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Dante Basco

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Dante Basco
Face of man with dark hair
Basco in May 2024
Born
Dante Roman Basco

(1975-08-29) August 29, 1975 (age 49)
Pittsburg, California, U.S.
Occupation(s)Actor, voice actor
Years active1988–present
Spouse
Alice Rehemutula
​
(m. 2023)​
Children1
RelativesDion Basco (brother)
Ella Jay Basco (niece)

Dante Roman Basco (born August 29, 1975)[1] is an American actor. He is known for his role as Rufio, the leader of the Lost Boys in Steven Spielberg's Hook, Dolph in the cult film But I'm a Cheerleader, the lead character Ben Mercado in the hit indie film The Debut, and for voicing the titular protagonist of American Dragon: Jake Long and Prince Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender.

His voice acting roles include Zuko's grandson General Iroh II in The Legend of Korra, Quoc Wong in The Proud Family, Jingmei in The Boondocks, Tuck in Generator Rex, Scorpion in Ultimate Spider-Man, and Jai Kell in Star Wars Rebels.

Early life

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Basco was born in Pittsburg, California, and raised in Cerritos and Paramount, California to Filipino parents.[2] He has four siblings, including actor Dion Basco.[3] In the mid-1980s, he and his brothers formed a breakdancing crew and worked as street performers.[4] He attended Orange County High School of the Arts[5] in the Music and Theatre Conservatory and graduated in 1993.

In 1998, Basco co-founded the Da Poetry Lounge, a slam and spoken poetry venue in Hollywood.[6]

Career

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He began his acting career with minor television roles. His breakthrough performance was when he appeared as the leader Rufio of the Lost Boys in Steven Spielberg's 1991 film Hook with Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman.[7]

In 2017, Basco produced a Kickstarter-funded short film, Bangarang, about the character Rufio. The film was directed by Jonah Feingold.[8]

Basco streams gameplay on Twitch.[9]

Basco released his memoir From Rufio to Zuko through the independent publisher Not a Cult.[9]

Avatar: Braving the Elements, an official Nickelodeon companion podcast to Avatar: The Last Airbender, premiered on June 22, 2021. Basco and Janet Varney (voice of Korra) host the podcast, which follows them as they rewatch the series, discuss each episode's key moments and behind-the scenes information, and feature special guests.[10]

Voice acting

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Man and woman seated at table conversing with adult and youth.
Basco talking to a Zuko cosplayer at Otakon 2014.

Basco has done voice acting for many animated productions, including Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender, Jai Kell in Star Wars Rebels and Jake Long in American Dragon: Jake Long. Additional roles include Kwok Wong in The Proud Family, Matt Martin/Kewl Breeze in the short-lived animated series Zevo-3, and General Iroh in The Legend of Korra.[11][12]

He contributed additional voices for Aion, Mortal Kombat X, and Saints Row. He also voiced Shingo in the Skate series and Seeing Farther in the Call of Juarez series.[12]

Personal life

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On April 19, 2023, Basco became engaged to Uyghur[13][14] actress and television host Alice Rehemutula.[15][16] They married in September 2023 in China. In May 2024, Rehemutula announced her pregnancy with their first child. [17]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Cold Dog Soup Chinese Boy
1991 The Perfect Weapon Jimmy Ho
1991 Hook Rufio
1995 A Goofy Movie Additional Voices
1995 Fist of the North Star Bat Direct-to-video
1997 Fakin' da Funk Julian Lee
1999 But I'm a Cheerleader Dolph
2000 The Debut Ben Mercado
2001 Extreme Days Corey Ng
2003 Love Don't Cost a Thing Spoken Word Artist
2003 Biker Boyz Philly
2006 Take the Lead Ramos
2008 Nite Tales: The Movie Gerard
2009 Blood and Bone Pinball Direct-to-video
2011 Subject: I Love You Nicky
2014 JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time Karate Kid Voice, direct-to-video[18]
2014 Cesar Chavez Filipino Striker
2014 Bad Asses Gangly Asian
2014 Murder101 D. Phillips
2016 Jarhead 3: The Siege Blake
2019 The Creatress Franklin
2021 The Fabulous Filipino Brothers Douglas "Duke" Abasta Also director
2021 Monster Hunter: Legends of the Guild Aiden Voice[19][18]
2025 Aang: The Last Airbender Zuko Voice[20]

