Michael Pena

Michael Anthony Peña (born January 13, 1976) is an American film and television actor, probably best known for his prominent roles in Crash, Observe and Report, and Oliver Stone's World Trade Center. He also appeared in the Nickelback music video for their song Savin' Me. Peña, a Mexican-American, was born in Chicago, Illinois, where his father worked at a button factory and his mother was an assistant to a social worker. Both of Peña's parents were originally farmers. Peña attended Hubbard High School in Chicago. He has been associated with Scientology. Peña and his wife Brie Shaffer welcomed their first child in September 2008, a boy named Roman. Though Peña has been a regular in independent productions since 1994, his breakthrough performances came in 2004 in two Best Picture Oscar-winning Paul Haggis penned films, Million Dollar Baby and Crash. The latter was also directed by Haggis, while the former was helmed by Clint Eastwood.