Biography
Hemky Louis Madera was born on January 26, 1977, in Queens, New York, to Dominican parents Luis and Gisela Madera. At two months old, he moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic. He graduated from Santiago Christian School and, after exploring various jobs, pursued his long-held passion for acting. His breakthrough came with widespread acclaim on the popular television show "Grandes Series Dominicanas." He then landed lead roles in the mini-series "En La Olla" and "Trio en Alta Mar," both directed by the acclaimed Dominican filmmaker Alfonso Rodriguez.
Following a brief period in New York City working on the film "Bookies Lament," Hemky returned to the Dominican Republic to star in the mini-series "Asalto en la Lincoln." Soon after, he joined the primetime television scene as a cast member and lead actor in the hit sitcoms "Los Electrolocos" and "Ciudad Nueva." His stage debut was in "Pantallas," performed at Santo Domingo's Great National Theatre, followed by a return to New York for Inverse Theatre's production of "Icarus and Aria."
After participating in workshops and internships at The Actor's Studio and Gene Frankel Theatre, he was cast in numerous productions including "Life is a Dream," "The Mistress of the Inn" (which received a review from The New York Times), "Chronicles of a Death Foretold," "Blood Weddings," "Midnight Brainwash Revival," "Feast of the Goat" (a New York Spanish Repertoire production), "Burning the Bridges," and "Belisa's Capriciousness."
His television credits include appearances on acclaimed primetime series such as "The Shield" and "Law and Order: Criminal Intent." He had a recurring role as Ignacio on SHOWTIME’s "Weeds" and appeared in HBO's "Luck" alongside Dustin Hoffman. His film roles include performances with Harvey Keitel, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Diana Bracho in "Dreaming of Julia," where he portrayed a young human rights activist in 1950s Cuba; "The Lost City" with Andy Garcia, Dustin Hoffman, and Bill Murray; and the Gore Verbinski film "Rango," starring Johnny Depp and Ray Winstone.