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1988 The Wonder Years Eddie, Kid #3 2 episodes
1988 Santa Barbara Amado 4 episodes
1988 Dare to Say No Asian Kid Educational short film for EPCOT
1989 CBS Schoolbreak Special Luis Episode: "15 and Getting Straight"
1989 Highway To Heaven Champ Hopkins Episode: "Choices"
1989 Booker Ping Pong Episode: "Razing Arrizola"
1990 The New Adam 12 Manko Episode: "Kid Kop"
1990 The Earth Day Special Kid (uncredited)
1993 Raven Lucas Episode: "The Journey"
1993–94 Hangin' with Mr. Cooper Sammy 2 episodes
1995 500 Nations Additional Voices 3 episodes
1995 The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Kevin Episode: "Cold Feet, Hot Body"
1995 Alien Nation: Body and Soul Trash #2 Television film
1996 Nash Bridges Jimmy Chang Episode: "Home Invasion"
1997 Riot[21] Jeff Lee Television film
Segment: "Gold Mountain"
1996 Touched by an Angel Robbie Hawkins Episode: "Random Acts"
1998 Beyond Belief: Fact or Fiction Rudy Hernandez Episode: "Bright Lights/Magic Mightyman/The Student/Scribbles/County Mystery"
1998 Moesha Marco 4 episodes
1998 Promised Land Tito Episode: "Out of Bounds"
1999 Viper Rishi Lama Episode: "Holy Terror"
1999 Undressed Jake 5 episodes
2000 The Steve Harvey Show Lee Episode: "Guess Who's Not Coming to Counseling"
2001 A Kitty Bobo Show Kitty Bobo Voice, pilot
2001 The Chronicle Noodles Episode: "Here There Be Dragons"
2002 Providence Justin Kim Episode: "All the King's Men"
2002 The Proud Family Quoc Wong Voice, 2 episodes
2003 Kim Possible Fukushima Voice, episode: "Exchange"
2004 Johnny Bravo Filipino, Man #3 Voice, episode: "Win an El Toro Guapo/Witch-ay Woman"[18]
2004 That's So Raven Phil 4 episodes
2005–07 American Dragon: Jake Long Jake Long Voice, main role
2005 Lilo & Stitch: The Series Voice, episode: "Morpholomew"
2005–08 Avatar: The Last Airbender Prince Zuko Voice, main role (50 episodes)[18]
2006 Entourage Fukijama Episode: "What About Bob?"
2007 The Suite Life of Zack & Cody Madrid 2 episodes
2010 The Boondocks Jingmei Voice, episode: "The Red Ball"
2010 Dark Blue June Bug Episode: "Jane Wayne"
2010 Zevo-3 Matt Martin / Kewl Breeze Voice, 6 episodes[18]
2010 Firebreather Kenny Rogers Voice, television film[18]
2010 CSI: Miami Ruben Franco Episode: "Happy Birthday"
2010–12 Generator Rex Tuck Voice, 3 episodes[18]
2011 Prime Suspect Bounce Episode: "Carnivorous Sheep"
2012 Hawaii Five-0 Nicky Chang Episode: "Pu'olo (The Package)"
2012–14 The Legend of Korra General Iroh Voice, 6 episodes[18]
2013 Ultimate Spider-Man Scorpion Voice, 2 episodes[18]
2014 Star Wars Rebels Jai Kell Voice, 4 episodes[18]
2018 A Million Little Things Cory 2 episodes
2019 We Bare Bears Cheddar Voice, episode: "Baby Orphan Ninja Bears"
2019 Drunk History The Rabbit Episode: "The Rabbit"
2019–20 Victor & Valentino Javier Voice, 2 episodes[18]
2020 Carmen Sandiego Spinkick Voice, 2 episodes
2021 Trese Bagyon Kulimlim Voice, 2 episodes[18]
2021 Robot Chicken Squall Leonhart, Looky Loo, Zuko Voice, 2 episodes
2022 Little Demon Ignatius Voice, 2 episodes
2023 Blindspotting Himself Season 2, Episode 4: “By Hook or by Crook”
2023 Almost Paradise Jace Vargas Season 2, Recurring Role
2024 Um, Actually himself Season 9, Episode 12

Web series

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Year Title Role Notes
2014–19 Nostalgia Critic Himself 6 episodes
2016–2019 Camp Camp Billy "Snake" Niksslip Voice
2018–2020 Star Wars: Galaxy of Adventures[1] Narrator Voice
2020 Let's Read Homestuck Rufioh Nitram Voice, episode: "Act 6 Intermission 3 - Part 7" (The character of Rufioh Nitram is based off of Dante Basco's previous role as Rufio in Hook)
2020 Death Battle Zuko Voice, episode: "Zuko VS Shoto Todoroki (Avatar vs My Hero Academia)"[22]

