History Creator / DannyTrejo

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He had criminal problems during his youth and spent time in jail, but the accounts of everybody he works with in the movies (''everybody'') is that he is one of the best people in the industry. The [[AllStarCast cameo heavy and varied cast of]] ''Film/{{Machete}}'' stems from all the people he worked with in the past wanting to contribute something to his first starring role.

* ''Film/{{Badass}}'' (2012): Kind of self-explanatory, don't you think? Plays Frank Vega, a badass.

* InkSuitActor: As Umberto Robina in ''VideoGame/GrandTheftAutoViceCity'', and himself in ''[[VideoGame/DefJamSeries Def Jam: Fight For New York]]''.

* ChronicallyKilledActor: By virtue of playing expendable thugs to the point that he's been killed the most out of any actor by far, at a staggering 65.

* ''{{Film/Halloween 2007}}'' (2007): Ismael Cruz

* ''WesternAnimation/YoungJustice'': ComicBook/{{Bane}}

He's the kind of guy everyone can recognize, but not as many can name. He's been working in Hollywood since 1985 and has played dozens of supporting roles, usually as some kind of tough guy, [[{{Mook}} henchman]] or thug. Trejo has also been in a number of Creator/RobertRodriguez films[[note]]The two later found out that they were actually [[RealLifeRelative second cousins]][[/note]], usually with slightly larger roles than he normally plays, including ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' and the ''Film/SpyKids'' trilogy, finally culminating in his first leading role: the badass known as Film/{{Machete}}. And, in a bit of PlayingAgainstType on ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', he voiced Enrique (the sad-sack bobtail driver from Strickland propane who wants to be Hank's friend).

* WeaponOfChoice: Many of Trejo's characters in Creator/RobertRodriguez movies [[MeaningfulName have been named after knives or sharp instruments]]: Machete in ''Film/SpyKids'' and, [[BreakoutCharacter well]], ''Film/{{Machete}}'', Razor Charlie in ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'', Navajas (Spanish for blades) in ''Desperado'', and Cuchillo (Spanish for knife) in ''Film/{{Predators}}''.

* FriendToAllChildren: He adores kids, and has said he enjoys playing villains as a way to show that bad guys don't normally win in the end. Taken UpToEleven in real life, when he [[https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/08/08/danny-trejo-car-accident-saves-child-los-angeles-machete/ helped to calm and rescue a child from an overturned car]], using the experience he's gotten from working with special-needs children.

He had criminal problems during his youth and spent time in jail, but the accounts of everybody he works with in the movies (''Everyone'') is that he is one of the best people in the industry. The [[AllStarCast cameo heavy and varied cast of]] ''Film/{{Machete}}'' stems from all the people he worked with in the past wanting to contribute something to his first starring role.

** His Old El Paso commercial plays up to his {{Typecasting}} as a KnifeNut.

He's the kind of guy everyone can recognize, but not as many can name. He's been working in Hollywood since 1985 and has played dozens of supporting roles, usually as some kind of tough guy, [[{{Mook}} henchman]] or thug. Trejo has also been in a number of Creator/RobertRodriguez films[[note]]The two later found out that they were actually [[RealLifeRelative second cousins]][[/note]], usually with slightly larger roles than he normally plays, including ''Film/{{Desperado}}'' and the ''Film/SpyKids'' trilogy, finally culminating in his first leading role: the badass KnifeNut known as Film/{{Machete}}. And, in a bit of PlayingAgainstType on ''WesternAnimation/KingOfTheHill'', he voiced Enrique (the sad-sack bobtail driver from Strickland propane who wants to be Hank's friend).

* ''Film/{{Desperado}}'': [[KnifeNut Navajas]]

** Entirely intentional, as the above entry will indicate.
** Bizarrely averted in ''VideoGame/FalloutNewVegas'', where he plays a 230+ year old [[OurZombiesAreDifferent ghoul]].
** Also subverted in ''Series/SonsOfAnarchy''. See below.
** And beaten to the curb and shot in ''Film/{{Machete}}''.

* KnifeNut: Many of Trejo's characters in Creator/RobertRodriguez movies [[MeaningfulName have been named after knives or sharp instruments]]: Machete in ''Film/SpyKids'' and, [[BreakoutCharacter well]], ''Film/{{Machete}}'', Razor Charlie in ''Film/FromDuskTillDawn'', Navajas (Spanish for blades) in ''Desperado'', and Cuchillo (Spanish for knife) in ''Film/{{Predators}}''.

* TypeCasting: As a KnifeNut henchman/thug. Nobody does it better. He's also had several roles where he is either TheComicallySerious or a JerkWithAHeartOfGold.