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Jay Hernandez

Jay Hernandez

Actor, also producer · Born February 20, 1978 (48) · Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico

Javier Manuel Hernandez Jr. (born February 20, 1978) is a Mexican-born American actor and fashion model. After making his television debut in NBC's Hang Time, Hernandez made his film debut opposite Kirsten Dunst in the romantic drama Crazy/Beautiful (2001). He has since starred in numerous films, including Friday Night Lights (2004), Hostel (2005), Bad Moms (2016), and as Chato Santana / El Diablo in Suicide Squad (2016). He portrays Thomas Magnum in the CBS reboot of Magnum P.I. Description above from the Wikipedia article Jay Hernandez, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
February 20, 1978 (48)
From
Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico
Works as
Actor, also producer
Titles
36 on MovieCove · 44 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 155 days to Oct 26Down 38% in 30 days

What are Jay Hernandez's films like?

Across their 27 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Power.

Genres

Action6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 41st percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Action movies
Drama6 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 52nd percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Drama movies
Horror5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 27th percentile
: browse their Horror movies
Comedy4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 39th percentile
: browse their Comedy movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
37%
Power
14%
Survival
13%
Morality
12%
Self
11%
Society
9%
Ideas
4%
Family bonds10 titles, browse their movies with this themeSurvival6 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty6 titles, browse their movies with this themeAmbition3 titles, browse their movies with this themeBetrayal3 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love3 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this themeClass3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 24 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 8 · Serious 4 · Dark 12

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 17 · Stylized 4 · Heightened 3

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

A split, not a type: Gentle 4 · Charged 8 · Intense 12

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 8 · Shifting 10 · Whiplash 6

Straight-faced: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their straight-faced movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 15 · Some laughs 8 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 10 · Relentless 6

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 12 · Engaged 10 · Full focus 2

Affecting: How much it costs you emotionally; whether you need recovery time. Browse their affecting movies.
Demand · Emotional cost
easyheavy

Easy watch 6 · Affecting 10 · Heavy 8

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 19 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 1

Roles they play

13 analyzed roles

Usually the Hero: 7 of 13 analyzed roles.

Hero
7 of 13
Ally
3 of 13
Mentor
1 of 13
Trickster
1 of 13
Shadow
1 of 13
Show the 13 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
19
Dread
8
Hopeful
7
Melancholic
9
Warm
7
Other
25

How their films linger

Hopeful11 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling10 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet6 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteRousing4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 3 with a twist

  • Happy8
  • Bittersweet10
  • Tragic3
  • Ambiguous6

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Jay Hernandez's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 31 of their 36 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Tubi (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Jay Hernandez's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

44 credits, 36 with a MovieCove page; 8 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • The Revenge of La Llorona (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2027)

    as Diego

  • Toy Story 5(2026)

    as Bonnie’s Dad (voice)

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all films

  • The Long Game(2023)

    Producer · as JB Peña

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • You're Not Alone(2020)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 7th percentile of all films

  • Beneath Us(2019)

    Executive Producer

    Midcredits score: 22nd percentile of all films

  • Toy Story 4(2019)

    as Bonnie’s Dad (voice)

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Magnum P.I.(2018)

    Show 96 episodes · Director · as Thomas Magnum

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all shows

  • The Night Is Young(2019)

    as Dean

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Bright(2017)

    as Rodriguez

    Midcredits score: 49th percentile of all films

  • Double Dutchess: Seeing Double (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2017)

    Actor

  • A Bad Moms Christmas(2017)

    as Jessie Harkness

    Midcredits score: 31st percentile of all films

  • Suicide Squad(2016)

    as Diablo

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Bad Moms(2016)

    as Jessie Harkness

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • The Expanse(2015)

    Show 5 episodes · as Dimitri Havelock

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Max(2015)

    as Sergeant Reyes

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all films

  • BoJack Horseman(2014)

    Show 1 episode · as Jay Hernandez (voice)

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • Gang Related(2014)

    Show 13 episodes · as Daniel Acosta

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all shows

  • Scandal(2012)

