A rising talent with the requisite good looks and plenty of on screen charisma, Jay Hernandez had one of those serendipitous experiences 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)_ 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)_ before segueing to the big screen. In 2001, Hernandez co-starred with Kirsten Dunst in the teen romance _Crazy/Beautiful(2001)_ 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). He next appeared in Disney's suprise hit film _The Rookie(2002)_ as high school baseball team captain Joaquin "Wack" Campos. He also had a supporting role in the videogame-ish actioner _Torque(2004)_ . Also in 2004, he was in the action-packed drama, _Ladder 49(2004)_ as Keith Perez and in the other action-packed drama, _Friday Night Lights(2004)_ . In 2006, he next starred in Eli Roth's _Hostel(2006)_ , a brutal horror flick about two American college buddies (Hernandez and Derek Richardson) 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.
The third of four children. Has two older brothers and a younger sister. Appeared in the season opener of American Family but was replaced by A.J. Lamas. [2002] Played on the 'stars' team for MTV's Rock and Jock (2002). Is of Mexican Descent. Parents are Isis and Javier. Hernandez was discovered by an agent while in an elevator. Has older brothers, Michael and Gabriel and younger sister Amelia. Attended Don Bosco Technical Institute (High School) in Rosemead, California. Attended Schurr High School, Montebello, California, class of 1996. Featured in TV Guide's January 23, 2004 issue on page 21by: Allyssa Lee, "The 5-Year Plan."