About Raúl
Name: Raúl Eduardo Esparza
Born: October 24 1970; Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Height: 5' 8 3/4"
Spouse: Michele Esparza (m. 1994-2008)
Born: October 24 1970; Wilmington, Delaware, USA
Height: 5' 8 3/4"
Spouse: Michele Esparza (m. 1994-2008)
Biography
Raúl was born in October 1970 in Wilmington, Delaware, to Cuban American parents, but raised in Miami, Florida. He attended Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, graduating in 1988. In this same year, he won a Silver Knight Award for drama. He attended the New York University Tisch School of the Arts; receiving a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1992.
Two years later, he married his high school girlfriend, Michele Marie Perez, but the couple divorced in 2008. In an interview with the New York Times in 2006, Raúl revealed he is bi-sexual. He currently lives in Chelsea, NYC. Raúl is Godfather to child actor Iain Armitage, who has starred in Big Little Lies and Young Sheldon.
Raúl made his Broadway debut playing Riff-Raff in the 2000 Revival of The Rocky Horror Show (a role which won him the Theatre World Award for Outstanding New York Debut). Since then he has appeared in several Brodway and off Broadway productions including, tick, tick... BOOM!, Taboo, Company and Leap of Faith. He has also had roles in several films and television shows, most notably as ADA Rafael Barba in Law & Order: SVU. For a more detailed list of all Raúl's credits, please see our dedicated career page.
Two years later, he married his high school girlfriend, Michele Marie Perez, but the couple divorced in 2008. In an interview with the New York Times in 2006, Raúl revealed he is bi-sexual. He currently lives in Chelsea, NYC. Raúl is Godfather to child actor Iain Armitage, who has starred in Big Little Lies and Young Sheldon.
Raúl made his Broadway debut playing Riff-Raff in the 2000 Revival of The Rocky Horror Show (a role which won him the Theatre World Award for Outstanding New York Debut). Since then he has appeared in several Brodway and off Broadway productions including, tick, tick... BOOM!, Taboo, Company and Leap of Faith. He has also had roles in several films and television shows, most notably as ADA Rafael Barba in Law & Order: SVU. For a more detailed list of all Raúl's credits, please see our dedicated career page.
Awards
Nominated: Drama Desk Awards - 2012 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Leap of Faith)
Nominated: Drama League Awards - 2012 - Distinguished Performance Award (Leap of Faith)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2012 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Leap of Faith)
Nominated: Drama Desk Awards - 2009 - Outstanding Actor in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2009 - Outstanding Actor in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2009 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2008 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (The Homecoming)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Company)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Ensemble Performances (The Homecoming)
Won: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Company)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2007 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Company)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2005 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2004 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Taboo)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2003 - Outstanding Featured Actor - Musical (Taboo)
Nominated: Helen Hayes Awards - 2003 - Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical (Sunday in the Park With George)
Won: Obie Awards - 2002 – Performance (tick, tick...Boom!)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2001 - Outstanding Actor - Musical (tick, tick... Boom!)
Won: Theatre World Awards - 2001 - Performance (The Rocky Horror Show)
Nominated: Drama League Awards - 2012 - Distinguished Performance Award (Leap of Faith)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2012 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Leap of Faith)
Nominated: Drama Desk Awards - 2009 - Outstanding Actor in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2009 - Outstanding Actor in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2009 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play (Speed-the-Plow)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2008 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play (The Homecoming)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Company)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Ensemble Performances (The Homecoming)
Won: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2007 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Company)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2007 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical (Company)
Nominated: Outer Critics Circle Awards - 2005 - Outstanding Actor in a Musical (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang)
Nominated: Tony Awards - 2004 - Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical (Taboo)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2003 - Outstanding Featured Actor - Musical (Taboo)
Nominated: Helen Hayes Awards - 2003 - Outstanding Lead Actor, Resident Musical (Sunday in the Park With George)
Won: Obie Awards - 2002 – Performance (tick, tick...Boom!)
Won: Drama Desk Awards - 2001 - Outstanding Actor - Musical (tick, tick... Boom!)
Won: Theatre World Awards - 2001 - Performance (The Rocky Horror Show)
Fragrances
For every role Raúl plays, he chooses a cologne to wear to help him get into character. Here's a list of the fragrances we know he has used:
- Bernard (The Waves) - Book by Commodity
- Rafael Barba (SVU) - Terre d'Hermes by Hermes
- Jonas Nightingale (Leap of Faith) - Tom Ford for Men
- Bobby (Company) - Royal Water by Creed
- Charlie Fox (Speed the Plow) - Red by Giorgio of Beverly Hills
- Valentine Coverly (Arcadia) - Amber Pour Homme by Prada