# Jorge Garcia
**Jorge Garcia** (born 1973) is an American actor and comedian best known for playing Hugo "Hurley" Reyes on the ABC drama *Lost* (2004–2010) and Jerry Ortega on *Hawaii Five-0*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/) • [2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) Born in [Omaha, Nebraska](https://www.edgepedia.org/omaha-nebraska), and raised in [Southern California](https://www.edgepedia.org/southern-california), he built a career of comic and character roles on television before moving into film work in the 2010s and 2020s.[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1973, Omaha, Nebraska (Rotten Tomatoes' biographical note gives 1979 and observes that birthdates vary source to source)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) |
| Breakthrough role | Hugo "Hurley" Reyes on *Lost*, beginning 2004[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) |
| First major TV role | Hector Lopez on the Ted Danson sitcom *Becker*, 2003–04[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) |
| Longest TV run | Jerry Ortega on *Hawaii Five-0*, a regular for 130 episodes, working again with *Lost* castmate Daniel Dae Kim[4](https://los40.com/los40/2020/07/21/cinetv/1595359385_041499.html) |
| Education | Communications degree from UCLA; joined the Beverly Hills Playhouse after graduating[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) |
| Recent series work | Hector on the comedy *Bookie*, 2023–2025, 15 episodes[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/) |
## Early life and training
Garcia was born in Omaha, Nebraska, to parents Dora and Humberto, and his family moved to [San Juan Capistrano, California](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-juan-capistrano-california), when he was three.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) He competed on the wrestling team at San Clemente High School and later earned a communications degree from UCLA.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) Although he joined the Beverly Hills Playhouse after graduation, he was originally interested in working behind the camera rather than performing.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia)
His heritage is Cuban-Chilean according to the Spanish-language music and culture outlet LOS40; Rotten Tomatoes describes it as Chilean.[4](https://los40.com/los40/2020/07/21/cinetv/1595359385_041499.html) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) In a 2022 interview about the film *Condor's Nest*, Garcia said the accent his character required was "an accent of my heritage," and that he asked a cousin to record the words so he could hear how it sounded.[5](https://danpayne.scifivision.com/interviews/6764-exclusive-video-interview-jorge-garcia-talks-condor-s-nest-lost-more)
## Television career
**Before *Lost*.** Garcia expected to be cast as the funny neighbor in a three-camera sitcom, saying, "I knew I wasn't a usual type."[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) His first big role came as Hector Lopez on the [Ted Danson](https://www.edgepedia.org/ted-danson) sitcom *Becker* in 2003–04, followed by small roles in other shows and movies.[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) Earlier credits listed by Metacritic include a 2000 appearance on *Curb Your Enthusiasm* as a drug dealer and a 2005 turn as Steve the Blitz on *How I Met Your Mother*.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jorge-garcia/)
**Hurley on *Lost*.** In 2004 Garcia was cast as Hugo "Hurley" Reyes, a lottery winner among the survivors of a plane crash, a role he described as a welcome chance to play a character with dimension.[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) When he first auditioned, early casting breakdowns for the show's characters listed Hurley as a "fifty-year-old 'red shirt.'"[7](https://vilcek.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1008085.pdf) On the show, his character's parents were played by Lillian Hurst as Carmen Reyes and [Cheech Marin](https://www.edgepedia.org/cheech-marin) as David Reyes.[7](https://vilcek.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1008085.pdf)
**After *Lost*.** Garcia led the 2012 Fox series *Alcatraz* as Dr. Diego Soto, and played Anton the Giant on *Once Upon a Time* in 2011, an appearance the show framed as a nod to *Lost*.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jorge-garcia/) • [8](https://www.givememyremote.com/remote/2012/11/02/once-upon-a-time-losts-jorge-garcia-on-playing-the-giant-working-with-green-screen-and-more/) He then joined the CBS reboot *Hawaii Five-0* as Jerry Ortega, becoming a regular for 130 episodes and reuniting on screen with his *Lost* colleague [Daniel Dae Kim](https://www.edgepedia.org/daniel-dae-kim), who played Jin.