AMC’s hit thriller Dark Winds Season 4 just returned, and while the show focuses on a missing girl case in 1970s Los Angeles, a familiar face is catching the eye of long-time TV watchers. A. Martinez, who plays Scarborough Police Department Acting Chief Gordo Sena, is an actor with a career spanning over 50 years. Many viewers recognize his face immediately but struggle to place exactly where they have seen him before.
The new season, which debuted on February 15, 2026, brings back the core cast led by Zahn McClarnon. But the supporting players, especially Martinez, add serious weight to every scene. Gordo Sena is a recurring character who serves as a local police chief. In the season premiere, he shares an emotional scene with his wife, Barbara, played by surprise guest star Linda Hamilton. This moment gives Martinez a chance to show a softer, more vulnerable side as a husband watching his wife struggle with memory loss.
A Career That Spans Soap Operas to Hit Thrillers
For those asking, “Where do I know that face from?” the answer is likely a mix of daytime television, classic westerns, and modern crime dramas. A. Martinez (born Adolfo Larrue Martinez III) has been a working actor since the 1970s. He is best known to soap opera fans for his legendary run as Cruz Castillo on Santa Barbara, a role that earned him a Daytime Emmy Award in 1990. He also starred as Ray Montez on General Hospital and Eduardo Hernandez on The Bold and the Beautiful.
But his work is not limited to daytime TV. Younger audiences might recognize him from his role as Cesar Faison on General Hospital, but he has also made a major mark in primetime. He played Roy Montgomery in the first three seasons of ABC’s Castle. He also had a key role as Jacob Nighthorse on the popular modern western Longmire, which is a direct connection for fans of the crime genre who jumped to Dark Winds.
His film credits include The Cowboys with John Wayne and Powwow Highway. By playing Gordo Sena in Dark Winds Season 4, Martinez continues his trend of playing authoritative figures with deep moral complexity. He is not just a background cop; his storyline with Linda Hamilton’s character brings a personal tragedy to the front of the season’s theme of loss and memory.
Where You Have Seen the Dark Winds Cast Before
Of course, Martinez is not the only familiar face on the show. If you are watching the new episodes, you are likely seeing a lot of other actors you recognize from other hit shows.
Zahn McClarnon (Lt. Joe Leaphorn) is arguably one of the busiest actors in television right now. Fans of horror will remember him from Doctor Sleep and the second season of FX’s Fargo. He also had a major role in the HBO western Westworld and provided voice work for Reservation Dogs.
Kiowa Gordon (Jim Chee) famously played the young werewolf Embry Call in The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn. He has since starred in The Red Road and the horror film The Wind.
Jessica Matten (Bernadette Manuelito) appears in the action series Tribal and the movie Rez Ball. Deanna Allison (Emma Leaphorn) has credits on shows like Accused and Manifest.
Even the guest stars are major names. Franka Potente, known worldwide for her role in Run Lola Run and The Bourne Identity, joins this season as a mysterious character named Irene Vaggan. Titus Welliver, the star of Bosch, also appears as a crime boss.
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What to Know About Dark Winds Season 4
If you have not started watching yet, the new season of Dark Winds shifts the setting. While the show usually takes place on the Navajo Nation, Season 4 sends Leaphorn, Chee, and Manuelito to 1970s Los Angeles. They are searching for a missing Navajo girl named Billie Tsosie. The case pulls them into a dangerous world of organized crime far from the desert landscapes they know.
The season premiered on AMC and AMC+ on February 15, 2026. New episodes air every Sunday at 9 PM ET. The show continues to hold a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes for all four seasons, which is a major achievement for any TV series. Good news for fans: AMC has already renewed the show for a fifth season, which will begin filming in March 2026.
The emotional highlight of the premiere, however, is the scene between A. Martinez and Linda Hamilton. Hamilton, famous for The Terminator, agreed to the cameo because of her friendship with executive producer George R.R. Martin and to honor her mother, who suffered from dementia.
“My mother had dementia for 25 years. They pulled out some shoes for my character that were my mother’s shoes. It just felt really sweet to be doing this to kind of honor her.” – Linda Hamilton on her cameo role
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