J.R. Villarreal
J.R. Villarreal | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 28, 1992 Houston, Texas, United States |
| Other names | Juan Villarreal Jr. |
| Occupations |
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J.R. Villarreal is an American actor, producer, and second-line director, best known for his roles as Javier in 2006 Film Akeelah And The Bee, Black Scorpion on the Disney Channel action-comedy series Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion, and Tio Tonio on Netflix's On My Block-spinoff series Freeridge.
Early Career[edit]
Inspired by early-2000s teen sitcoms That's So Raven, Boy Meets World, Even Stevens, and Smart Guy, Villareal began acting at 10 years old, appearing in network procedurals Without a Trace and House, among others.[1] In 2006, he received acclaim for his role as Javier Mendez, a talented 12-year-old Mexican-American contestant from upscale Woodland Hills who competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee alongside actress Keke Palmer in Akeelah and the Bee, eventually becoming her love interest and friend in the film after extending an invitation to his birthday party and middle school spelling club.[2]
Filmography[edit]
Film[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Senor White | |||
| 2006 | Akeelah and the Bee | Javier Mendez | [3] | |
| 2007 | The Death and Life of Bobby Z | Kit | [4] | |
| 2011 | Magic City Memoirs | Mikey Acosta | ||
| 2013 | Ghost Team One | Brad | [5] | |
| 2015 | Spare Parts | Hector | ||
| 2017 | An American In Texas | Paul Villarreal | Co-Producer | |
| Whiteblood | Rico | |||
| 2023 | The Uncanny | Terrence | ||
| TBA | Jenni | Juan 'Cinco' Lopez | [6] | |
| TBA | The Low-End Theory | Chino |
Television[edit]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Without a Trace | Nelson Rodriguez | Episode: "A Tree Falls" | |
| 2004 | Cold Case | Boy #2 | Episode: "The Plan" | |
| 2005 | Strong Medicine | Marcos Garcia | Episode: "Promising Treatment" | |
| House | Manny | Episode: "Humpty Dumpty" | ||
| Ghost Whisperer | Joseph Borgia | Episode: "On The Wings of a Dove" | ||
| 2007 | CSI: Miami | Ben Tavez | Episode: "No Man's Land" | |
| 2013 | Chamacas | Episode: "Bikini Line" | ||
| The Bridge | Mando | Episode: "The Beast" | ||
| 2017 | High & Mighty | Hugo | Recurring (7 episodes) | |
| 2018 | Medal of Honor | Justin Gallegos / Gallegos | Recurring (2 episodes) | |
| 2020 | United We Fall | Felix Rodriguez | Recurring (3 Episodes) | |
| 2022 | Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion | Black Scorpion / Cruz de la Vega | Main Cast (16 Episodes) | [1] |
| 2023 | Freeridge | Tio Tonio | Recurring (7 Episodes) | [7][8] |
| 2025 | Landman | Manuel | Recurring | [9] |
References[edit]
- ^ a b Hullender, Tatiana (June 2, 2022). "Scarlett Estevez & JR Villarreal Interview: Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion". ScreenRant. Archived from the original on January 3, 2023. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Ebert, Roger. "Akeelah and the Bee movie review (2006); Roger Ebert". www.rogerebert.com. Archived from the original on 2014-07-08. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Chang, Justin (March 20, 2006). "Akeelah and the Bee". Variety. Archived from the original on July 23, 2015. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Leydon, Joe (October 9, 2007). "Bobby Z". Variety. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Berkshire, Geoff (October 15, 2013). "Film Review: 'Ghost Team One'". Variety. Archived from the original on May 22, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (March 8, 2023). "Jenni Rivera Biopic Greenlit At Vix; Annie Gonzalez To Star & Executive Produce". Deadline. Archived from the original on January 11, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ "Solve the Mystery of Who's Who on 'Freeridge'". Netflix Tudum. Archived from the original on 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2024-05-22.
- ^ Swift, Andy (April 12, 2023). "On My Block Spinoff Freeridge Cancelled by Netflix After One Season". TVLine. Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
- ^ Cordero, Rosy (April 5, 2024). "Taylor Sheridan's 'Landman' Adds Octavio Rodriguez & J.R. Villarreal". Deadline. Archived from the original on April 17, 2024. Retrieved May 22, 2024.