Robert Beltran plays Chakotay, the fearless first officer on Star Trek: Voyager. A Native American who attended Starfleet Academy and attained the rank of lieutenant commander, Chakotay resigned his commission to join the Maquis as a captain. When he and his Maquis rebels became stranded in the Delta Quadrant along with the U.S.S. Voyager, Chakotay agreed to serve under Captain Janeway to lead a combined Federation-Maquis crew in their quest to find their way home. "Chakotay is a passionate man who has earned Captain Janeway's respect as her friend and first officer," Beltran explains.
Born and raised in Bakersfield, California, Beltran graduated from Fresno State University with a degree in Theater Arts. His love for acting began in elementary school and his passion has flourished throughout the years into an impressive list of credits.
Beltran's extensive theater background includes performances in "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Hamlet" and "King Henry IV" for the California Shakespeare Festival. He has worked with El Teatro Campesino, the theater company of famed writer/director Luis Valdez, where he appeared in "Corridos," "Rose of the Rancho," and "La Pastorela." At the Los Angeles Theater Center, Beltran performed to critical acclaim in the Luis Valdez play "I Don't Have To Show You No Stinkin' Badges."
His feature film credits include a critically acclaimed performance in "Eating Raoul," plus leading roles in "Gaby" and "Kiss Me A Killer." He also starred in "Scenes From the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills" and portrayed John Sturges in Oliver Stone's "Nixon." In 1999, Beltran starred with Cheech Marin and Scott Bakula in the film "Luminarias."
Prior to joining Star Trek: Voyager, Beltran appeared in the recurring role of Lieutenant Soto in Fox's Models, Inc. His television performances include the lead role in HBO's "Midnight Caller" and the ABC mini-series "The Mystic Warrior." He has also guest starred on numerous programs including Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Miami Vice and Murder, She Wrote.
Beltran is the founding member and co-artistic director of the East Los Angeles Classic Theater Group. Designed to provide cultural enrichment to the East Los Angeles community, the theater company has performed "A Touch of the Poet" and "The Price" at California State University at Los Angeles. More recently, Robert directed and starred in "Hamlet" at the Actor's Gang Theater in Hollywood.