ACLU Ambassador Project

Demian Bichir

Demian Bichir serves as the ACLU celebrity ambassador for immigrants' rights. Bichir is one of the most well-known and well-respected actors in his home of Mexico and the U.S. He received a 2012 Academy Award, SAG Award and Independent Spirit Award nomination for his portrayal of an undocumented gardener trying to connect with his estranged teenage son in Chris Weitz's feature "A Better Life." He is the first Mexican born actor to be nominated for the Best Actor award by the Academy since Anthony Quinn was nominated for the film "Wild Is The Wind" in 1957.

In the United States, Bichir currently stars in the critically acclaimed television series, "The Bridge" for FX opposite Diane Krueger. The show goes into its second season in the summer of 2014. Bichir is beloved for his portrayal of Esteban Reyes opposite Mary-Louise Parker in the hit Showtime series "Weeds."

He just wrapped shooting his directorial debut of the film he wrote entitled "Refugio," a coming of age story of a young dreamer, born in the circus, who embarks on a search to find his long lost true love. The film is currently in post-production.

His outstanding U.S. film credits include: portraying Fidel Castro in Steven Soderbergh's "Che," opposite Benicio Del Toro, starring in Oliver Stone's "Savages," opposite Benicio Del Toro and Salma Hayek, Ian Power's "The Runway," Paul Fieg's hit summer comedy "The Heat" opposite Sandra Bullock and Melissa Mc Carthy and "Machete Kills" opposite Danny Trejo, Mel Gibson, Charlie Estevez and others.

In 2014 Bichir co-stars in the upcoming release of "Dom Hemingway," opposite Jude Law and has the lead role in the independent film "Death in Buenos Aires."

In Mexico, Bichir is an Ariel Award winner for Best Actor, given by the Mexican Academy of Cinematography, and has received numerous other nominations and prestigious honors including a Medal of Honor for Merit in the Fine Arts, given by the Legislative Assembly of Mexico City.

Bichir comes from a well-known and highly respected theatrical family. He is the son of famed theater director Alejandro Bichir and acclaimed actress Maricruz Nájera. His brothers Odiseo and Bruno are also two of the most talented actors of their generation. Bichir has amassed an impressive resume of theater credits in Mexico including the starring role in the theater adaptation of the film SWIMMINGWITH SHARKS in Mexico City, directed by his brother Bruno Bichir. Bichir's work in theater includes Shakespeare's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and RICHARD THE III, Strindberg's THE GHOST SONATA, Peter Shaffer's EQUUS, Eugene O'Neill's AH! WILDERNESS, Neil Simon's BROADWAY BOUND and THE ODD COUPLE, David Halliwell's LITTLE MALCOLM and HIS STRUGGLE AGAINST THE EUNUCHS and Sabina Berman's EXTRAS.

Bichir also impressed U.S. audiences in 2008, starring in the play BY THE WATERS OF BABYLON which opened at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles.

Bichir is also starring in Guillermo Arriaga's upcoming collaboration of short films titled "Words With Gods." His most memorable Latin American credits include "Rojo Amanecer" (winner of the Grand Jury Prize in the San Sebastian Film Festival), Alex de la Iglesia's "Perdita Durango" with Javier Bardem, "Hasta Morir" (Best Actor Ariel winner, the Mexican Academy of Cinematography), "Sin Noticias de Dios" with Victoria Abril and Penélope Cruz, the Showtime feature film "In the Time of the Butterflies" in which he starred opposite Salma Hayek, "Sex, Shame and Tears "(Ariel Best Actor nominee), "American Visa" (Best Foreign Film nominee at the Goyas in Spain), "Fuera del Cielo," "Enemigos Intimos" and "Hidalgo, The Untold Story" (Ariel Award nominee and winner of the Best Actor award at the Huelva Film Festival in Spain).

Demian resides in Los Angeles and Mexico City.

Learn more: Immigrants' Rights

Lewis Black Says F#%! Voter Suppression

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Lewis Black

Lewis Black is the ACLU celebrity ambassador for voting rights. Black has been a fixture on The Daily Show segment, "Back in Black," since the show's debut in 1996. He won a Grammy for comedy album, The Carnegie Hall Performance (2006), has starred in numerous HBO Comedy and Comedy Central specials. In addition to his work in comedy, Black has written over 40 plays, and three books. He has made numerous appearances on CNN and MSNBC, and has appeared as a guest on several late-night television shows, including Larry King Live, Piers Morgan Tonight, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, The Late Show with David Letterman, Late Night with Conan O' Brian and the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Lewis Black was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Silver Spring, MD. His mother, a teacher, and his father, a mechanical engineer, instilled in both Lewis and his younger brother Ron the importance of education and the necessity to question authority. Black holds degrees from the University of North Carolina and Yale Drama School, where he received an MFA.

Lewis supports a number of charitable causes, including the ACLU. In 2012, he was honored with a National Civil Liberties Award by the ACLU of Georgia.

Learn more: Voting Rights