La Bamba_
"Born into poverty. Destined for stardom. He lived the American dream."
Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called "Donna" that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob, and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly.
Starring
Lou Diamond Phillips, Danielle von Zerneck, Elizabeth Peña
Box Office
$54.2M
Updated Feb 16, 2026
WHERE TO WATCH
Netflix
2 countries
DROPTHE_ GOSSIP
Box office
La Bamba earned $54.2M worldwide on a $6.5M budget — a 734% return on investment.
Year context
La Bamba was released 39 years ago in 1987.
La Bamba is a Drama, Music film with a runtime of 1h 48m.
CAST (20)
Lou Diamond Phillips
Ritchie Valens
Danielle von Zerneck
Donna Ludwig
Elizabeth Peña
Rosie Morales
Rosanna DeSoto
Connie Valenzuela
Esai Morales
Bob Morales
Joe Pantoliano
Bob Keane
MC
Marshall Crenshaw
Buddy Holly
Brian Setzer
Eddie Cochran
DV
Daniel Valdez
Lelo
HH
Howard Huntsberry
Jackie Wilson
FC
Felipe Cantu
Curandero
EF
Eddie Frias
Chino
Mike Moroff
Mexican Ed
Geoffrey Rivas
Rudy
Sam Anderson
Mr. Ludwig
MG
Maggie Gwinn
Mrs. Ludwig
JA
Jeffrey Alan Chandler
Alan Freed
Stephen Lee
Big Bopper
John Quade
Bartender
LI
Lettie Ibarra
Vera
BOX OFFICE
$6.5M
Budget
$54.2M
Revenue
+734%
ROI
MASSIVE HIT
Verdict
DETAILS
Release
Status
Released
Runtime
108 min (1h 48m)
Language
English
Country
Rating
7.3/10 (761 votes)
Popularity
2
Budget
$6,500,000
Box Office
$54,215,416
Profit
+$47,715,416
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is La Bamba about?
Los Angeles teenager Ritchie Valens becomes an overnight rock 'n' roll success in 1958, thanks to a love ballad called "Donna" that he wrote for his girlfriend. But as his star rises, Valens has conflicts with his jealous brother, Bob, and becomes haunted by a recurring nightmare of a plane crash just as he begins his first national tour alongside Buddy Holly.
How long is La Bamba?
La Bamba has a runtime of 108 minutes (1h 48m).
Who stars in La Bamba?
The cast of La Bamba includes Lou Diamond Phillips, Danielle von Zerneck, Elizabeth Peña, Rosanna DeSoto, Esai Morales.
How much did La Bamba make at the box office?
La Bamba earned $54,215,416 worldwide at the box office. The production budget was $6,500,000.
What is the rating of La Bamba?
La Bamba has a rating of 7.3 out of 10 based on 761 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Drama
Music