Jose Pablo Cantillo
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1979-03-30
    • Born Place: Marshfield, Wisconsin, USA
  • Also Known As:

    José Pablo Cantillo

Jose Pablo Cantillo

Born on March 30, 1979, in Marshfield, Wisconsin, Jose Pablo Cantillo is an American actor, producer, and writer of Costa Rican descent. Raised in Terre Haute, Indiana, he was a standout athlete at Terre Haute South Vigo High School, notably leading the tennis team to a state runner-up finish. He later attended Indiana University Bloomington, where he graduated with a double major in finance and marketing from the Kelley School of Business. After exploring drama classes in college, he pursued acting in New York City, performing in Off-Broadway plays before moving to California in 2003. His early screen career was defined by guest appearances on procedural dramas like Law & Order: Criminal Intent and CSI: Miami, leading to his feature film debut in the 2004 remake of The Manchurian Candidate. Cantillo is widely recognized for his portrayal of Caesar Martinez on AMC’s The Walking Dead and for his roles in high-octane action films such as Crank, where he played the villainous Ricky Verona, and Neill Blomkamp's Elysium and Chappie. His television work is extensive, featuring recurring roles as Hector Salazar in S.W.A.T. and Hector Salazar in Sons of Anarchy, as well as main cast positions in the series Standoff and Taken. In 2011, he expanded his creative reach by creating and executive producing the reality series Repo Games. Most recently, Cantillo joined the cast of the 2026 thriller The Rip, directed by Joe Carnahan, where he portrays a character named Dayo, appearing alongside Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in a gritty exploration of police corruption in Miami.

Person History