Wilson Cruz

Biography: Best known for his sensitive portrayal as Enrique "Rickie" Vasquez, the troubled gay teen on My So-Called Life, Wilson Cruz has culled an impressive resume with various screen, stage and gay rights advocacy appearances. Born in Brooklyn, New York where he started his career in stage productions before moving to San Bernadino, California. Cruz consistently confronts issues of homosexuality and Latino identity in his work. Like his character on My So-Called Life, Cruz was briefly estranged from his father after coming out at the age of 19. For several months, he lived out of his car and relied on the generosity of friends. The two eventually reconciled, and Cruz went on to build a successful acting career, often portraying gay characters dealing with complex issues. Cruz earned an American Latino Media Award (ALMA) for his role as a nanny on Party of Five, and credits the show for bringing a topic such as talking about homosexuality with children to prime time television. Cruz gained new fans, a decade after My So-Called Life with his recurring role as Junito on Noah's Arc, a show about four gay men, navigating relationships in Los Angeles. The show airs on LOGO, the first gay television network available without special order. Cruz has not turned his back on the stage, however. He won acclaim for his performances as Angel in the Tony award-winning Rent on Broadway, and as Michael in Jonathan Larson's pre-Rent, semi-autobiographical musical, Tick, Tick... Boom!. He also devotes a significant amount of time and energy to championing GLBT youth causes, and graced the cover of The Advocate in 1999.… Expand