknown
Highest Nutevio score
8.3
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Average Nutevio score
6.1
Across catalogue work
Highest IMDb rating
8.3
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Most frequent director
Paul Thomas Anderson
2 films together
Longest collaboration
2×
With Paul Thomas Anderson
Most common genre
Comedy
33 titles
Average runtime
1h 47m
Across catalogue work
Golden Globe wins
—
Unknown
Nutevio metric
Ten weighted categories, applied identically to everyone we cover.
Nutevio Performer Score
7.0
out of 10
A performer whose catalogue work here is strong, with the fuller case still to be made.
Nutevio metric
Cultural impact and legacy, measured separately from craft — how far the work travelled once it left the cinema.
Nutevio Influence Score
6.6
out of 10
A quieter influence — felt inside the films rather than across the industry.
How far the work travelled past the people who saw it first.
What survives once the release-week conversation has burned off.
Institutional acknowledgement, weighted but never decisive.
Years of chosen, relevant work rather than years merely employed.
Statuettes, read as evidence rather than verdict.
Roles named without needing the film named alongside them.
Directors who wrote parts because this performer existed.
The reading other performers now have to answer.
Actor DNA
A fingerprint derived from the roles themselves — register, range and the kind of film they carry.
The shape of a career
Every performance plotted in time. Hover a point to read the title behind it.
Peak years
Where the scores, the awards and the sheer volume of work agree with each other.
Best decade
1990s
6.7 average MV
The 1990s are where the work and the material meet. The Bone Collector, Magnolia, Out of Sight — the run our editors reach for first when the argument is about range rather than fame.
Highest average Nutevio score
1990s
6.7
Across 8 catalogue films in this decade, our scores never drop below the level a career is judged on.
Highest average IMDb rating
1980s
6.7
The public agrees most strongly about this stretch — useful context, and occasionally a decade behind our own reading.
Most awarded era
1980s
0 Academy Awards
Statuettes for the films themselves, which is the honest way to read an ensemble career. Black Rain, *batteries not included.
Most productive era
2000s
21 films
The busiest stretch of the catalogue — volume that reads as appetite rather than availability.
Range, mapped
Genres down the side, decades across the top. Warmer cells mean stronger titles.
| Genre | 1980s | 1990s | 2000s | 2010s | 2020s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drama | 6.61 film | 6.85 films | 6.88 films | 6.11 film | 6.33 films |
| Action | 6.61 film | 6.12 films | 5.95 films | 6.04 films | 6.53 films |
| Thriller | 6.61 film | 6.74 films | 6.56 films | 6.11 film | 5.82 films |
| Comedy | 6.71 film | 6.33 films | 6.113 films | 6.05 films | 5.411 films |
| Crime | — | 6.66 films | 6.37 films | 6.33 films | 6.24 films |
| Romance | — | 6.52 films | 6.26 films | 5.82 films | 6.72 films |
| Horror | — | 6.21 film | — | — | — |
Chronology
Firsts and peaks
The turning points, in the order they happened.
First film in Nutevio
Where our catalogue meets this career, as Bystander (uncredited).
Highest rated performance · Career peak
2026The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
8.3 on the Nutevio scale, the top of the catalogue for this performer. Weighing billing against the film's own quality, this is the point where everything aligned at once.
Most recent film
The current state of the argument, as (voice).
Our order
Every performance in the catalogue, ordered by Nutevio Score.
Every title
Filter by genre or decade, and compare any two titles side by side.
53 of 53 films
as Wart (voice)
Directed by Aaron Horvath
as Pachanga
Directed by Brian De Palma
as Huge Mover (voice)
Directed by Unknown
as Jacopo
Directed by Kevin Reynolds
From the library
Every movie and TV credit stored for this name in the Nutevio catalogue — filter by media, role or sort by rating.
Loading credits…
The defining work
#1
Wart (voice)
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026)
Performance score8.0
The performance the rest of the career is read through. Wart (voice) gives Luis Guzmán a structure to work against, and the film hands over its centre of gravity without hesitation.
View movie#2
Pachanga
Carlito's Way (1993)
Performance score7.7
Carlito's Way asks for something the previous films did not, and gets it. Pachanga is played without a single line of pleading for the audience's sympathy — which is exactly why it lands.
View movie#3
Huge Mover (voice)
Entergalactic (2022)
Performance score7.5
Entergalactic asks for something the previous films did not, and gets it. Huge Mover (voice) is played without a single line of pleading for the audience's sympathy — which is exactly why it lands.
View movie#4
Luis
Magnolia (1999)
Performance score7.5
Magnolia asks for something the previous films did not, and gets it. Luis is played without a single line of pleading for the audience's sympathy — which is exactly why it lands.
