Javier Manuel "Jay" Hernandez<!--DO NOT add the suffix Jr.--> (born February 20, 1978) is an American actor. After making his television debut in NBC's Hang Time, he made his film debut opposite Kirsten Dunst in the romantic drama Crazy/Beautiful (2001). He has since starred in numerous films, including Torque (2004), Friday Night Lights (2004), Hostel (2005), Bad Moms (2016), and as Chato Santana / El Diablo in Suicide Squad (2016). From 2018 to 2024, he played Thomas Magnum in the CBS television series Magnum P.I.
Early life
Hernandez was born on February 20, 1978, in Montebello, California, the son of Isis (née Maldonado), a secretary and accountant, and Javier Hernandez Sr., a mechanic. He has a younger sister, Amelia, and two older brothers, Michael and Gabriel. He attended Don Bosco Technical Institute in Rosemead, California, but transferred to Schurr High School in Montebello for his senior year. the 2005 horror film Hostel
In 2016, he starred as Jessie Harkness in the comedy film Bad Moms, and as metahuman ex-gangster El Diablo in the superhero film Suicide Squad.
On February 20, 2018, Hernandez was cast as Thomas Magnum in CBS drama series Magnum P.I. reboot. It premiered on September 24, 2018. After four seasons, it was canceled in May 2022, before being rescued by NBC with a two-season order that June.
In 2024 it was announced that Hernandez was to direct his first film, Night Comes, an apocalyptic horror film starring Dafne Keen, Samantha Lorraine and Alexander Ludwig. Principal photography took place in Vancouver, Canada in 2024.
Personal life
In 2006, Hernandez married his former Hang Time co-star Daniella Deutscher.
He is a fan of the Los Angeles Rams of the NFL,[27] and a life long fan of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.
Filmography
Film
<!--DO NOT USE ROWSPANS PER WP:FILMOGRAPHY-->
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Film
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 2000
| Living the Life
| Kikicho
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2001
| Crazy/Beautiful
| Carlos Nuñez
|
|-
| Joy Ride
| Marine
| Cameo
|-
| 2002
| The Rookie
| Joaquin "Wack" Campos
|
|-
| rowspan=3| 2004
| Torque
| Dalton
|
|-
| Ladder 49
| Keith Perez
|
|-
| Friday Night Lights
| Brian Chavez
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2005
| Hostel
| Paxton Rodriguez
|
|-
| Carlito's Way: Rise to Power
| Carlito Brigante
|
|-
| rowspan=3|2006
| Nomad
| Erali
|
|-
| Karas: The Prophecy
| Nue
| Voice role
|-
| World Trade Center
| Dominick Pezzulo
|
|-
| rowspan=3|2007
| Grindhouse
| Bobby
| Teaser trailer segment: "Thanksgiving"
|-
| Live!
| Pablo
|
|-
| Hostel: Part II
| Paxton Rodriguez
|
|-
| rowspan=4|2008
| American Son
| Junior
|
|-
| Lakeview Terrace
| Detective Javier Villareal
|
|-
| Quarantine
| Jake
|
|-
| Nothing like the Holidays
| Ozzy
|
|-
| 2010
| Takers
| Eddie "Hatch" Hatcher
|
|-
| 2012
| LOL
| James
|
|-
| 2013
| Trooper
| Carlos Coto
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2015
| Max
| Sgt. Reyes
|
|-
| The Night Is Young
| Dean
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2016
| Bad Moms
| Jessie Harkness
|
|-
| Suicide Squad
| Chato Santana / El Diablo
|
|-
| rowspan=2| 2017
| A Bad Moms Christmas
| Jessie Harkness
|
|-
| Bright
| Rodriguez
|
|-
| 2019
| Toy Story 4
| Bonnie's Dad
| Voice role
|-
| 2023
| The Long Game
|JB Peña
|
|-
| 2025
| Aztec Batman: Clash of Empires
| Yohualli Coatl / Batman
| Voice role; Direct-to-Video
|-
| 2026
| Toy Story 5
| Bonnie's Dad
| Voice role
|-
| 2027
|
| TBA
| Post-production
|-
| TBA
|
|
| Directorial debut
|}
Television
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Notes
|-
| 1998–2000
| Hang Time
| Antonio Lopez
| Guest star (Season 4)
Main cast member (Seasons 5–6)
|-
| 1999
| USA High
| Jose
| 1 episode
|-
| rowspan=2| 2000
| Undressed
| Eddie
| Unknown episodes
|-
| One World
| Octavio
| 1 episode
|-
| 2002
| American Family
| Cisco
| 2 episodes
|-
| 2006–2007
| Six Degrees
| Carlos Green
| 14 episodes
|-
| 2012
| Last Resort
| Paul Wells
| 7 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2| 2013
| Nashville
| Dante Rivas
| 6 episodes
|-
| Ghost Ghirls
| Agent Sanchez
| 1 episode
|-
| 2014
| Gang Related
| Daniel Acosta
| 13 episodes
|-
| 2015-2016
| The Expanse
| Dimitri Havelock
| 5 episodes
|-
| 2017
| Scandal
| Curtis Pryce
| Season 7
|-
| 2018–2024
| Magnum P.I.
| Thomas Magnum
| Main role, 96 episodes; producer (2021–2024)
|-
| 2019
| BoJack Horseman
| Himself/Mario
| Voice role;<br />Episode: "A Horse Walks into a Rehab"
|-
| 2020
| Hawaii Five-0
| Thomas Magnum
| Episode: "Ihea 'oe i ka wa a ka ua e loku ana?"
|}
Awards and nominations
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Year
!Association
!Category
!Result
!Work
|-
|2002
|ALMA Awards
|Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
|rowspan=3
|Crazy/Beautiful
|-
|rowspan=2|2006
|Fangoria Chainsaw Awards
|Dude You Don't Wanna Mess With (Best Hero)
|rowspan=2|Hostel
|-
|Teen Choice Awards
|Movie – Choice Scream
|-
|2020
|National Hispanic Media Coalition Impact Awards
|Outstanding Performance in a Television Series
|
|Magnum P.I.
|}