Overview

Steven Bauer (born Esteban Ernesto Echevarría Samson on December 2, 1956) is a Cuban-born American actor. He began his acting career on PBS, playing Joe Peña in ¿Qué Pasa, USA? (1977–1979), a show about a Cuban exile family in Miami. Bauer is perhaps most famous for his role as Manny Ribera, the right-hand man of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), in the 1983 crime drama *Scarface*. His performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination. Other notable roles include Don Eladio Vuente in *Breaking Bad* (2011) and *Better Call Saul* (2017–2022), and Avi Rudin in *Ray Donovan* (2013–2017). Bauer’s family emigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1960, settling in Miami, Florida. He studied acting at Miami Dade Community College and the University of Miami. He has been married multiple times and has two children.

What Is Steven Bauer’s Net Worth?

Steven Bauer, the Cuban-American actor renowned for his roles in iconic films and television shows, boasts a net worth of $5 million. This financial standing is primarily a result of his extensive work in the entertainment industry, encompassing film and television appearances, along with potential earnings from endorsements and other ventures.

Early Life and Career Beginnings

Esteban Ernesto Echevarria Samson, later known as Steven Bauer, was born in Havana, Cuba, on August 7, 1956. His father, Estaban Echevarria, was a commercial pilot for Cubana Airlines, while his mother, Lillian Agostini, was a schoolteacher. In 1960, shortly after the Cuban Revolution, the family emigrated to Miami, Florida. Bauer’s educational journey included attending Miami Dade High School, where he graduated in 1974. He furthered his education at Miami Dade Community College and the University of Miami, where he met Ray Liotta, a fellow aspiring actor.

Bauer’s first significant role came in the PBS bilingual sitcom “Que Pasa, USA?” (1977-1979), where he played the teenage son of a Cuban exile family in Miami. He also appeared in the 1980 television miniseries “From Here to Eternity.” During this period, he briefly used the stage name Rocky Echevarria before reverting to Steven. In 1981, he starred in the television film “She’s in the Army Now,” where he met his first wife, Melanie Griffith. The couple’s move to New York City allowed Bauer to pursue acting training under Stella Adler and perform in off-Broadway productions. He then adopted the stage name Steve Bauer.

Breakthrough and Notable Roles

In 1983, Steven Bauer landed the role of Manny Ribera in the remake of “Scarface.” His Cuban background and strong audition performance were crucial in securing the part. His critically acclaimed performance earned him a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. This role proved to be a turning point in his career.

Following “Scarface,” Bauer secured prominent roles in various films and television shows. In 1986, he played Detective Frank Sigliano in the cop comedy “Running Scared.” That same year, he portrayed an Israeli soldier in the Canadian television movie “Sword of Gideon,” a film that later inspired Steven Spielberg’s “Munich.” In 1990, he starred in the television miniseries “Drug Wars: The Camarena Story” as DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena and took over the lead role in the final season of “Wiseguy.” Throughout the 1990s, Bauer continued to work steadily in action and crime films and television shows, including “Primal Fear,” “The Blackout,” “The Versace Murder,” “King of Texas,” and “Doing Hard Time.” He also made guest appearances on shows like “Law & Order,” “Cold Case,” “Walker, Texas Ranger,” and “V.I.P.”

In 2011, Steven Bauer joined the cast of “Breaking Bad” for its fourth season, playing Don Eladio Vuente, a role he reprised in the spin-off series “Better Call Saul” in 2017, appearing in the third, fifth, and sixth seasons. From 2013 to 2017, he played Avi Rudin in “Ray Donovan.” In 2017, he also took on the recurring role of El Santo in “Queen of the South.” Additionally, Bauer has lent his voice to video games such as “Call of Duty: Black Ops II,” “Hitman: Absolution,” and “Let It Die,” and appeared in music videos for artists like Miami Sound Machine, Pitbull, Drake, and Zayn.

Filmography

Films

  • 1983: Scarface as Manny Ribera
  • 1984: Thief of Hearts as Michael “Mickey” Davis
  • 1986: Running Scared as Det. Frank Sigliano
  • 1987: The Big Easy as Det. Lt. Remy McSwain
  • 1988: Beast of Burden as Messerschmidt
  • 1991: A Kiss Before Dying as Jonathan Corliss
  • 1993: Sliver as Gus Hale
  • 1994: Color of Night as Dr. Hector Martinez
  • 1996: Primal Fear as Joey Pinero
  • 2000: Traffic as Carlos Ayala
  • 2005: Pit Fighter as Manolo
  • 2007: Starship Troopers 3: Marauder as General Hauser
  • 2015: Extract as David

Television

  • 1977-1979: ¿Qué Pasa, USA? as Joe Peña
  • 1980: From Here to Eternity as Pvt. Ignacio Carmona
  • 1990: Drug Wars: The Camarena Story as Enrique “Kiki” Camarena
  • 1990-1991: Wiseguy as Michael Santana
  • 2003: King of Texas as Menifee
  • 2004: Paradise as Alberto Catania
  • 2005: High Roller: The Stu Ungar Story as Dean Erlich
  • 2007: Burn Notice as Reyes
  • 2011: Breaking Bad as Don Eladio Vuente (4 episodes)
  • 2013-2017: Ray Donovan as Avi Rudin
  • 2017: Blue Bloods as Cesar Vargas
  • 2017-2022: Queen of the South as El Santo
  • 2017-2022: Better Call Saul as Don Eladio Vuente (4 episodes)

Personal Life and Relationships

Steven Bauer has been married four times. His first marriage was to Melanie Griffith in 1981, whom he met on the set of “She’s in the Army Now.” They had a son, Alexander, and divorced in 1989. His second marriage was to Ingrid Anderson from 1989 to 1991, with whom he had a son named Dylan. He then married Christiana Boney in 1992, and they divorced in 2002 after a decade together. His fourth marriage was to Paulette Miltimore from 2003 to 2012.

© 2025 Net Worth Ranker / All Rights Reserved