Person Biography:
Izzy Ruiz was born in New York City's Spanish Harlem and moved to the south Bronx at the age of 5. He has experienced a lifetime of challenges, including witnessing a man being shot in the head at 6 years old and a bus running over a child's head at 8 years old. Despite these traumatic events, Izzy's parents, who were Puerto Rican, instilled him with good moral values.
Growing up in the Bronx during the 1960s to 1980s, Izzy was surrounded by gangs, drugs, and violence. However, his father's bodegas became a sanctuary where both good and bad congregated, and Izzy was watched over by the gangs and the NYPD.
Izzy attended Catholic school until the seventh grade and then the NYC public school system. He went on to attend Ithaca College and Baruch College, where he studied business administration and discovered his passion for acting. After college, Izzy worked at Hitachi America before being recruited to join the NYPD.
Izzy became a police officer and spent three years on the streets before becoming an undercover detective in the narcotics division. He worked in various units, including the Queens TNT unit, where he was initially met with resistance due to his skin color. However, Izzy proved himself to be an exceptional undercover officer, earning the Medal of Valor for a shooting incident where his life was on the line.
After 20 years of service, Izzy retired from the NYPD in 2008 and focused on his acting career. He attended the William Esper Studio, where he studied under the renowned acting coach William Esper and completed the professional two-year course and one-year Masters program.
Izzy's story is a testament to his resilience and adaptability, as he has spent most of his life acting, whether it was as a gang member, a police officer, or a businessman. With his unique experiences and training, Izzy is now focused on entertaining audiences through his acting.
