Lou Diamond Phillips (né Upchurch; born February 17, 1962) is an American actor and director. His breakthrough came when he starred in the film La Bamba as Ritchie Valens. He earned a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Stand and Deliver and a Tony Award nomination for his role in The King and I. Other notable films in which Phillips has starred include Courage Under Fire, Che, and Love Takes Wing.

Biography

Relationships and family
During the making of Trespasses, he met Julie Cypher, an assistant director. They married on September 17, 1987 and divorced on August 5, 1990. Julie then announced she was a lesbian and became a partner to Melissa Etheridge.

He met Jennifer Tilly, to whom he was briefly engaged, although the two never married. He later married Penthouse model and television extra Kelly Phillips with whom he had three daughters: Grace Moorea and Isabella Patricia (twins born on October 5, 1997), and Lili Jordan born September 1999. They all reside with their mother. The two separated in 2004. Their divorce was finalized in July 2007.

He began dating artist Yvonne Boismier in 2004. They married in August 2007. Their daughter, Indigo Sanara Phillips, was born in October 2007.


Arrest
On August 11, 2006, he was arrested for domestic violence at his Los Angeles home following a dispute with his live-in girlfriend and future wife, makeup artist Yvonne Boismier. In December 2006, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor count of domestic battery and was sentenced to three years of probation. He also was ordered to undergo one year of domestic violence counseling and to serve 200 hours of community service.

Best films