Dante Basco is an American actor, voice actor, and dancer best known for playing Rufio in the 1991 film Hook and voicing Prince Zuko in the Nickelodeon animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender. With a career spanning over 30 years, Basco has built an impressive resume in TV, film, and voice acting. This article will explore Dante Basco’s biography, career highlights, personal life, and net worth.
Dante Basco’s Early Life
Dante Basco was born to Filipino immigrants on August 29, 1975, in Pittsburg, California. His father was a warehouse worker, and his mother was a medical technician. His talented family exposed Basco to the arts from an early age. His three older brothers and one older sister were breakdancers, actors, and artists.
Basco started breakdancing when he was just a child, joining his siblings with a dance crew called the EB4 Breakers. By age 12, he traveled to California with his crew, competing in breaking competitions. Dancing helped the shy Basco come out of his shell and gain confidence.
Dante Basco Career Beginnings
Basco got his first taste of acting when he was cast in a small guest role on the TV show Hangin’ with Mr. Cooper in 1992. His breakout role came the next year when he was cast as the swaggering Lost Boy Rufio in Steven Spielberg’s Peter Pan adaptation Hook.
With his eye-catching spiked hair and memorable lines like “Bangarang!”, Rufio became an instant fan favorite. Though a supporting role, Rufio made such an impression that he is still one of Hook’s most iconic parts.
Dante Basco Voice Acting and Animation
After Hook launched his career, Basco booked live-action roles in shows like Moesha and movies like Gangstaz. But in the 2000s, he found a specialty in voice acting for animated shows and video games.
His most famous voice role came when he voiced Prince Zuko in Avatar: The Last Airbender. The angry, honor-obsessed Prince searching for the Avatar was a fan-favorite character. Basco voiced Zuko in all 61 episodes of the original series and returned for the follow-up, The Legend of Korra.
Other voice roles include Jake Long in Disney’s American Dragon: Jake Long, Iroh II in The Legend of Korra, and several characters in video games like Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu and Saints Row. Basco’s voice work built his career as an actor who excels in animation.
Dante Basco Later Films and TV Shows
Even while building his voice acting career, Basco continued taking live-action roles. In the 2000s, he appeared in shows like Gotham, The Good Doctor, and Family Guy. Films he appeared in include 2015’s Bad Asses on the Bayou with Danny Trejo.
One memorable role was playing Ramos in the 2006-2008 seasons of the hospital drama ER. In 2013, Basco got to voice Rufio one last time in a dream sequence episode of Once Upon a Time. And in 2022, Basco returned to his roots dancing as the Cricket on The Masked Dancer.
Dante Basco’s Net Worth
Thanks to over 30 years of working steadily in Hollywood, Dante Basco has amassed an impressive net worth. While exact numbers are unknown, most estimates put Basco’s current net worth between $3-5 million.
Roles like Rufio and Zuko will keep paying residuals for decades to come. And as Basco continues taking on new roles, his net worth is sure to keep rising in the future. Not bad for a breakdancing kid from Pittsburg!
Dante Basco’s Personal Life
In 2008, after seven years together, Basco got engaged to actress Laura Patalano. However, the couple sadly broke off the engagement in 2013. Basco does not have any children.
Basco keeps his personal life private for the most part. But he is active on social media, especially Twitter,, with over 300k followers. His posts show fans his travels, family life, and career exploits.
Outside of acting, Basco has a passion for the arts. He is an abstract painter and enjoys doing poetry slams focused on AAPI identity. He also loves mentoring young Asian American talent trying to break into Hollywood.
| Birth Date | August 29, 1975 |
| Name | Dante Roman Basco |
| Profession | Actor, voice actor |
| Father | N/A |
| Mother | N/A |
| Height | 1.69m |
| Birthplace | Pittsburg, California, U.S. |
| Zodiac | Virgo |
Dante Basco Movies and TV Shows
Here are some of the major highlights from Dante Basco’s acting career so far:
- Hook (1991) as Rufio
- Gangstaz (1996) as T
- Ghost Town (1998) as Franciscus
- Hangin’s with Mr. Cooper (1992, 1996) as John Li / Kenny
- Moesha (1996-1997) as Ohagi
- Avatar: The Last Airbender (2005-2008) as Prince Zuko / Iroh II
- American Dragon: Jake Long (2005-2007) as Jake Long
- The Fresh Beat Band (2009-2013) as Nate
- ER (2006-2008) as Ramos
- Dance Flick (2009) as gangster Breakdancer
- Once Upon a Time (2013) as Rufio
- Gotham (2014) as Eddie Walaszek
- The Good Doctor (2017) as insoo Kim
- The Masked Dancer (2022) as Cricket
Dante Basco’s Unknown Facts
- Basco is an abstract painter and artist who sells his work at shows.
- He started a poetry slam troupe called Paradise City with other Asian American artists.
- Basco has been breakdancing since age 5 and was in a crew called the EB4 Breakers.
- He has over 350k followers on Twitter and uses it to interact closely with fans.
- Basco voiced Prince Zuko and General Iroh II in The Legend of Korra.
- He is trained in Wushu martial arts.
- Basco was nominated for the Annie Award for Voice Acting for playing Zuko.
- He has been active in raising money for Parkinson’s research since his father was diagnosed.
- Basco was nominated for a regional Emmy award for his performance in The Good Doctor.
- He has filled in to voice characters for friends like Danny Trejo.
Conclusion
In summary, Dante Basco has cultivated an impressive acting career that covers TV, film, and voiceover work. His early dance skills and breakout role in Hook launched him to stardom. Iconic voice roles like Rufio and Prince Zuko will forever be linked to Basco.
While acting takes up much of his focus, he makes time for his passion for painting and community work. With his talent and work ethic, Basco continues to take on new challenges in Hollywood. Thanks to smart investments and non-stop work, his net worth sits comfortably in the millions. For an actor with such range, the best may still be yet to come in Dante Basco’s diverse career.
FAQ’s?
What is Dante Basco age?
Dante Basco is currently 47 years old. He was born on August 29, 1975 in Pittsburg, California. Basco started his acting career as a teenager and has worked in Hollywood for over 30 years.
Who is Dante Basco wife?
Dante Basco is currently unmarried. He was previously engaged to actress Laura Patalano from 2008 to 2013, but the couple called off their wedding plans after 7 years together. Basco has no children.
What is Dante Basco Net Worth?
While his exact net worth is not publicly disclosed, most estimates put Dante Basco’s current net worth between $3-5 million. His long acting career and roles like Rufio and Prince Zuko have provided steady income since the 1990s.
What is Dante Basco ethnicity?
Dante Basco is of Filipino descent. His parents immigrated to the United States from the Philippines before his birth. He was raised in Pittsburg, California, as part of a tightly-knit Filipino American community.
Is Dante Basco gay?
No, Dante Basco has not publicly identified himself as gay. He dated actress Laura Patalano for many years and was engaged to be married to her before they broke up. Basco keeps his current dating life very private.
What is Dante Basco height?
Dante Basco is approximately 5 feet and 7 inches tall by most reports. His slim, agile build helped him succeed as a dancer and martial artist early in his career.
Who is Dante Basco brother?
Dante Basco has three older brothers who are also actors – Dion, Darion, and Derek Basco. His siblings helped get him into dancing and acting as a child. All four Basco brothers and one sister entered show business in the 1980s.