View movieStart here
A guided path through the work, ordered so each film explains the next.
Best entry point
as Wart (voice)
Start here. The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is the clearest statement of what Luis Guzmán does — accessible, 98 minutes, and rated 8.3 by our editors. No context required.
Our editors order this path by accessibility first and chronology second. You meet Luis at the most legible performance, then move forward in time so each film reads as a response to the one before it rather than a repetition of it.
Carlito's Way (1993)
A deliberate change of key after The Super Mario Galaxy Movie — same instrument, unfamiliar tuning, and the reason range gets mentioned.
Magnolia (1999)
Keeps the drama register of Carlito's Way but asks for a colder reading of it.
The Count of Monte Cristo (2002)
Keeps the drama register of Magnolia but asks for a colder reading of it.
Entergalactic (2022)
A deliberate change of key after The Count of Monte Cristo — same instrument, unfamiliar tuning, and the reason range gets mentioned.
Company kept
The directors and performers this career keeps returning to.
Brian De Palma
Director
2 films together
Notably Carlito's Way
Paul Thomas Anderson
Director
2 films together
Notably Magnolia
Matthew Robbins
Director
1 film together
Notably *batteries not included
Ridley Scott
Director
1 film together
Notably Black Rain
John Landis
Director
1 film together
Notably Innocent Blood
Gregg Champion
Director
1 film together
Notably The Cowboy Way
Johnny Depp
Director
1 film together
Notably The Brave
Phillip Noyce
Director
1 film together
Notably The Bone Collector
Anthony Russo
Director
1 film together
Notably Welcome to Collinwood
Ron Underwood
Director
1 film together
Notably The Adventures of Pluto Nash
Kevin Reynolds
Director
1 film together
Notably The Count of Monte Cristo
James Foley
Director
1 film together
Notably Confidence
Gary Fleder
Director
1 film together
Notably Runaway Jury
Peter Segal
Director
1 film together
Notably Anger Management
Brad Silberling
Director
1 film together
Notably Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events
John Gatins
Director
1 film together
Notably Dreamer: Inspired By a True Story
Richard Linklater
Director
1 film together
Notably Fast Food Nation
Todd Phillips
Director
1 film together
Notably School for Scoundrels
Philip G. Atwell
Director
1 film together
Notably War
Renny Harlin
Director
1 film together
Notably Cleaner
Raja Gosnell
Director
1 film together
Notably Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Peyton Reed
Director
1 film together
Notably Yes Man
Tony Scott
Director
1 film together
Notably The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3
Ken Kwapis
Director
1 film together
Notably He's Just Not That Into You
Jason Winer
Director
1 film together
Notably Arthur
Brad Peyton
Director
1 film together
Notably Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Kim Jee-woon
Director
1 film together
Notably The Last Stand
Chris Rock
Director
1 film together
Notably Top Five
Steven Brill
Director
1 film together
Notably The Do-Over
Peter Atencio
Director
1 film together
Notably Keanu
Justin Long
Director
1 film together
Notably Lady of the Manor
Sammi Cohen
Director
1 film together
Notably You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah
Paul Rodríguez
Director
1 film together
Notably Holy Cash
Beth McCarthy-Miller
Director
1 film together
Notably Netflix Tudum 2025
Gareth Evans
Director
1 film together
Notably Havoc
Tyler Spindel
Director
1 film together
Notably Kinda Pregnant
Aaron Horvath
Director
1 film together
Notably The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
Behind the camera
Who casts this performer, how often, and what the pairing produces.
Paul Thomas Anderson
Director
2 films together · 7.4 avg MV
A working relationship rather than a booking — 2 films, and the register shifts each time.
Best film together
MagnoliaBrian De Palma
Director
2 films together · 7.0 avg MV
A working relationship rather than a booking — 2 films, and the register shifts each time.
