A boyishly handsome Stanford graduate who spent a year at Oxford studying English literature, dark-haired and dashing Texas native Nicholas Gonzalez put aside his business world plans to pursue an acting career. Cast in the one-man monologue "Gas", chronicling a blue-collar Latino's experience in the Gulf War, Gonzalez impressed the San Francisco audience and decided to stick with his new calling. Making his TV debut on an episode of the ABC sitcom "Dharma and Greg" in 1998, the actor followed up with a guest stint on the UPN series "The Parkers" in 1999. Returning to the stage, he starred in the Los Angeles production "Tango Palace", a quirky and unsettling two-man play. That same year he was cast on the steamy MTV nighttime serial "Undressed" as openly gay Andy, a twentysomething who must come to grips with the seemingly heterosexual secret desires of his partner (Eyal Podell). Bringing some emotional truth to his role in a series that wasn't known for great acting, Gonzalez emerged as a breakout star on the show, winning many fans with his magnetic portrayal.
While filming "Undressed", Gonzalez heard about "Resurrection Blvd.", a Showtime project in development centering around a Latino family in East L.A. Too busy with "Undressed" to make it to initial casting sessions, Gonzalez was later called in to read, and landed the a role as a medical student turned professional boxer. Well-educated and well-muscled, he was a natural for the part of Alex, and brought his intelligence and passion to the appealing character. The first series of its kind to focus on a Latino family, "Resurrection Blvd." (2000-2002) was both unique and compelling, winning acclaim from critics and serving as an excellent showcase for Gonzalez's talents.
Having previously played the love child of Fidel Castro and a CIA agent in the Lifetime original movie "My Little Assassin" (1999), Gonzalez was cast by his "Resurrection Blvd." TV dad Tony Plana in "The Princess and the Barrio Boy" (2001), the elder actor's directorial debut. Playing Sol Torres, a young man from the wrong side of the tracks with a supportive and loving family opposite Marisol Nichols' wealthy young woman from an uncommunicative home, Gonzalez won over both the girl and the audience. Following this charming coming-of-age telepic, he made his feature film debut in the drama "Scenes of the Crime" (2001), starring Jeff Bridges, followed by a supporting turn in the grungy drug drama "Spun" (2002) before getting his first major screen role as part of the action ensemble in the horror-thriller "Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid" (2004).