Jay Hernandez

Carrying talent, the requisite good looks, and plenty of on-screen charisma, 'Jay Hernandez' (qv) was born in Montebello, California, to Isis (Maldonado), an accountant and secretary, and Javier Hernandez, Sr., a mechanic. He is of Mexican descent. Jay had a serendipitous experience that led to his career. While riding an elevator in a high-rise in his native Los Angeles, the young man was approached by talent manager Howard Tyner, who suggested Hernandez had what it took to have a successful career in Hollywood. In 1998, he made his TV series debut as "Antonio Lopez", one of the high school basketball players in the NBC Saturday morning teen sitcom, _Hang Time (1995)_ (qv), and stayed with the show for two seasons. Departing NBC, Hernandez moved to MTV with the short-term role of pizza delivery guy "Eddie" on the popular late-night serial, _Undressed (1999)_ (qv), before segueing to the big screen. In 2001, Hernandez co-starred with 'Kirsten Dunst' (qv) in the teen romance, _Crazy/Beautiful (2001)_ (qv), portraying stalwart, straight-A high school student "Carlos Nunez", whose plans to attend the US Naval Academy are threatened by his growing attraction to a self-destructive rich girl, ('Kirsten Dunst' (qv)). He next appeared in Disney's surprise hit film, _The Rookie (2002)_ (qv), as high school baseball team captain Joaquin "Wack" Campos. He also had a supporting role in the video-game-ish actioner, _Torque (2004)_ (qv). Also in 2004, he was in the action-packed drama, _Ladder 49 (2004)_ (qv), as "Keith Perez", and in the other action-packed drama, _Friday Night Lights (2004)_ (qv). In 2006, he next starred in 'Eli Roth' (qv)'s _Hostel (2005)_ (qv), a brutal horror flick about two American college buddies (Hernandez and 'Derek Richardson' (qv)) lured to an out-of-the-way hostel in a Slovakian town rumored to house desperate, but beautiful Eastern European women. Following their wrong heads, both Americans get trapped in a truly sinister situation that plunges them into the dark recesses of human nature.::Bryson Atud