John Ortiz

John Augustin Ortiz, born May 23, 1968, is an American actor and artistic director known for his antagonist roles in popular movies such as Fast & Furious (2009) and Fast & Furious 6 (2013). Ortiz proved his versatility in the industry with other roles including Clyde in Jack Goes Boating (2010), which got him a nomination for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Actor. His artistic prowess extends to founding and directing the LAByrinth Theater Company. With a career that spans a variety of roles and genres, Ortiz has appeared in movies such as Carlito's Way (1993), Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007), American Gangster (2007), and more recently, Kong: Skull Island (2017) and Bumblebee (2018).

Ortiz first graced the silver screen in 1993 in Carlito's Way, playing Al Pacino's young cousin Guajiro. Since then, he has appeared in over 30 films, earning a reputation for his deep and layered characters. His TV credits include J. J. Abrams's Hope Against Hope for HBO plus series regular roles on Denis Leary's The Job and CBS's Clubhouse. In 1992, Ortiz co-founded the LAByrinth Theater Company with 13 other Latino actors, creating an award-winning troupe that includes more than 100 artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and creative disciplines. He made his Broadway debut in Nilo Cruz's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Anna in the Tropics in 2003 and also starred in numerous productions by acclaimed playwrights like José Rivera. Notable recent projects include the Stephen Adly Guirgis play The Motherfucker with the Hat at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company.