Joaquim de Almeida was born in Lisbon,Portugal. Son of two pharmacists and the nr. six of eight kids, Joaquim showed signs at an early age that is future was not to be in the family business. At the age of eighteen after attending the theater course at the Lisbon Conservatory for two years he left Portugal to pursue his studies after the Conservatory was temporarily closed following the 1974 democratic revolution. He lived a year in Vienna, Austria working in various jobs from the Kunstlerhaus Theater to gardening. He moved to New York City in 1976. There he studied with Lee Strasberg, Nicholas Ray and Stella Adler while working as a bartender. After doing some theater and small roles in Soap Operas, e finally landed his first role in a film "The Soldier" in 1981. The next year he had his first important role in "Honorary Consul" working next to Richard Gere, Michael Caine and Bob Hoskins. But it was his third film "Good Morning Babylon", directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, that opened the Cannes Film Festival in 1987, that propelled him to an international career. Being fluent in six languages has helped him to work everywhere in the world. He hasn't stopped since then. He has been in more then 90 films and Television shows acting with actors and directors like Harrison Ford, Gene Hackman, Kim Basinger, Antonio Banderas, Robert Rodriguez, Steven Soderberg, Benicio del Toro and Keifer Sutherland among others. It was while playing the main villain in season 3 of the popular series "24", that he discovered the pleasure of leaving on the beach and moved to Santa Monica where he actually lives. He spends long periods in Portugal where he has a house in Sintra to be with his son Louren and his daughter Ana. Joaquim de Almeida became an American citizen in 2005 and kept his Portuguese nationality. He has been the recipient of many award s: Best Actor - Cairo Film Festival 1991, Golden Globe Best Actor Portugal 1995,1997,2001, SAG Award s- Best ensemble 2005, Portuguese Foreign Press-Personality of the year 1995, Career Award in Festival Cinema de Badajoz 2004, Career Award Festival Iberoamericano de Huelva 2009, Career Award Festival de Cine de Punta del Este 2003, Gold Medal City of Sintra 2008, Gold Medal City of Setubal 2006 and the Order of Infante by President of Portugal.

Besides Portuguese, speaks five languages fluently: English, French, Italian, Spanish and German.Frequently works with Maria de Medeiros .Became a U.S. citizen on October 28, 2005.Son of João Baptista de Almeida and wife Maria Sara Portugal. They were both graduated in pharmacy and Technical Directors of J.A.B.A. Laboratories. Has five older siblings: Jorge André, Isabel Maria, Ana Maria, José António and João. His paternal grandfather José António Baptista de Almeida (b. Lagos, 1887, d. Lisbon, 1950), was also a pharmaceutical (diplomed by the Pharmacy School of Lisbon in 1909) and the founder of J.A.B.A Laboratories.His mother, Maria Sara, died on March 22th 2007, at the age of 82.Has 2 Children: His Son, Lourenço Gonçalves Baptisa de Almeida from Cecilia Gonçalves born January 25 1993. His daughter: Ana Tavares Risques Baptista de Almeida from Carmo Gaivão de Tavares Risques Pereira whom he lived with, born August 29th 2002.Married three times: First wife: Andrea Nemetz, in Austria in 1976. Andrea is a Hungarian classical pianist. Second wife: Anne Rogoshan, an American dancer, in NY 1979. Third wife: Cecilia Goncalves, a Portuguese designer in 1992.