Richard Cabral

A truly inspiring story of redemption, Richard Cabral's journey to the screen was a long and difficult road. Before he was an actor, Cabral was a teenage gang member. Beginning at age 13, the young Cabral's life was a torrent of violence and illegal activity. He was involved in using and selling drugs, committing assaults against rival gang members, and was frequently in and out of jail. By the time he was 15, cabral was addicted to crack cocaine and often using crystal meth. At age 20, this lifestyle came to a head for Cabral. He was charged with attempted murder and faced the potential of life in prison. He took a plea deal that gave him five years, of which he served 27 months.

When his incarceration was finally over, Cabral was determined to find a new life. With the help of the non-profit Homeboy Industries, he did. The organization finds non-criminal work for former gang members, and it gave Cabral the chance to earn his living honestly and without violence, answering phones for Narcotics Anonymous and working in a bakery. One fateful day, the organization gave some of its participants the opportunity to audition for a non-speaking role on a TV series. Cabral took the offer and gave it his all. Soon, he was given the chance to audition for more substantial parts, leading to a major role on "Southland" (TNT, 2009-2013). Before long, Cabral was booking regular work. In 2015, he was cast in a leading role on the drama "American Crime" (ABC, 2015- ).