Jordi Caballero (born February 5, 1965) is a Spanish actor, dancer, pianist, reality show personality, choreographer, writer, and producer for stage, film, and television. He is a member of the Producers Guild of America, SAG-AFTRA, Actors' Equity Association, and ASCAP. Caballero received a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the 2003 Method Fest Independent Film Festival for his role as Captain Madrid in the film I Witness co-starring James Spader and Jeff Daniels. He has also been a two-time American Choreography Award nominee. As an actor, Caballero is known for portraying characters of Spanish, Italian and Euro-Mediterranean descent. Most recently he played Eugenio Martínez in the limited television series Gaslit starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn.
Early career
Caballero’s love for the American way led him to the U.S. to pursue a career in acting and the performing arts. He earned a BFA in acting at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts. During this period, he also cultivated his evolving interests in dance/performance art including theatrical and Latin styles. It was not long after that Caballero’s multiple talents as an actor, dancer, and choreographer brought him work in television, film and stage venues.
Acting career
One of Caballero’s first major television appearances was as a love interest to the character of Carrie Bradshaw on the HBO show Sex & The City. Several roles followed on shows such as Alias, Scrubs, CSI: Miami, The Unit, Nip/Tuck, The Shield, Entourage, Brothers & Sisters, Rules of Engagement and Justified.
The romantic comedy Snow Days starring Bernadette Peters marked the beginning of Caballero’s film career. He has brought his combination of acting and movement talents to bear in such high-profile films as Alex & Emma, Rent, and Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.
In 2007, he was an associate producer and co-star of Valentina’s Tango, opposite celebrated tango master Guillermina Quiroga.
In 2022, he appeared in 4 episodes of the limited television series Gaslit starring Julia Roberts and Sean Penn. Caballero plays Eugenio Martínez, one of the five men recruited to execute the Watergate burglary.
Dance and choreography
Caballero has worked for musical artists such as Cher, Madonna, Usher, Tony Bennett, Macy Gray and Jane’s Addiction among many others. In 2008 he choreographed for the Return of the Spice Girls tour. In 2018 and 2019 Caballero toured as a guest artist with Andrea Bocelli.
In 2021, Caballero danced as Camila Cabello's father in the music video for Don't Go Yet, choreographed the latin segment of Ed Sheeran's music video Shivers, and performed as a conductor who dances at his music stand in a widely-aired commercial for Toyota.
Several television shows have called on Caballero’s talents. In 2006 he performed for The 78th Annual Academy Awards. In 2006 and then 2009 he performed on Dancing with the Stars. He has also appeared as a choreographer and guest judge on Bravo’s Step It Up and Dance in 2008, and worked on Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life for UK television. In 2019 he was the Supervising Choreographer for the season premiere of Dancing with the Stars.
Writing
Caballero has lent his writing talents to several projects, including Tinder Tango, the World Choreography Awards, and the documentary El último hit analógico: Macarena.
His play Ghost Town was a finalist in the 2022 Brisk Festival L.A.
Producing
Over the past several years Caballero has emerged as a producer of original entertainment, including Tango Shalom, Tango Mania, A Perfect Vintage, The Last Analog Hit: Macarena, La Carga, After the Rain, Dancing For My Havana, and the World Choreography Awards.
Composing
Trained in the classical music arts and piano at the age of 8 at the Municipal conservatory of Barcelona, Caballero has produced, composed, and licensed his music for several TV shows and films, including Step It Up and Dance.
His original music includes such compositions as The Music Box, Soledad y Esperanza, Lagrimas, and Conversaciones.
