Exclusive Interview with Jon Huertas

Jon Huertas plays the part of Detective Javier Esposito in the charming crime series "Castle". The former soldier however has other interests, too. In this interview he explains how he got from the army to acting and into the music business. He also tells us about the Puppies Behind Bars charity.

Foto: Copyright: JSquared Photography
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Note: © myFanbase 2011 - The interview is exclusive to myFanbase and may not be published on other websites or the like. You may share the first 2 questions or up to 160 characters if you link back to this site. Translations other than English and German may be posted with full credit including the writer's name and link to this site.

1. You served for 8 years in the Air Force. How did you get from there to acting and now to publish an album?

I’ve wanted to be an actor since I was 6 years old…and I pursued that dream while in Elementary, Middle and High School by participating in drama & talent competitions, Musical Theatre, etc…but to gain a Theatre Degree I needed help. The military helped me with that, as well as fulfilling what I think was a civic duty and my own right of passage. Once I was ready though I took the leap. I Moved to L.A. to try my hand at this biz and while working at being successful I never forgot how important music was to me…it had always been a part of me. And now that the music industry has changed so much, it’s much easier for someone like me to get my music heard.

2. Who came up with the idea of the "sextape" and what was your impression on how people reacted on the information?

Oh it was my idea, baby! I look at the false celebrity people who get caught up in these sex tape scandals get and it makes me laugh! So I wanted to take my love of sex and celebrate it with the stigma of a Sex Tape. So all the music I put on my album is the kind of music you’ll be able to have sex to. So far people have reacted extremely positively to the first single “Sex is The Word” and we’ll just have to wait and see how they react to the album.

3. Which actors (and musicians) had and have an impact on your work?

All of them! There are the greats which whom I want to strive to even accomplish a fraction of what they have, but hopefully more and then there are some not so greats that aspire to avoid their mistakes and choices. Some of the actors that have influenced me are Esai Morales, Robert Duvall, Ricky Schroeder and Jason Bateman…and as far as musicians go, Johnny Cash, Journey, R. Kelly, Luther Vandross, Carlos Santana, Guns N’ Roses…there are too many to name!

4. What would you think of a "Castle" musical episode? Would you participate if there is something like that?

Honestly I would not wanna do something like that. There are shows that are designed to incorporate a musical aspect into their shows. That’s not what Castle is, it’s not how we made and built our audience so I don’t think we should ever do a “musical episode,” but if for a case ‘Esposito’ had to go undercover in the seedy world of competitive karaoke…then I would have to dive in with both feet!

5. How would you describe your character Esposito? How much Jon is in Javier?

There is a lot of Jon in ‘Esposito’…the creator of the show and writers are the most collaborative group I have ever had the pleasure of working with and so we talk all the time about back story and possible story lines which allows me to bring bits of myself into the character.

6. How did you prepare yourself for the role as a detective?

Well I was able to hang out with real detectives in New York to research my character as well as having a really good friend who is a cop and he lets me ride along whenever I want. I also religiously watch a show here in the states called “The First 48” which follows real detectives as they investigate real murders within the first 48 hours they’ve been committed.

7. What do you hope for your character in the next season?

Love Scenes with Lanie!

8. How would you describe the relationship between Beckett and Esposito?

There is a loyalty there that only comes with a deep history…we’ll find out more later...

9. What is working with Nathan Fillion like? Can you tell us a little anecdote about working with him?

Working with Nathan is like working in a toy store that I get to play with all the toys whenever I want…Tons of Fun!

10. You played ‘Sergeant Espera’ in HBO's miniseries "Generation Kill". Can you tell us a little bit about the experience and your thoughts on the show?

It was the absolute best experience I’ve had so far as an actor. To play a real guy, a true-life character was an absolute dream come true…and to have him (Tony Espera) tell me that I “nailed it,” that we as a cast and even as a production, “nailed it” meant even more to me. This was their story…a very deep meaningful story to these guys, and if we hadn’t gotten it right, it would’ve been a huge disservice to them. So that’s how we the actors approached the scripts --- with the intention of getting right or actually “getting it real”.

11. You are an avid support for the families of soldiers. Which project you support are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of the charity that I sit on the board for, Puppies Behind Bars (www.PuppiesBehindBars.com). To provide this level of assistance to the soldiers returning home with the number one injury affecting these soldiers (PTSD) makes me feel great about the charity. I’m also proud that the Screen Actors Guild has appointed me to chair the SAG Armed Forces Support Task Force. We provide multi-level assistance to soldiers and their families.

12. You regularly use twitter to interact with your fans/followers. What do you like about it compared to other, more "traditional" means of communication between celebrities and fans?

First I think Twitter is the best way for fans and celebrities to communicate. It allows an interaction that no one ever had before with musicians, actors and performers…and it’s instantaneous for the most part. I believe it helps keep celebrities grounded and in tune with what their fan base would like to see from them. And it keeps the fans engaged and always abreast what the celebrity is doing so the fan can support it and /or participate. Twitter is amazing in that way.

13. Have you read the books of Richard Castle? What do you think of them or in general the idea of bringing such a project to life?

Honestly I haven’t read the books, skimmed them but not read them. It’s not the genre I enjoy reading and I have a very limited time allotted in my schedule for reading anyway. But I do think it was brilliant to release these books to coincide with the show. It allows to the audience to somewhat be involved in the story of the show…they’re actually reading the book they’ve been hearing about while watching the show. And it’s written by the title character…that’s just cool!

14. Since myFanbase is an online magazine about TV series, do you have a favorite show?

Right now my favorite show is "Game of Thrones"!

Anna Sörries - myFanbase