Michael Pena has said landing the lead in upcoming biopic Chavez was a dream come true.

The End Of Watch star, who was born in Chicago to Mexican immigrant parents, plays Mexican-American civil rights leader and farm worker Cesar Chavez in the movie.

He said: "It’s this amazing biopic I did with Diego Luna where I play Cesar Chavez, a civil rights activist in America who led the largest non-violent movement in the history of America. It’s going to be out next year.

"My parents were farmers and they came to America for a better life and to make a little bit better money and I don’t think I would be an actor if they didn’t move to the States."

The movie, which Diego directed, also stars Rosario Dawson and Ugly Betty’s America Ferrera.

Meanwhile, Michael will also be appearing in Gangster Squad, which he described as "a fun, shoot ’em up kind of movie" which co-stars Sean Penn and Ryan Gosling.