Edward James Olmos

Edward James Olmos plays Commander William Adama in Battlestar Galactica. His quiet delivery gives the fleet's military leader authority without making him sound invulnerable. Adama often seems tired, but he still has to issue the next order. Olmos makes that responsibility tangible.

His earlier work includes Lieutenant Martin Castillo in Miami Vice and teacher Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver. The latter brought an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor. He also appears as Gaff in Blade Runner, a much smaller role with a very distinct presence.

In Mayans M.C., he plays Felipe Reyes; his Dexter credit is Professor James Gellar. Adama remains a particularly good use of his restraint. He can make a pause feel like a decision being weighed, and his disagreements with Mary McDonnell's Laura Roslin give the fleet's competing responsibilities a convincing human form.