The West Wing Cast: Where Are They Now?

The eventual winner of the West Wing’s in-universe 2006 Presidential Election, Jimmy Smits’ Matt Santos pre-empts the appearance of Alan Alda by several episodes, initially set on resigning his Congress seat to focus on local issues before he is convinced to run for the Presidency by Josh Lyman, he mirrors President Bartlet’s unlikely ascension by beginning as a huge longshot.

Like Alda, Smits was a seasoned television veteran by the time of his debut on the show, having spent 6 years on L.A Law and 4 on NYPD Blue and earned an Emmy and a Golden Globe apiece for his work. He also had a fairly high profile supporting role in the Star Wars prequels as Senator Bail Organa, the adoptive father of Princess Leia, and reprised this role 11 years after Revenge Of The Sith in Rogue One.

Since The West Wing’s conclusion, Smits has headlined three television shows (Cane, Outlaw and Bluff City Law) that were all cancelled after their first seasons. He has had slightly better luck on series where he is not the leading man, having been a huge part of Sons Of Anarchy’s final three seasons, but 24: Legacy and The Get Down were also canned after a single season with him as part of the ensemble cast.

Next set to appear in Jon Chu’s film adaptation of Broadway musical In The Heights, Smits remains a man in demand on the big and small screens.