[4](https://los40.com/los40/2020/07/21/cinetv/1595359385_041499.html) Other television credits include *Fringe* (2008), *Californication* (2007), *Phineas and Ferb* (2007), and a voice role as [Detective](https://www.edgepedia.org/detective) in *Universal Basic Guys* (2025–2026).[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jorge-garcia/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/) In 2023 he began playing Hector on the [Chuck Lorre](https://www.edgepedia.org/chuck-lorre) comedy *Bookie*, appearing in 15 episodes through 2025.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/)
## Film work
Garcia's film roles have ranged widely. In 2015 he appeared in *The Wedding Ringer* with [Kevin Hart](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-hart) and [Josh Gad](https://www.edgepedia.org/josh-gad) and in the horror-comedy *Cooties* with [Elijah Wood](https://www.edgepedia.org/elijah-wood), Alison Pill, and Rainn Wilson, both set for release that year, and he played Herm in *The Ridiculous 6* alongside Adam Sandler.[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) • [1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/) Later films include *The Wrong Missy* and the Chilean Netflix film *Nobody Knows I'm Here* (both 2020), in which he played Memo Garrido, a role LOS40 described as a turning point in his career; *The Munsters*, Rob Zombie's 2022 adaptation; and *Condor's Nest* (2023), in which he played Proprietor Hipolito.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia) • [4](https://los40.com/los40/2020/07/21/cinetv/1595359385_041499.html) • [9](https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/que-paso-fue-jorge-garcia-1281630) On Rotten Tomatoes' scale, his highest-rated film is *All the World Is Sleeping* (2021) at 100 percent with critics, and his lowest is *The Ridiculous 6* at 0 percent.[3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia)
## Public persona and interests
Garcia has been open about his enthusiasm for [Elvis Presley](https://www.edgepedia.org/elvis-presley). In a 2014 Associated Press interview, he said that getting the *Hawaii Five-0* job finally gave him the excuse to have an Elvis jumpsuit made, something he had always wanted but had found reasons not to order, and that he planned a serious haircut after the show, saying, "I've had long hair for so long, I need to start feeling like a grown-up."[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) He and friends were planning an indie film that would include a scene with a couple of Elvis impersonators.[2](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/) He has also sung on *Hawaii Five-0* and appeared on *The Masked Singer* in 2019.[6](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jorge-garcia/)
## References
1. [Jorge Garcia, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0306201/)
2. [Jorge Garcia: From "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0" to the big screen, CBS News (AP), October 31, 2014](https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/jorge-garcia-from-lost-and-hawaii-five-0-to-the-big-screen/)
3. [Jorge Garcia Movies & TV Shows List, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/jorge_garcia)
4. [Jorge García: la transformación de un superviviente a estrella atormentada por la fama, LOS40, July 21, 2020](https://los40.com/los40/2020/07/21/cinetv/1595359385_041499.html)
5. [Exclusive Video Interview: Jorge Garcia Talks Condor's Nest, Lost, & More, SciFi Vision](https://danpayne.scifivision.com/interviews/6764-exclusive-video-interview-jorge-garcia-talks-condor-s-nest-lost-more)
6. [Jorge Garcia, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/person/jorge-garcia/)
7. [The Vilcek Foundation Celebrates LOST (exhibition catalog PDF)](https://vilcek.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/1008085.pdf)
8. [ONCE UPON A TIME: LOST's Jorge Garcia on Playing The Giant, Give Me My Remote, November 2, 2012](https://www.givememyremote.com/remote/2012/11/02/once-upon-a-time-losts-jorge-garcia-on-playing-the-giant-working-with-green-screen-and-more/)
9. [Qué pasó con Jorge García, HobbyConsolas](https://www.hobbyconsolas.com/reportajes/que-paso-fue-jorge-garcia-1281630)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › American actors: 2000s onward › Surnames G to Gl*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license