Video games

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Year Title Role
2006 Saints Row Stilwater's Residents
2006 Call of Juarez Sees Farther
2006 Scarface: The World Is Yours Additional Voices
2006 Avatar: The Last Airbender Zuko[18]
2007 Skate Shingo
2007 Avatar: The Last Airbender – The Burning Earth Zuko[18]
2008 Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno
2008 Aion Additional Voices
2009 Terminator Salvation Resistance Soldiers[18]
2009 Call of Juarez: Bound in Blood Seeing Farther
2009 Skate 2 Shingo
2010 Final Fantasy XIII Cocoon Inhabitants[23]
2010 Skate 3 Shingo
2011 Nicktoons MLB Prince Zuko[18]
2015 Mortal Kombat X Additional Voices[24]

Awards

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Dante R Basco, Born 08/29/1975". California Birth Index. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  2. ^ Farris, Christopher (February 11, 2019). "These Filipinos Are the Voices of Modern Cartoon and Anime Characters". Esquire. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 8, 2019. Retrieved June 30, 2020.
  3. ^ Jermel-Lynn Quillopo (22 March 2013). "Social Encore: Kinetic's perspective". Honolulu Pulse. Archived from the original on 24 October 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ^ Alter, Ethan (September 24, 2021). "Dante Basco reflects on diversity in Hollywood as a child star: 'No one even knew what a Filipino was'". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  5. ^ Catherine Gewertz (December 26, 1992). "The Fine Art of Fame". Los Angeles Times.
  6. ^ Yu, Timothy (2021-03-11). The Cambridge Companion to Twenty-First-Century American Poetry. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-1-108-63621-6.
  7. ^ Gabi Duncan (12 August 2014). "Hook Actor Dante Basco Remembers Robin Williams With Touching Video and Letter". E!. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  8. ^ Ada Tsend (28 June 2017). "Remember Rufio in 'Hook'? The actor is trying to keep his cult character's legacy alive". Washingtonpost.com. Retrieved 17 November 2017.
  9. ^ a b Oller, Jacob (2020-07-10). "Avatar: The Last Airbender's Dante Basco on 'tango' of doing live, audience-driven Twitch show". SYFY WIRE. Retrieved 2020-07-29.
  10. ^ Dar, Taimur (June 23, 2021). "INTERVIEW: Janet Varney and Dante Basco talk BRAVING THE ELEMENTS for the Last Airbender Podcast". Comics Beat. Archived from the original on 2021-06-23. Retrieved July 12, 2021.
  11. ^ Talia Baugnon (30 September 2014). "Dante Basco talks Hollywood at LMU". Los Angeles Loyolan. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. ^ a b Christopher John Farley (19 Jun 2012). "'The Legend of Korra' Creators Preview the Season Finale and as Karate Kid In Justice League Trapped In Time". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  13. ^ sidreddy (2020-06-22). "Alice Rehemutula | Filmmaker". SHOUTOUT LA. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  14. ^ "Meet Trailblazer Alice Rehemutula". VoyageLA. 3 September 2019. Retrieved 10 July 2023.
  15. ^ Basco, Dante (2023-04-20). "Look what went down in #Paris… We got engaged!!! 💍 I really got to surprise her in the city of love! #eiffeltower 4/19/2023". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
  16. ^ Gray, Lauren (2021-10-23). "Dante Basco Played Rufio In "Hook." See Him Now At 46". Yahoo Life. Retrieved 2023-03-23.
  17. ^ Rehemutula, Alice (2023-09-16). "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 2024-04-19.
  18. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Dante Basco (visual voices guide)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved October 26, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information.
  19. ^ Schuhart, Jonah (July 16, 2021). "Netflix's Trailer For Monster Hunter: Legends Of The Guild Teases Monstrous Action". Looper. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
  20. ^ "Instagram".
  21. ^ Terry Kelleher (29 April 1997). "Picks and Pans Review: Riot". People. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  22. ^ "DEATH BATTLE! Zuko VS Shoto Todoroki (Avatar VS My Hero Academia)". Rooster Teeth. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  23. ^ "Final Fantasy XIII (2010 Video Game)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved 24 December 2023.
  24. ^ Brian Chard [@bcharred] (April 14, 2015). "Huge thanks to the stellar MKX voice actors: Troy @TroyBakerVA (Shinnok/EBlack/Fujin), Ronald M. Banks (Quan Chi); Ashly Burch (Cassie)..." (Tweet). Retrieved April 21, 2015 – via Twitter.
    Brian Chard [@bcharred] (April 14, 2015). "Danielle Nicolet (Jacqui/Sareena); Fred Tatasciore (Tremor); and Grey DeLisle and Dante Basco with some extra VO help. You're all amazing!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 21, 2015 – via Twitter.
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