Jon Huertas

Born Jon William Scott Hofsted on October 23, 1969, in New York City, Huertas is of Caucasian and Puerto Rican descent. Raised by his grandparents, he attended John Handley High School in Winchester. A turning point in his young life was being compelled to act in a school play as punishment, which surprisingly ignited his interest in acting.

After graduating from high school in 1987, Huertas enlisted in the U.S. Armed Forces. He served for eight years as an Air Force nuclear weapons specialist and was part of Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. In 1990, he left the military to follow his passion for theater arts and acting.

Huertas embarked on his film industry career in 1993 with a role in the series “The Webbers.” In 1995, he moved from New York to Los Angeles, seeking greater opportunities in the entertainment world. Initially, he took on episodic roles, but his distinct look led him to play a terrorist in the 1996 movie “Executive Decision.”

In 1998, Huertas received his first regular role as Antonio in the not-so-popular series “Moesha.” He also appeared in the musical drama “Why Do Fools Fall in Love,” featuring stars like Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Larenz Tate, and Alexis Cruz. His participation in this successful film helped boost his recognition. He then portrayed witch hunter Brad in “Sabrina the Teenage Witch.”

Huertas’ career gained significant traction in the early 2000s. He starred in “Picking Up the Pieces,” alongside Woody Allen and Sharon Stone, followed by a role in “Bug,” a film about a squashed bug leading to a series of unforeseen events. The movie was first shown in 2002 at the Mar del Plata Film Festival in Argentina.

In 2006, Huertas featured in the thriller “The Insatiable” with Sean Patrick Flanery, but the project was unsuccessful. He later joined the cast of “Generation Kill,” a series about the early days of the Iraq War, seen through the eyes of foot soldiers, where he portrayed Sergeant Antonio “Poke” Espera. This was a challenging but critically acclaimed role for the former soldier.

Huertas continued to expand his career, appearing in “The Objective,” a film about the war in Afghanistan. From 2009 to 2016, he played the role of Detective Javier Esposito in the police comedy-drama “Castle.” For his outstanding performance in an episode of the series in 2012, he was honored with a PRISM Award, an accolade also awarded to his co-star Stana Katic.

In 2010, Huertas ventured into music, establishing his own record label, and released the hip-hop single and music video “Sex is the Word.” Additionally, he joined the Board of Directors of the Screen Actors Guild’s Hollywood division and served as the Vice Chair of the National Actors Council for a year starting in September 2016.

In recent years, Huertas continued his acting career with a role in “This Is Us,” starting in 2016, where he portrayed Miguel Rivas, the family’s best friend and Rebecca’s (played by Mandy Moore) second husband. The series has won numerous awards, including Emmy and Golden Globe Awards. In 2018, he appeared in the thriller “Imprisoned” with Laurence Fishburne. The following year, he guest-starred in “The Rookie,” reuniting with former “Castle” co-star Nathan Fillion. In 2020, Huertas played a minor role in the slasher film “Initiation” and served as its co-producer.

Jon Huertas is a devoted family man. He was in a long-term relationship with Nicole Bordges, and the couple got married in May 2014. The wedding ceremony took place in Tulum, Mexico. Huertas maintains his fitness through regular exercise and a vegetarian lifestyle. As a former military man, he is actively involved in charitable activities supporting war veterans.

Jon Huertas continues his dynamic involvement in the film industry. In 2022, he starred in the drama “Prisoner’s Daughter” alongside Brian Cox. He is currently working on the TV series “The Rookie: Feds” and is also involved in directing the series “The Company You Keep.”