Some classes might have guest speakers from across campus, in the community or even from another university, but two acting classes had TV and stage star Jimmy Smits, MFA '82, talk with them Feb. 22. Later in the day he spoke with Latino students at the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts.

Smits, of "L.A. Law," "NYPD Blue" and "West Wing" fame, talked about his experience as an actor in television, his time as a member of the Cornell community and the Latino community at large.

"It was different for me, to come to an Ivy League school, from a neighborhood in New York City that had no conception of what Ivy League schools were all about," said Smits, who was also in town to meet with staff of the Hangar Theatre, "but it was a great time for me, too."

Smits spoke in depth about the opportunities he had as a graduate student in the theater department, when he had a wife and a young daughter.

"It was very intensive for me," he noted, "but you learn a lot, and I think the university has always been good, in terms of you being able to interface with people on a professional level."

Stressing the importance of dedication and hard work, Smits noted the many difficulties that students today, especially those of the Latino community, face in their academic and professional careers. "I know there's a lot of pressures," he said, but "if you follow your heart and be the best you can be, no se puede negar [you cannot be denied]."

Smits also discussed his recent work on the short-lived CBS series "Cane," which he described as one of the "top 10" things he's done in his career, as well as "one of the biggest disappointments." The show, which chronicled the exploits of a wealthy Cuban-American family living in South Florida, was cut short in 2008 during the Writer's Guild strike. As for working on the critically acclaimed Showtime series "Dexter," which follows the life of a vigilante serial killer working for the Miami Police, he said: "Michael C. Hall is great ... and John Lithgow, he's so creepy in how good he is."

In a question-and-answer session, Smits addressed students' concerns about the involvement of Latino students in the Cornell community.

"I think of myself foremost as an artist," Smits said, "but it's important not to get pigeon-holed, and I have been very blessed in playing roles that are for our community."

In response to a comment about how Cornell's budget crisis has affected such programs as the Latino Studies Program, Smits encouraged the students to remain active and continue working toward their goals, even in difficult times.

"We have to keep finding ways to stay vital," he said, "so that we can make a positive statement for everybody. You are the ones who are going to make a difference. Stay focused, and follow your dreams, because you're in the right place."

Smits is starring in the Broadway play "God of Carnage" through Feb. 28.

Erik Johnson '12 is a writer intern at the Cornell Chronicle.