Nestor Serrano began his acting career in off-Broadway plays in the late 1970s. He often portrays authority figures on both sides of the law. His first film was the 1986 Tom Hanks comedy The Money Pit. Serrano has also appeared in supporting roles in films such as Lethal Weapon 2, Bad Boys, The Negotiator, The Insider and The Day After Tomorrow.
Nestor has an extensive television résumé, with appearances in shows such as Burn Notice, Homeland, Alias, Blue Bloods and Law and Order but is best known for his role playing Navi Araz in the fourth season of 24 and Emilio Loera in the fourth season of the Cinemax series Banshee.