Jon Huertas

Jon Huertas was an American actor who was primarily known for playing Detective Javier Esposito on the ABC crime drama, "Castle" (2009-16). A native of New York City, Huertas took a rather unlikely path to acting. Although he always had an interest in performing, after high school Huertas enlisted in the United States Air Force as a paratrooper. During his four years in the military, Huertas participated in two major combat missions: The United States' invasion of Panama in 1989, and then 1991's Operation Desert Storm. When his military service was through, Huertas' long-burning urge to act only intensified. He started auditioning for roles around his hometown of New York City, and eventually picked up a few guest spots on TV shows. His first big break came in 1998 when he landed a supporting role in the Frankie Lymon biopic "Why Do Fools Fall in Love." That same year, Huertas nabbed his first recurring TV role on "Moesha" (UPN, 1996-2001), and continued landing TV parts throughout the early 2000s. Then in 2008, Huertas appeared in the HBO mini-series "Generation Kill," as Sgt. Antonio Espera. The series, which detailed the 2003 U.S. Invasion of Iraq, was Huertas' first major part, and allowed him to incorporate his years of military service into his role. The following year Huertas appeared as Detective Javier Esposito on ABC's "Castle." That show, a crime drama about a novelist who tags along with the NYPD for research purposes, was a huge success, earning four Primetime Emmy nominations. In the fall of 2015, "Castle" began its eighth season, with Huertas reprising his role as Detective Esposito.