Photo by Phil Fewsmith used
with permission by KAMARDELOSREYES.COM.
Kamar de los
Reyes
Antonio
Vega on the ABC Television Network’s "One Life to Live"
Kamar de los
Reyes returned to "One Life to Live" in February, 2000, as hot-tempered
Antonio Vega. Kamar originated the role in 1995 and quickly became a fan
favorite during his two-year stint on the show.
OFFICIAL
BIOGRAPHY
From playing alongside Dizzy Gillespie as a child trumpet prodigy to
performing Shakespeare in the Park opposite Patrick Stewart in director George
C. Wolfe’s "The Tempest"—Kamar de los Reyes has crafted a musical and
acting career as rich and complex as the syncopated rhythms of his Latin
roots.
Millions of daytime fans have known Kamar for several years as Antonio Vega on
the ABC daytime drama "One Life to Live" but he has steadily
performed alongside a virtual who's who in television, movies, stage, and
music for over a decade in a wide range of projects.
Kamar's most current film role is the portrayal of Jose Beveagua in the
upcoming John Leguizamo HBO Original Movie "Infamous" which begins production
in September 2002 and will be released in 2003.
De los Reyes brilliantly portrayed the boxer Lopez in the March 2002
City Center Encores! ® Production of "Golden Boy" directed by Walter Bobbie
and starring Alfonso Ribiero as Joe. Kamar's character, Lopez, is a boxer and
the #1 contender in the world who ultimately dies in the ring in a very
elaborately choreographed fight in the finale.
The 2001 smash-hit VH1 Original Movie THE WAY SHE MOVES also recently
showcased Kamar's musical, dancing, and acting talents. The popular
dance-filled romantic drama unfolds inside the world of Salsa dancing with
Kamar portraying a salsa dance instructor who daylights as an elementary
school teacher.
In addition to acting and dancing, Kamar joined together in 1999 with his
legendary musical family on brother Daniel’s album, SAN RAFAEL 560, to play
percussion and add vocals. SAN RAFAEL 560 was selected as one of the Top 10
Albums of 2000 in the World Music Category and continues to be a favorite with
DJs and dance audiences across the country.
In addition to working on his own musical projects, Kamar appeared as Toni
Braxton’s love interest in her steamy music video "Spanish Guitar," which
debuted in fall 2000.
A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Kamar de los Reyes moved to Las Vegas at
the age of two and had a childhood filled with music. Kamar’s father, a Cuban
drummer and percussionist, would see three of his five children become
professional musicians. Kamar, the youngest of the brood, began playing the
trumpet at age four, performing on stage alongside big band greats like
Gillespie and Harry James.
Putting trumpet playing aside while in high school, Kamar rediscovered the
arts as a singer and dancer in a pop/jazz ensemble called Harmony Express.
During his senior year, a stage role as El Gallo in "The Fantastiks" marked
his acting debut. During the same period, he studied dance at Backstage Dance
Studio and performed with small musical combos. During a trip to Los Angeles
to visit his brother Daniel, who was playing percussion for the Cher video “We
All Sleep Alone,” Kamar landed a dancing role in the video, and subsequently
went on the work with Kenny Ortega in the feature SALSA and television
series "Dirty Dancing."
In 1989, with his talents as a dancer well established de los Reyes began to
focus on his acting career. After a number of feature films and television
projects, he rose to critical attention as a young man mistaken for a killer
in the CBS telefilm "The Corpse Has a Familiar Face," opposite Elizabeth
Montgomery. In his television series debut, de los Reyes shot 46 episodes as a
young lover to Sally Kirkland in "Valley of the Dolls," a syndicated program
based on the 1967 movie.
"Blade to the Heat" legitimized de los Reyes as an actor and freed him from
professional stereotypes — receiving critical acclaim for his powerful
portrayal of gay Irish-Mexican boxer Pedro Quinn in the 1994 New York stage
production. The Associated Press praised Kamar’s "mesmerizing
performance," and a New York Times review noted, "The most arresting
figure [in the cast] is Mr. de los Reyes."
Over the next several years, de los Reyes would join the cast of "E.R." in a
recurring role as emergency medical technician Hernandez in the top-rated NBC
series; co-star opposite Susan Lucci as a young defense attorney in the ABC
movie of the week "Blood on Her Hands"; and appear as commander Vincent
Testeverde on the season finale of "Touched by an Angel." Other recurring
roles include that of guidance counselor Leon Flores in the CBS primetime
drama "Promised Land," agent David Brandt on ShowTime’s sci-fi drama "Total
Recall 2070," and as the musical booking agent Luis on Fox-TV’s "New York
Undercover."
Kamar de los Reyes’ success has not blinded him to his roots. He aspires
towards someday opening a theatre similar to New York’s Public Theater in
Puerto Rico, where the talents of local writers, directors and actors can be
showcased. Mr. de los Reyes is also involved with “Generación ‘N’ ”, a small
group of aspiring actors, in association with The National Hispanic Foundation
for the Arts founded by Jimmy Smits, Esai Morales, and Sonia Braga.
Kamar’s recreational interests include reading, writing, street basketball,
rollerblading, jogging, boxing, and working out. But his favorite pursuit is
spending time with his five-year-old son, of whom he says, “He is the pride
and joy of my life. Everything else is secondary.”
Official Kamar de los Reyes Web Site
A wonderful site for this extremely talented actor, who portrays the
character of Antonio Vega on OLTL. This a must-see site for fans of Kamar!
Includes some great photo shots, latest news, contests, an "Ask Kamar"
forum, and much more.
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