Jesse Borrego

Jesse Borrego (born August 1, 1962) is an American actor best known for his roles as Cruz Candelaria in Blood In Blood Out, Jesse V. Velasquez in Fame, Gael Ortega in 24, and George King in Dexter.
Early life
Jesse Borrego was born in San Antonio, Texas, to Gloria Flores and Jesse Borrego Sr., an accordion player and singer of conjunto Mexican music. Jesse is the second oldest of five children: Gloria Marina, James, Georgina, and Grace. As a youth Jesse often danced with his sister Marina entering and winning several dance contests. Borrego lived with his grandparents during his high school years. He considered going into the US Air Force to become a pilot but pursued an acting career instead because it came naturally to him. After graduating from Harlandale High School, he attended University of the Incarnate Word, studying theater and dance, and The California Institute of the Arts alongside actor Don Cheadle. He earned a degree in Performance in 1984. About the same time, he attended an open audition for the TV Series Fame where he won the role of "Jesse Velasquez" for seasons 4, 5 and 6 from 1984-1987.
Career
He was a regular on the musical television series Fame for the show's final three seasons from 1984-1987. He appeared on Married... with Children as Bruno in the episode "Can't Dance, Don't Ask Me" (1989). He is well-remembered for his performance in the film Blood In Blood Out portraying the role of Cruz Candelaria.
Borrego appeared in productions at the Joseph Papp Theatre in New York City and the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles. In addition to performing on stage and in films such as Mi Vida Loca, Follow Me Home, New York Stories, and Con Air, he began Lupita Productions in 1990. He has produced theatrical productions and concerts as well as two 16mm short films: El Suendo de Simon (1993) by James Borrego and Flattime (1995) by Jimmy Santiago Baca. He also played role of an original gangster on DarkRoom Familia's "Veteranos" in 1999. Borrego is a member of the theatre group "Tribal Players." He is well known for his recurring roles on the third season of 24 as Gael Ortega and the third season of Dexter as George King. In 2009, Borrego starred in the movie La Mission where he reunited with former Blood In Blood Out co-star Benjamin Bratt.
Borrego has also had his hand in directing. Borrego directed the no-budget indie film titled Closer to Bottom which premiered at the inaugural Austin Indie Fest in November, 2017. The movie won an award for Best Made in Texas Feature Film.
Filmography
Film
1989 New York Stories as Reuben Toro
1991 Spy Games as Sam
1991 Before the Storm (TV movie)
1993 City of Passion (short)
1993 short
1993 as Juan "El Duran" Temido
1993 Blood In Blood Out as Cruz Candelaria
1994 I Like It Like That as Alexis
1995 Tecumseh: The Last Warrior (TV movie) as Tecumseh
1995 Bienvenido Welcome as Dario / Jijio
1995 Flattime (short)
1996 Dalva (TV movie) as Duane Stonehorse
1996 Pain Flower as Gus
1996 Lone Star as Danny
1996 Follow Me Home (indie film) as Tudee
1997 The Maker (indie film) as Felice A. Beato
1997 Con Air as Francisco Cindino
1997 Retroactive as Jesse
1998 Veteranos as Santo
1998 Black as Jesus
1998 Bubba & Ike as The Matador
1998 Liteweight as Sammy
1999 The Darkest Day (TV movie) as Jonathan
2000 A Lowrider Weekend (video)
2000 Hell Swarm (TV movie) as Darius
2001 Come and Take it Day as Jesse
2003 Scooby-Doo! and the Monster of Mexico (video) as Luis Otero
2003 The Maldonado Miracle (TV movie) as Hector Maldonado
2003 The Shadow Chaser (short)
2005 The New World as Pepaschicher
2008 The Bookie as Jesus
2009 Dream Healing (indie film) as Marco
2009 La Mission as Rene
2011 Colombiana as Fabio Restrepo
