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Who Is Benjamin Levy Aguilar? Meet the Chicago P.D. Actor
From his black belt to his role as the baddie heartthrob cop, fans love the actor who plays Dante Torres.
It takes grit, dedication, and a passion to see justice served to join Chicago P.D.'s Intelligence Unit, and Officer Dante Torres, played by Benjamin Levy Aguilar, has all of that and more.
Since his Chicago P.D. introduction, Aguilar has stolen Chi-Hard's hearts as the heroic Torres, one of the Intelligence Unit's newest recruits. Aguilar has become a One Chicago obsession for Torres' ceaseless courage and continual efforts to seek change within the community in which he grew up. Torres' past may be dark and twisty, but the P.D. heartthrob has charted a new course that has fans perched to see what he does next.
RELATED: Who Is Dante Torres on Chicago P.D.?
Aguilar brings a zeal to the role of Torres that has fans glued to their televisions. Read on to look back at some of Aguilar's most thrilling roles and passions aside from his Chicago P.D. tenure.
Benjamin Levy Aguilar has a black belt in Krav Maga
Aguilar was born in Guatemala in 1993, growing up as a talented athlete with dreams of playing professional soccer before an injury inspired a career shift.
After his career shift, Aguilar began training in martial arts, specializing in Krav Maga and eventually accomplishing the honor of black belt. Aguilar also excelled in Tactical Shooting and Evasive Driving training, which led him to briefly work for the 2011 Guatemalan Presidential Election and other high-profile events before becoming an actor.
RELATED: Why Torres Isn't On Chicago P.D. — For Now
“I think that growing up in Guatemala, it’s a country where everything revolves around soccer," Aguilar told KTLA in 2020, revealing it was his mother who suggested a career in front of the camera. “It was the first time we ever talked about it, and I remember her being like ‘What about acting?’ And I remember thinking, like, ‘Oh, yeah, like movies…OK.’ We called the airline that same day, while in traffic, and called the airline and booked a flight [to Los Angeles] for the next week.”
Benjamin Levy Aguilar's Early Acting Credits
After booking his flight to Hollywood, Torres made his on-screen debut with an uncredited appearance in a 2012 episode of Glee. His first credited role was in a 2014 episode of Out the Box, followed by the role of Ben Bleu in 2015 mini-series Aloha Haha under the shortened version of his name, Benjamin Levy.
He also made uncredited appearances in the 2015 films Dope and Straight Outta Compton, according to Aguilar's IMDB.
In 2016, Aguilar scored his first film role as a drama student in Social Norm. The next year, Aguilar appeared in the 2017 film My Life for Yours as Juan Ramirez. In 2019, Aguilar appeared in the drama Cultural Clash, following that gig up in the same year with a part in Before the Dawn, his last role credited as Benjamin Levy.
Aguilar has also appeared in several short films throughout his acting career, including the 2017 short film Canis Major, 2018's Rukky, and 2021's Cinephile.
One of Aguilar's most esteemed roles was in the 2019 short film Spirit as Pablo Perez, earning him the award for Best Actor at the Los Angeles Film Awards.
Benjamin Levy Aguilar's Recent Television Roles: Filthy Rich and More
In 2020, Aguilar scored a prominent role in the television drama Filthy Rich as Antonio Rivera, starring in 10 episodes alongside Sex and the City icon Kim Cattrall.
RELATED: Benjamin Levy Aguilar Reveals How Many of His Tattoos Are Real on Chicago P.D.
In 2022, Aguilar appeared in three episodes of the satiric mini-series The Woman in the House Across the Street from the Girl in the Window as Rex Bakke.
In 2023, Aguilar appeared as Florian in the drama Hiding Places.
Benjamin Levy Aguilar on Chicago P.D.
Chi-Hards may have fallen in love with Aguilar as the emotionally layered Torres — but he didn't start on the series as an officer. Aguilar actually made his One Chicago debut as a P.D. guest star, appearing in Season 7, Episode 1 ("Doubt") as Franco Chavero, a potential suspect in the murder of a corrupt CPD officer.
Series creator Dick Wolf must have been impressed because Aguilar scored a recurring role as Torres in Season 9 and joined the main cast in Season 10. Aguilar's butt-kicking role earned him an award at the 2023 Imagen Foundation Awards for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series.
"I was in love with this character from the start," Aguilar said in an interview with Wolf Entertainment in 2023. "He had a tough upbringing, just like I did. He often finds himself in gray areas since he's familiar with so many different worlds, and I relate to that, too. In spite of the circumstances of his life, he always chooses what's right, and I aim to do the same."
Is Benjamin Levy Aguilar married?
Aguilar swiftly secured heartthrob status after joining the Chicago P.D. family, leading many viewers to wonder if Aguilar is single. Just like his character on the show, Aguilar is unmarried with no children.
RELATED: Torres is Finally Back — But Is He in Danger After That Steamy Twist?
Watch Chicago P.D. on Wednesdays at 10/9c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
