Jon Huertas

Jon Huertas, born Jonathan William Scott Hofstedt on October 23, 1969 in New York City, is an American actor whose career spans over three decades. Raised by his grandparents after his Puerto Rican father and American mother separated, Huertas discovered a love for performance at the age of ten when he began participating in school plays, a passion that would later define his professional life. He graduated from John Handley High School in Winchester, Virginia, in 1987, briefly attended college, and then enlisted in the United States Air Force, serving eight years as an aircraft nuclear and conventional weapons specialist and taking part in Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm. After his military service, Huertas transitioned to acting, landing an uncredited role in The Webbers in 1993, which marked the beginning of a steady climb in film and television. In 1998 he portrayed Joe Negroni in the romantic drama Why Do Fools Fall in Love, sharing the screen with Halle Berry and Ben Vereen, and soon after appeared in genre films such as Cold Hearts and Stealth Fighter. His television breakthrough came with the role of Brad, a witch hunter, on Sabrina the Teenage Witch (1999‑2000), followed by a memorable turn as Sergeant Antonio "Poke" Espera in HBO’s critically acclaimed miniseries Generation Kill (2008). From 2009 to 2016, Huertas became a household name as homicide detective Javier Esposito on ABC’s Castle, earning a PRISM Award alongside co‑star Stana Katic for a standout drama episode. Beyond acting, he served a term as an alternate member of the Screen Actors Guild’s National Board of Directors beginning in September 2010, reflecting his commitment to the acting community. In 2016 he joined the ensemble of This Is Us, playing Miguel Rivas, a character whose storyline intertwined with Mandy Moore’s Rebecca, adding depth to his repertoire. Huertas married his long‑time partner Nicole Bordges in a romantic ceremony in Tulum, Mexico, on May 4, 2014, and continues to balance his personal life with a diverse array of roles across film and television.