2013 Wappo vs the World (short) as Jesse
2013 Mission Park (indie film) as Mr. Ramirez
2013 Go for Sisters (indie film) as Juan Calles
2014 Closer To Bottom (indie film) as Thomas
2014 Duque (indie film) as Martin Duque
2014 Three Hundred Miles For Stephanie (TV movie) as Alberto Rodriguez
2014 HOA Havoc (indie film) costarring Daniel Baldwin
2014 The Untitled GW Project (indie film) as Agent Montoya
Television
1984-1987 Fame (1982 TV series) - seasons 4-6 as Jesse Velasquez
1987 Miami Vice - Jack Of All Trades - sea5 ep12 as Octavio
1987 The Bronx Zoo (TV series) - Small Victories - sea1 ep3 as Julio Gaspare
1988 Miami Vice - A Bullet For Crocket - sea4 ep19 as Enrique Lorca Mendez
1989 Married... with Children - Can't Dance Don't Ask - sea3 ep13 as Bruno
1990 Midnight Caller - Kid Salinas - sea2 ep14 as Carlos Mendez
1991 China Beach - 100 Klicks Out - sea4 ep1 as Hector
1991 Under Cover (TV series) - Sacrifices - sea1 ep3 as Sam Hamadi
1995 500 Nations vol.2 - Mexico The Rise & Fall Of The Aztecs as voice
1997 Chicago Hope - The Sun Also Rises - sea3 ep19 as Michael Waters
1997 ER - Ambush - sea4 ep1 as HIV Patient
1998 The Hunger (TV series) TV Series - Plain Brown Envelope - sea1 ep19 as Jess
1999 Brimstone (TV series) - Lovers - sea1 ep9 as Paco Gomez
1999 Magnificent Seven (TV series) - Love & Honor - sea2 ep3 as Don Paulo
2001 Touched By An Angel - Mi Familia - sea7 ep11 as Tommy
2001 Happily Ever After Fairy Tales for Every Child - The Elves & The Shoemaker - sea2 ep24 as voice
2002 American Family - Journey of Dreams pt.1 - sea1 ep20 as Shady
2002 What's New, Scooby-Doo? - 3-D Struction - sea1 ep2 as Luis Cepeda
2003 24 - Day 3 - sea3 eps 1-11 as Gael Ortega
2002 American Family (2002 TV series) - Journey of Dreams pt.2 -sea1 ep21 as Shady
2004 24 (TV series) - Day 3 - sea3 eps 15-17 as Gael Ortega
2005 Medical Investigation - Mission La Roca pt.2 - sea1 ep20 as Antonio Baracas
2005 Medical Investigation - Mission La Roca pt.1 - sea1 ep19 as Antonio Baracas
2005 Behind The Mask Of Zorro - documentary as Joaquin Murrieta
2006 CSI Miami - Free Fall - sea 4 ep20 as Nicholas Suero
2007 ER - Black Out - sea14 ep7 as Javier
2007 ER - Gravity - sea14 ep4 as Javier
2007 CSI Crime Scene Investigation - Lying Down With Dogs - sea8 ep10 as Felix Rodriguez
2008 Dexter - Do You Take Dexter Morgan - sea3 ep12 as George "The Skinner" King / Captain Jorge "El Fierro" Orozco
2008 Dexter - I Had A Dream - sea3 ep11 - George King
2008 Dexter - Go Your Own Way - sea3 ep10 as George King
2008 Dexter - About Last Night - sea3 ep9 as George King
2008 Dexter - The Damage A Man Can Do - sea3 ep8 - George King
2008 Dexter - The Lion Sleeps Tonight - sea3 ep7 as George King
2008 ER - Believe The Unseen - sea14 ep12 as Javier
2008 Independent Lens - Writwriter - sea9ep 24 as voice
2011 Chaos (TV series) - Proof of Life - sea.1 ep3 as Ernesto Salazar
2013 Burn Notice - Things Unseen - sea.7ep 10 as Nando
2014 From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series - Place of Dead Roads - sea.1 ep6 as T.T. Doorman
2017 Fear the Walking Dead Season 3 as Efraín
2020 Vida - Episode 19 as Victor
References
Conjunto Borrego bid farewell to Salute-The Music Beat posted 7-20-2012 blog mysanantonio.com/TheMusicBeat
Where are they now - Back to School Fame forever.com
Actor Jesse Borrego, Guest co-host !!/ Kens5.com San Antonio www.kens5.com Great Day San Antonio Show
External links
1962 births
Living people
American male film actors
American male stage actors
American male television actors
American male voice actors
University of the Incarnate Word alumni
20th-century American male actors
21st-century American male actors
American male actors of Mexican descent
Hispanic and Latino American male actors
Harlandale High School alumni