Photo: Montclair Film / CC BY 2.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
John Ortiz was born on May 23, 1968 in Brooklyn, New York, United States and is credited as a stage actor, television actor and film actor. That puts John Ortiz at 58 years old in 2026. Schooling on record includes John Dewey High School and State University of New York at Albany.
My Take
Ortiz is the kind of actor who never headlines yet quietly elevates every project he touches. Most people know him as the menacing Arturo Braga in the Fast & Furious films, but I'm far more drawn to his roots as a stage craftsman and co-founder of the LAByrinth Theater Company. That Brooklyn-bred, theater-first sensibility is exactly why his screen work carries such grounded weight. His Independent Spirit nomination for Jack Goes Boating confirmed what attentive viewers already knew: he's a character actor of rare precision. I admire performers who build careers on substance rather than spotlight, and Ortiz is a prime example.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- John Ortiz
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョン・オーティス
- Reading
- じょん・おーてぃす
- Born
- May 23, 1968 (age 58)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Gemini / Monkey
- Origin
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Occupation
- stage actor / television actor / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- John Dewey High School
- University
- State University of New York at Albany
3. Links
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-17
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was John Ortiz born?
Born May 23, 1968 (age 58).
Where is John Ortiz from?
John Ortiz is from Brooklyn, New York, United States.
What does John Ortiz do?
John Ortiz works as stage actor, television actor, film actor.
Stage actor — see all → · Television actor — see all → · More people from the United States →