In 1978, the Miami Herald dubbed Victor Rivas (AKA Victor Rivers) "The Longest Long Shot" when he became the first Cuban American to be out for two seasons with the Miami Dolphins. He had defied the odds by surviving a violent upbringing and by playing in the position of offensive guard—usually reserved for football players much larger than he was at the time. Coming next to Hollywood in 1979, again as a long shot, he went on to attain starring roles in television, film and on stage.

Today Victor Rivers is a veteran star of more than two dozen films, with a worldwide following for such memorable roles as Magic Mike, the prison gang warlord in the cult hit BLOOD IN/BLOOD OUT and as Joaquin Murrietta, Antonio Banderas' ill-fated brother in THE MASK OF ZORRO. Fatefully, Victor made his feature film debut in FEAR CITY—thanks to a recommendation by the film's star, Melanie Griffith, who now happens to be married to Banderas. The tall, dark and very handsome Rivers has worked steadily ever since—going on to play a wide array of roles that range from heartthrobs to villains to funnymen.

His early credits include the action/thriller 8 MILLION WAYS TO DIE which reunited Victor with fellow actor and friend, Andy Garcia. Victor next appeared in the dramas HAVANA, starring Robert Redford, and FIRES WITHIN which starred Jimmy Smits. Rivers then played a witch-doctor in the horror-film BLACK MAGIC WOMAN, a trucker in David Lynch's cult favorite, TWIN PEAKS: FIRE WALK WITH ME, and a drug dealer/hit man in ONE GOOD COP which starred Michael Keaton.

Victor made his comedy film debut in LAST RESORT which starred Jon Lovitz and the late Phil Hartman. Rivers went on to star in the comedy hits A MILLION TO JUAN with Paul Rodriguez and THE DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN as Eddie Murphy's flamboyant sidekick, a portrayal that earned Victor some of the film's biggest laughs. When Steven Spielberg was looking to cast a pivotal role in the dramatic opening sequences of AMISTAD, Victor's hilarious performance as a seductive vampire in the CYBIL TV pilot won him the role

With his unique versatility for pathos and humor, Victor's extensive range also includes his role in the climactic last scene of Ang Lee's 2003 THE HULK and as the husband of Mercedes Ruehl in the critical smash WHAT'S COOKING? (also starring Alfre Woodard, Kyra Sedgewick, Julianna Marguiles) which won the New York Film Critics Audience Award. Victor previously starred with Eric Roberts in LA CUCARACHA, a thriller named Best Feature Film at the 1998 Austin Film Festival. Rivers stars in the European independent production of LARA, shot in Minsk, Belarus, a film produced by four time Academy Award nominee Artur Brauner and he will also be seen in the much anticipated indie BILL'S GUN SHOP. He appeared in the Miramax police drama, IN TOO DEEP, as the sinister killer in the action flick FLED (with Laurence Fishbourne), in the HBO World Premiere Movie THE CHAIN (with Gary Busey) and TNT's period piece TWO FOR TEXAS (with Kris Kristofferson). Rivers has guest starred in such popular television series as 24, CSI MIAMI, JAG, Star Trek, and Miami Vice.

Victor's dramatic personal story also reflects an amazing portrait of a young man overcoming the odds. Born in Sancti Spiritus, Cuba, he came with his family to this country at the age of two, enduring horrific child abuse and witnessing domestic violence on the level of torture at the hands of his father. At age fifteen, Victor took the then unprecedented legal action against his father, going on to live with a series of foster families.

Thanks to the intervention of his community, he turned his life around dramatically—going from hard-core gang-member to senior class President and lettering in four sports. He attended Florida State University on a full four-year football scholarship, where he was a team captain and scholar athlete, and was mentored by Coach Bobby Bowden, before his 1978-79 seasons as a free agent draft pick with the Miami Dolphins

In 1999 Victor became the national spokesperson for the National Network to End Domestic Violence. Today, having broken the cycle of violence, Victor Rivas Rivers is also a devoted husband and father—what he believes are his two most important roles. It is his indomitable spirit as an actor, athlete and as a human being that may have inspired director Taylor Hackford to call him, "A big man—in heart and soul."