Best film together
Carlito's WayAaron Horvath
Director
1 film together · 8.3 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Super Mario Galaxy MovieKevin Reynolds
Director
1 film together · 7.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Count of Monte CristoJohn Gatins
Director
1 film together · 7.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Dreamer: Inspired By a True StoryGary Fleder
Director
1 film together · 7.0 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Runaway JuryPeyton Reed
Director
1 film together · 6.8 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Yes ManBrad Silberling
Director
1 film together · 6.8 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate EventsPhillip Noyce
Director
1 film together · 6.8 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Bone CollectorMatthew Robbins
Director
1 film together · 6.7 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
*batteries not includedKen Kwapis
Director
1 film together · 6.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
He's Just Not That Into YouRidley Scott
Director
1 film together · 6.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Black RainSammi Cohen
Director
1 film together · 6.5 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
You Are So Not Invited to My Bat MitzvahGareth Evans
Director
1 film together · 6.4 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
HavocTony Scott
Director
1 film together · 6.4 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3Philip G. Atwell
Director
1 film together · 6.4 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
WarJames Foley
Director
1 film together · 6.3 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
ConfidencePeter Segal
Director
1 film together · 6.2 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Anger ManagementJohn Landis
Director
1 film together · 6.2 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Innocent BloodChris Rock
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Top FiveKim Jee-woon
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Last StandBrad Peyton
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Journey 2: The Mysterious IslandRenny Harlin
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
CleanerRichard Linklater
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Fast Food NationAnthony Russo
Director
1 film together · 6.1 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Welcome to CollinwoodPaul Rodríguez
Director
1 film together · 6.0 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Holy CashPeter Atencio
Director
1 film together · 6.0 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
KeanuJohnny Depp
Director
1 film together · 6.0 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The BraveGregg Champion
Director
1 film together · 6.0 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Cowboy WaySteven Brill
Director
1 film together · 5.7 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Do-OverTyler Spindel
Director
1 film together · 5.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Kinda PregnantJustin Long
Director
1 film together · 5.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Lady of the ManorJason Winer
Director
1 film together · 5.6 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
ArthurBeth McCarthy-Miller
Director
1 film together · 5.5 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Netflix Tudum 2025Todd Phillips
Director
1 film together · 5.5 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
School for ScoundrelsRaja Gosnell
Director
1 film together · 5.4 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
Beverly Hills ChihuahuaRon Underwood
Director
1 film together · 4.4 avg MV
One film, but the kind that reorganises how a performer is cast afterwards.
Best film together
The Adventures of Pluto NashSix degrees
Follow the thread outward — director, film, co-star, and the film after that.
Categories of our own
Six editorial categories we apply to every performer we cover.
Most rewatchable
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
as Wart (voice)
The one that survives a fourth viewing. Nothing in the performance depends on surprise, which is why it keeps paying out.
Most emotional performance
Entergalactic
as Huge Mover (voice)
Grief played at conversational volume. The film never asks the audience to cry; the performance simply makes it difficult not to.
Most influential performance
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
as Wart (voice)
You can hear this reading in other actors' auditions a decade later — the surest measure of influence there is.
Best ensemble performance
Magnolia
as Luis
Work that makes everyone else in the frame better without ever pulling the camera towards itself.
Career defining performance
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
as Wart (voice)
If the career had to be argued in a single scene, our editors would pick one from this film and rest the case.
In their films' words
“You can build a whole film around a performer who knows when not to speak. Luis Guzmán has known it for a long time.”
Head to head
Put two careers on the same scale and see where the argument actually sits.
Ours alone
Recognitions handed out by this desk, on criteria no awards body uses.
Career Achievement
Awarded
40 years of relevant work — not merely a long career, but a long career of choices.
Modern Classic Performer
Awarded
Defining performances delivered inside the last twenty-five years, in films already being taught rather than merely remembered.
Comedy Legend
Awarded
33 catalogue titles in comedy, each one a reference point for the films that followed.
Our desk
Best ending, best opening, best twist and the rest — categories we apply to everyone we cover.
Best ending
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
as Wart (voice)
The last five minutes reorganise everything before them, and hold up when you already know what's coming.
Best opening
Carlito's Way
as Pachanga
A first sequence that states the rules of the film without explaining a single one of them.
Most emotional
Entergalactic
as Huge Mover (voice)
The film where the technique steps aside and lets the feeling arrive undefended.
Best twist
Snake Eyes
as Cyrus
A reversal earned by information the film gave you and trusted you to misread.
Best visual achievement
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie
as Wart (voice)
Images that would survive with the sound switched off.
Best action sequence
The Cowboy Way
as Chango
Geography, stakes and consequence held in the same frame — spectacle you can follow.
Best dialogue
Entergalactic
as Huge Mover (voice)
Lines written to be spoken, staged so the pauses do half the work.
Most underrated film
The Cowboy Way
as Chango
The public vote sits below ours on this one, and the direction is the reason for the gap.
If you like this performer
Matt Damon
Built a career in the same territory: adventure and drama
Michael Caine
Built a career in the same territory: adventure and drama
Tom Hanks
Built a career in the same territory: animation and family
Bonnie Hunt
Built a career in the same territory: animation and family
Harry Dean Stanton
Works with the same directors — Ridley Scott
David Krumholtz
Built a career in the same territory: action and adventure
Have your say
Community
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Our readers argue about this one. Make your case, or read the ranked debate already in progress.
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Reference
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