Renowned actor recounts his life of crime, redemption and Hollywood stardom
Courtesy photo.
SUMMARY
- UCSB Arts & Lectures presents Danny Trejo
- Wednesday, April 12 | 7:30 p.m. | Campbell Hall
- The beloved hero of movie fans and recovery communities will share his fascinating and inspirational journey
- Trejo is the author of a memoir and two cookbooks
- Books will be available for purchase and signing, courtesy of Chaucer’s
- Presented in association with UCSB Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies
- Part of the UCSB Arts & Lectures Justice for All programming initiative
- $20-$35 General Public / $10 UCSB and All Students (Current student ID required)
- Tickets and Info: www.artsandlectures.ucsb.edu, (805) 895-3535
“Danny’s incredible life story shows that even though we may fall down at some point in our lives, it’s what we do when we stand back up that really counts.” – Robert Rodriguez, American filmmaker
SANTA BARBARA — UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) presents Danny Trejo on Wednesday, April 12 at 7:30 p.m. at Campbell Hall. On screen, Danny Trejo is a baddie who has been killed at least a hundred times. Off screen, the actor, producer and entrepreneur is a hero beloved by recovery communities and obsessed fans alike. But the real Danny Trejo is much more complicated than the legend. With more than 400 film credits including Heat, From Dusk Till Dawnand the Spy Kids and Machete franchises, along with his burgeoning Trejo’s Tacos empire, Danny Trejo’s story is “enough to make you believe in the possibility of a Hollywood ending” (The New York Times). Discover the full, fascinating and inspirational story of his journey from prison, addiction and loss to artistic expression and personal happiness.
Danny Trejo discusses his recent memoir
ABOUT DANNY TREJO
Danny Trejo has developed a prolific career in the entertainment industry with a hard-earned and atypical road to success. From years of imprisonment to helping troubled youth battle drug addictions, from acting to producing, and now on to restaurant ventures, Trejo’s name, face, and achievements are well recognized in Hollywood and beyond, but it is his continuous role as a devoted father of three and an intervention counselor that bring him the most satisfaction.
Sober since August 23,1968, Trejo continues to participate in the recovery community by attending meetings and counseling drug addicts. He credits his initial break as an actor to his role as a sponsor for heroin addicts. Called to a film set by a struggling fellow addict when he was 16 years sober, Trejo was recognized by screenwriter Eddie Bunker, an ex-con who had seen Trejo box at San Quentin. Bunker helped Trejo land his first credited role and eventually become a member of the Screen Actors Guild.
As a key player in such Hollywood efforts to explore the impact of mass incarceration on California’s Latinx population as Blood In, Blood Out, Trejo speaks with authority on the media’s representation of justice in America.
Trejo has starred in dozens of films including Desperado, Heat, the From Dusk Til Dawn series, Con Air, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids, Machete, and Machete Kills. On the television side, Trejo had recurring roles on Sons of Anarchy, King of the Hill, Breaking Bad, and The Flash, among others. In the third season of American Gods, Danny played the character of “Mr. World”. Most recently, he can be seen in the role of Rancor Keeper in The Book of Boba Fett airing on Disney+.
Trejo has starred in and voiced various popular video games like Call of Duty, Fallout, Grand Theft Auto, and Def Jam. Additionally, Danny has voiced characters in the animated films Storks, The Book of Life, Maya and the Three directed by Jorge R. Gutierrez, and Universal Pictures’ Minions 2: The Rise of Gru, released Summer 2022. Danny’s colorful life and prolific career are chronicled in the bio-documentary Inmate #1 released in 2020. Trejo also released his fearlessly honest memoir Trejo: My Life of Crime, Redemption, and Hollywood in July 2021. Trejo’s expanding restaurant empire includes Trejo’s Tacos & Cantina, and Trejo’s Coffee & Donuts, with a fifth restaurant opening in downtown Los Angeles in March. His entrance to the literary world was sharing his love of food in the release of his first cookbook Trejo’s Tacos: Recipes and Stories from LA. His companion book, Trejo’s Cantina, a book about cocktails, snacks & amazing non-alcoholic drinks from the heart of Hollywood, will be released in April 2023.
About UCSB Arts & Lectures
Founded in 1959, UCSB Arts & Lectures (A&L) is the largest and most influential arts and lectures organization between Los Angeles and San Francisco. A&L annually presents more than a hundred public events, from critically acclaimed concerts and dance performances by world-renowned artists to talks by groundbreaking authors and film series at UCSB and Santa Barbara-area venues. With a mission to “educate, entertain and inspire,” A&L also oversees an outreach program that brings visiting artists and speakers into local classrooms and other venues for master classes, open rehearsals, discussions and more, serving K-12 students, college students and the general public.
Tickets are $20 – $35: General Public / $10: UCSB and All Students (Current student ID required)
For tickets or more information, call UCSB Arts & Lectures at (805) 893-3535 or purchase online at www.ArtsAndLectures.UCSB.edu.
Justice for All Lead Sponsors: Marcy Carsey, Connie Frank & Evan Thompson, Eva & Yoel Haller, and Zegar Family Foundation
Justice for All UCSB Faculty Advisory Committee: Gerardo Aldana, Ingrid Banks, Daina Ramey Berry, Charles Hale, Susannah Scott, Jeffrey Stewart, Sharon Tettegah, Kim Yasuda
UCSB Arts & Lectures gratefully acknowledges our Community Partners the Natalie Orfalea Foundation & Lou Buglioli for their generous support of the 2022-2023 season.