Jon Kortajarena

Jon Kortajarena was on vacation in Barcelona when a talent scout stopped him on the street. He was 18 years old and had no intention of becoming an actor. But fate has its own rules.

His entry into film was not through the back door. In 2009, designer Tom Ford chose him to play Carlos in A Single Man. That scene smoking beside Colin Firth lasted only a few minutes. It was enough for Hollywood to take notice of him beyond the runways.

He moved to New York and London to study acting. He didn't want to be the model who makes movies. He wanted to be an actor.

The Price of a Pretty Face

For years, the offers he received were extensions of his public image: seductive roles or flat characters that only required his physical presence. In 2017, he appeared in Pieles, Eduardo Casanova's film, where his face was distorted beneath layers of prosthetics.

It was a statement of intent.

In 2018, he starred in the series La Verdad on Telecinco. He played a tormented police officer. Critics were harsh at first. But audiences responded, and the series was sold to several countries. Kortajarena learned the hard way that Spanish television is a demanding field where good looks don't always save the script.

And the gamble paid off.

From Streaming to Producing Our Own Projects

The rise of streaming platforms changed his work pace. In 2019, he signed with Netflix to star in Alta Mar. For three seasons, he played Officer Nicolás Vázquez. Filming at the Madrid studios recreated a luxury ocean liner from the 1940s.

He broke into the international market with supporting roles in big productions. In 2023 he appeared in Heart of Stone alongside Gal Gadot. A year later, in 2024, he took part in Lift, a heist comedy directed by F. Gary Gray. His pay for these roles already rivaled his best advertising contracts.

But the actor wanted more creative control.

In 2022, he shot El Inmortal for Movistar Plus+. His role as a organized crime gentleman allowed him to explore darker material. In 2024, the series premiered its second season, keeping the energy of Spanish crime fiction alive.

By 2025, his focus had shifted toward executive producing and directing short films. His first short, The Cliff, was shot with a crew of 24 people on locations along the Basque coast. The final post-production budget exceeded 40,000 euros.