Eloy Mendez is a renowned actor and producer with a diverse range of experience in film, television, theater, and commercial productions.
He made his acting debut in the critically acclaimed film Bread and Roses, directed by Ken Loach and starring Adrien Brody, Elpidia Carrillo, and George Lopez. The film premiered at the 2000 Cannes International Film Festival, where it was nominated for a Palme d'Or.
The same year, Eloy landed the lead role in the film Medio Tiempo, which aired on Showtime for nearly a decade. His other film credits include Dishdogz, The Price of the American Dream, Primo, Bold Native, The Price of Happiness, and Road to Juarez.
Eloy's recent productions include Stealing Las Vegas, which premiered at The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood in 2012, and Dragon Day, which premiered at The Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival in 2013. Dragon Day will be available on iTunes, video-on-demand, and Netflix on July 4, 2014.
He made his Sundance debut in 2013 with the film C.O.G., based on the writings of New York Times best-selling author, David Sedaris. Distributed by Focus Features, C.O.G. received stellar reviews across the country and made the list of Top Films of the Year by Variety, The Wrap, and other publications.
Eloy's most current production, Lake Los Angeles, directed by award-winning director, Mike Ott, will have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival in the summer of 2014. He has also appeared in over 40 short films that have screened in festivals worldwide.
Television and stage performance continue to play a significant role in Eloy's career. He has guest-starred in a wide range of TV shows, including ER, Monk, Sleeper Cell, General Hospital, Girlfriends, NCIS, The Shield, and The Last Ship, to name a few. He was also a member of the prestigious Latino Theater Company Laboratory for over three years, where he co-wrote the play Melancholia as an ensemble. He has performed on stage in productions that include Wicked, The Boys Next Door, and Closets.
In early 2014, Eloy founded Mighty Dog Entertainment, an independent production company that is producing a documentary called Return to the Philippines, the story of Leon Cooper, a 94-year-old WW2 veteran who was a Higgins Boat Commander in six missions, ferrying troops onto beaches to do battle. For close to a decade, Cooper has been trying to shed light on the 88,000 MIA's from WW2 who never made it home. Lou Diamond Phillips is attached as the narrator of the film.
While Eloy is well-known for his commitment to his art and entertainment, he is equally passionate off-screen in his commitment to a number of charitable causes. His philanthropic endeavors focus on issues like homelessness, education, and poverty, social justice, and human rights. Some of the charities he supports include Union Rescue Mission, RFK Foundation, Izunome Association, as well as numerous orphanages and schools in Latin America.