    Show 7 episodes · as Curtis Pryce

    Midcredits score: 78th percentile of all shows

  • LOL(2012)

    as James

    Midcredits score: 26th percentile of all films

  • The Great Gatsby in Five Minutes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2011)

    as Jay Gatsby

  • Hawaii Five-0(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Thomas Magnum

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Takers(2010)

    as Eddie Hatcher

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Nothing Like the Holidays(2008)

    as Ozzy

    Midcredits score: 47th percentile of all films

  • Quarantine(2008)

    as Jake

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Lakeview Terrace(2008)

    as Javier Villareal

    Midcredits score: 42nd percentile of all films

  • American Son(2008)

    as Junior Morales

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Live!(2007)

    as Pablo

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Hostel: Part II(2007)

    as Paxton

    Midcredits score: 27th percentile of all films

  • Grindhouse (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    Presenter · as Boddy (segment "Thanksgiving") (uncredited)

  • Six Degrees(2006)

    Show 13 episodes · as Carlos Green

    Midcredits score: 65th percentile of all shows

  • World Trade Center(2006)

    as Dominick Pezzulo

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all films

  • Hostel(2005)

    as Paxton

    Midcredits score: 39th percentile of all films

  • Carlito's Way: Rise to Power(2005)

    as Carlito Brigante

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • Nomad: The Warrior(2005)

    as Erali

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all films

  • Friday Night Lights(2004)

    as Brian Chavez

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Ladder 49(2004)

    as Keith Perez

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Torque(2004)

    as Dalton

    Midcredits score: 9th percentile of all films

  • The Rookie(2002)

    as Joaquin 'Wack' Campos

    Midcredits score: 80th percentile of all films

  • Joy Ride(2001)

    as Marine

    Midcredits score: 68th percentile of all films

  • Crazy/Beautiful(2001)

    as Carlos Nuñez

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Living the Life (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2000)

    as Kikicho

  • Hang Time (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(1995)

    Show 26 episodes · as Antonio Lopez

  • Night Comes (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Director · Executive Producer · Writer

  • Youth Juice (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)

    Actor

Career shape

Star power in the 99th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 44 titles, 41 of them dated from 1995 to 2026; peak year 2005.

Biggest box office

Suicide Squad (2016)

$749M worldwide

Highest rated

Friday Night Lights (2004)

Midcredits 87th

Most popular right now

Magnum P.I. (2018)

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19952026

Peak 2005 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 9 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting41 of 44: 39 only acting, 2 with another role · typical Midcredits score48thDirecting2 of 44: 0 only directing, 2 with another roleWriting1 of 44: 0 only writing, 1 with another roleProducing3 of 44: 2 only producing, 1 with another roleOther crew1 of 44: 0 only other crew, 1 with another role

44 titles, 3 with more than one role.

By decade

1990s1 · acting2000s19 · 19 acting · 1 crew2010s17 · 17 acting · 1 crew2020s4 · 2 acting · 2 crew

Billing

usually 6th · top billed in 12% of 25 roles
010611

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

How do Jay Hernandez's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 44th percentile, the median of all 29; across their 24 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 35th percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

35thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Approval · how many liked their films

40thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Reach · how many have seen their films

93rdpercentile
Typical film, the median of 24

Midcredits score across 36 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th8
  • 25th to 49th16
  • Below 25th4

Shape of the crowd

16 of their 36 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Universally Panned1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser16
  • Broadly Agreed1
  • Mixed14

Most divisive · actor

LOL (2012)

88th percentile spread · 43% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Expanse (2015)

Midcredits 97th · 92% liked

Reviewers score the acting 61/100 in their films, across 22 reviewed titles; fans 72, detractors 42. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Jay Hernandez's work okay for kids?

Across up to 19 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore, profanity and frightening / intense run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles16–94 · median 60 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity19 titles15–61 · median 40 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity14 titles22–90 · median 57 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs13 titles28–62 · median 37 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense13 titles9–92 · median 56 · moderateheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Jay Hernandez work with?

People who share at least 2 of Jay Hernandez's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Milan Chadima shares the most, 3.

Directors

Actors

Composers, cinematographers and editors

Producers

Mixed roles