Filmography
Film
Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
1995 | Let It Be Me | Competitor | |
1999 | Snow Days | Jean-Claude | |
1999 | The Stranger | Chief of Police | |
2002 | Kid Bang | Flamenco Stud | |
2003 | I Witness | Captain Madrid | |
2003 | Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl | Pirate | Uncredited |
2003 | Alex & Emma | Flamenco Dancer #3 | |
2005 | Rent | Dancer | Uncredited |
2005 | America 101 | El Coyote | |
2006 | Poseidon | Ballroom Dancer | Uncredited |
2006 | Hell Hath Blue Skies | Speed | |
2007 | Valentina's Tango | Eduardo | |
2007 | Sublime | Friar Lazaro Mate | |
2008 | Dark Streets | Slim | |
2008 | Yes | Nollie | Short |
2008 | Reservations | Gustavo | |
2013 | 2 Dead 2 Kill | Salvatore Anigo Mander | |
2013 | Desperate Acts of Magic | Arnie Deal | |
2015 | Broken Horses | Mario Vargos Garza | |
2016 | True Memoirs of an International Assassin | Choreographer / Dance Double Masovich | |
2016 | The Load | Fernando Hidalgo de la Rocha | |
2017 | Trust Fund | Marcello | |
2017 | Ferdinand | Balloon Vendor (voice), Additional Voices | |
2021 | Tango Shalom | Jose Hernandez |
Television
Year(s) | Title | Role | Notes |
1993 | Another World | Pedro | 5 episodes |
1994 | As the World Turns | Marco | |
1998 | Sex and the City | Mario | |
1998 | All My Children | Leonardo | |
1999 | Los Beltrán | Senor Sabelotodo | |
2000 | The Geena Davis Show | Victor | |
2002 | My Wife and Kids | Joe | |
2003 | The Bold and the Beautiful | Toro | 5 episodes |
2003–2009 | General Hospital | Mo Verde / Roberto | 4 episodes |
2004 | Scrubs | Massimo | |
2004 | Alias | Technician / The Plumber | 2 episodes |
2005 | Nip/Tuck | Quentin - Dance Double | |
2005 | CSI: Miami | Julio Elias | |
2005 | The Tonight Show with Jay Leno | Jay Leno Impersonator | |
2006 | Passions | Large Man #3 | 7 episodes |
2006–2007 | The Shield | Aldo Melchor | 2 episodes |
2007 | Brothers & Sisters | Mario | |
2007 | Viva Laughlin | Marino | |
2007 | Heartland | August Pena | |
2007 | Entourage | Police Chief | |
2008 | The Unit | Octavio Sr. | |
2008 | Days of Our Lives | Claude | 2 episodes |
2008 | Out of Jimmy's Head | Mexican Newscaster | Episode: "Stunts" |
2008 | Step It Up and Dance | Himself as a judge | Episode: "Perfect Partners" |
2009 | Rules of Engagement | Mr. Vargas | |
2010–2011 | Justified | Gio Reyes | 2 episodes |
2011 | Human Target | Hector Lopez | 2 episodes |
2012 | Grimm | Soledad Marquesa | Episode: "Three Coins in a Fuchsbau" |
2015 | The Crossroads of History | Rodrigo | Episode: "Columbus" |
2016 | Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life | Tanguero | Episode: "Fall" |
2016–2019 | Tango Mania | Destino/Tanguero | 4 episodes |
2018 | Disjointed | Stiff Narrator | Episode: "4/20 Fantasy" |
2021 | The Ellen DeGeneres Show | Giorgio Giovanni Fabrizio Fabioli | Episode 3, Season 19 |
2021 | Jimmy Kimmel Live! | Self | Episode: "Ben Affleck/Jay Ellis/The Record Company" |
2022 | Gaslit | Eugenio Martínez | 4 episodes |
Videogames
Year(s) | Title | Role |
2004 | Syphon Filter: The Omega Strain | Italian Thug A / Italian Thug B |
2004 | Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas | Pedestrian |
2007 | Spider-Man 3 | Additional Voices |
2010 | Red Dead Redemption | The Local Population |
2016 | Uncharted 4: A Thief's End | Additional Voices |
2016 | Mafia III | Nino Santangelo |
2020 | Mafia: Definitive Edition | Salvatore |
References
- "About the 2003 Nominees". Pressroom. Archived from the original on 24 May 2008. Retrieved 1 July 2010.
- "Film listing on imdb.com". IMDb.
- "Music video for Don't Go Yet". YouTube.
- "Music video for Shivers". YouTube.
- "2021 Toyota Corolla TV Spot, 'Conductor: Corolla' [T2]".
- "Writing credits on imdb.com". IMDb.
- "2022 Brisk Festival LA Award Winners".
- "Producer credits on IMDb.com". IMDb.
- "Composer credits on IMDb.com". IMDb.
- "Video for The Music Box". YouTube.
- "Video for Soledad y Esperanza". YouTube.
- "Video for Lagrimas". YouTube.
- "Video for Conversaciones". YouTube.