JOHNNY SÁNCHEZ was born and raised in Brooklyn, N.Y. to undocumented Latino parents.  Johnny caught the acting bug when he was cast in his elementary school’s 'FELIZ NAVIDAD' play (a bilingual speaking, Christmas experience).  His first film was OUTRAGEOUS FORTUNE opposite Better Midler and Shelley Long, playing 'Puerto Rican Kid', robbing both women.   He was fourteen years old.    

 

His career spans over 35 films, 15 TV shows and countless stage productions.  Highlights include:  212 (Sundance Official Selection), SIDE EFFECTS (directed by Steven Soderbergh), BOWFINGER (opposite Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy, directed by Frank Oz), AND JUST LIKE THAT... (HBO Max), THE EQUALIZER (CBS), Law & Order: SVU (NBC), and MARVELOUS MRS. MAISEL (Amazon).

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However, not seeing the opportunities he yearned for as a Latino actor, Johnny started writing and producing.  His first foray into producing was as Co-Producer on the feature film FIND ME GUILTY directed by Sidney Lumet (Academy Award Honoree), starring Vin Diesel and Peter Dinklage.  

 

On Find Me Guilty, Johnny learned a lot.  However, he also saw the changes that needed to happen in the industry for BIPOC and Female producers to succeed (especially, if you're working class).  One producer on the film called Johnny “spic”, and a second producer called him a “Puerto Rican errand boy” (*Johnny is of Colombian descent*).  Those 2 producers also denied fair compensation to the sole female producer (Rita Branch) and the only two BIPOC producers (Johnny Sanchez and Roger Zamudio - who are both Latino) on the project.  Overall, Johnny genuinely enjoyed his experience on the film, and his passion for producing was never thwarted.  In fact, it was fueled even more.  He loves producing. 

 

Johnny teamed up with Rita, Roger & Bob Yari again, and he Co-Produced EVEN MONEY starring Academy Award winners Kim Basinger & Forest Whitaker.  As a Producer, Johnny produced the multi award-winning short film S.P.I.C. (inspired by true events from his youth), which played at over 30 film festivals worldwide.  S.P.I.C. garnered over 15 awards, including Best of Fest (Blackbird Film Fest), Best Female Filmmaker (FOLCS Shorts), Best Ensemble Cast (SoCal Int’l Film Fest), Best Multi-Cultural Film (SPE Media Film), and more.  Johnny wrote the screenplay for S.P.I.C.  

 

Other award-winning shorts Johnny Produced:  MUSCLE (starring March Menchaca, Reiko Aylesworth and Fiona Graham) and A THROUGH M (produced in collaboration with The American Film Institute).  Currently, Johnny is in post-production on UNDERNEATH IT ALL, a short he co-wrote and produced with Claire Jamison.  All four shorts were directed by Heidi Miami Marshall (his wife/filmmaking partner).  ​

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Bob Yari (Yellowstone, Tulsa King, Crash, Lioness) has said:  “Johnny is a producer who possesses both a logistical and creative eye for filmmaking.  He understands the value of both, never sacrificing either.”  Johnny has several feature films in active development. 

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While Johnny enjoys protest art, his true passion is uniting people. Bridging different kinds of people, with varied POV's and unrelated lifestyles, is what makes him tick.  Johnny endeavors to use storytelling as a tool to entertain, question and ultimately unite.

 

Johnny and Heidi are a husband-wife filmmaking team.