Childhood / Youth 

Victor Rivas was born in October 1955 in Cuba.  In 1957, his parents immigrated their young family to the United States just before the Cuban revolution banned such immigrations.  The family initially settled down in Chicago, where Victor's father got a job as a computer programmer before moving to the Los Angeles area city of Hawthorne, California.

In 1967, after years of abuse, 12-year-old Victor went to the local police station looking for help.  There he stripped his clothes to show the police a serious of welts, burns, cuts, and bruises that he had suffered at the hands of his father.  He also told them that his father was inflicting the same abuse on his mother and siblings.  While sympathetic, the police could do nothing for Victor.  At that time, it was considered a private family matter.  The young boy was forced to go back to his home to suffer years of further abuse from his father.  Some time later, Victor's father moved with the children to Miami, Florida, leaving Mrs. Rivas behind and continuing the abuse of his children.  

This all came to a head when 15-year-old Victor, a strapping 6-foot-two-inch tall young man, was approached by his father with a huge knive.  This time he was big enough to defend himself and he hit his father back.  Years of abuse finally ended.  Knowing that he could never live with his father again, Victor lived on the streets until one of his teammates saw him and convinced him to let his father, a prominent lawyer, help him out with the situation.  The lawyer got a restaining order against Victor's father, and a court granted permission for him to live outside his father's house.

Educators and booster club members helped him find families to live with while he continued his education.  Over the next two years, Victor lived with various families.  Of the experience, Victor later said, "My life really turned around because people gave me love and affection, and self-esteem, all the things I didn't get at home."  In the home of teammate, Steven Bauer, he found not only a place to live, but a loving, caring family who took him on as their own.

Most people would have faltered under such dire circumstances, but as a testament to this young man's spirit, Victor excelled at school despite the terror and turmoil he suffered through.  At Miami's Coral Park High School Victor was a star athlete and lettered in four sports -- wrestling, basketball, baseball, and football.  He also served as class president and was voted most popular boy.

Upon graduation from high school, Victor received a football scholarship to Florida State University.  For the FSU Seminoles he played offensive guard under the guidance and direction of Coach Bobby Bowden.  In Coach Bowden Victor found not only a mentor, but also a positive father figure.  As Victor once said in an interview, " Bobby Bowden had and continues to have a huge influence on me because he inspired me not only to be a good player, but a good person."

Victor thrived at FSU, earning a degree in Criminology.   His talents on the football field were rewarded when he was drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the 1977 National Football League Draft.  With his signing with the team, Victor became the first Cuban-American to play for the Dolphins, making him a revered local celebrity.  After two years of playing sparingly on the offensive line, Victor was released from the team.  Instead of being discouraged, he decided to pursue another love in his life -- acting.

Acting Career 

With some encouragement and help from his "adoptive brother", Steven Bauer, Victor moved to Los Angeles to pursue a professional acting career.  Working in an era when Latino acting parts were very limited, young aspiring actor, Vic Rivas changed his stage name to Victor Rivers.
 

Since making his feature film debut in 1984's Fear City, Victor has appeared in over 20 films.  Among his varied feature film roles he has co-starred in Bill's Gun Shop, What's Cooking?, and The Mask of Zorro.  Some of his most memorable roles are that of Chicano prison warlord, Magic Mike, in Blood In Blood Out; evil Cuban Hitman, Rico Santiago, in Fled; and Eddie Murphy's stylish sidekick, Armando, in The Distinguished Gentleman.

On television, Victor has guest starred on such acclaimed series as Nash Bridges, Cybill, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr., and Ken Burns' The West on PBS.  Additionally, he has done voice work on a number of animated television series.

Humanitarian Efforts 

Victor lives in Hermosa Beach, California with his wife of ten years, author Miriam Eichler-Rivas and their 7-year-old son, Eli.  In past interviews he has said that his developing relationship with his own son played a part in his decision to speak against domestic violence.  "The daily joys of loving, nurturing and teaching my son strengthened me to the point that I decided to use my visibility as an actor to bring greater attention to this pervasive social problem."