 He played Bob Morales, the real-life ex-convict and biker half-brother of 1950s rock and roll singer Ritchie Valens, in "La Bamba" (1987).He also played Nicholas Walker in "Ultraviolet " (1992)
Some of his other roles have reflected his socio-political interests, such as "The Burning Season" in 1994, "My Family/Mi Familia" in 1995, "The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca" (1997) and "Southern Cross" (1999).In the latter three films, as well as in others such as "Bloodhounds of Broadway" (1989) and "Rapa Nui" (1994), Morales saw increased amounts of screen time, starting with a role in the Pauly Shore film "In The Army Now" (1994).