Jacob Martinez is our new soap opera crush
There's a handsome new resident of Salem.
Mark
There’s a handsome new resident of Salem.
Out actor Jacob Martinez has been cast to take over the role of beloved gay character Javi Hernandez on long-running soap Days of Our Lives, and anticipation is already building for his June 30 debut.
Soap opera storylines have more twists and turns than a Summer House scandal, but the TL;DR is that Javi left Salem after his relationship with Leo imploded—due in part to the surprise return of Leo’s ex, Dmitri—and after his dad suffered a heart attack. If this recreation of Elle Woods’ Harvard application video is anything to go by, Martinez is ready for his close-up.
How about we take this to the next level?
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“Being Hispanic, gay and an EMT definitely helped me draw from real-life experiences when I got the role,” Martinez told Out. “But after reading the first few scripts, it became clear to me what truly drives this character: his heart.”
The Nebraska-born performer came out in a June 2020 Instagram post, acknowledging the challenges of growing up gay in a Christian household. Now, he’s breaking ground in an industry that has long been an ally to the LGBTQ+ community.
“The truth is, Javi is the kind of character I wish I could have looked up to on television as a kid. Getting the chance to hopefully be that inspiration for another kid somewhere in a small town makes it all worthwhile,” said Martinez.
Of course, viewers are likely to notice something else about Salem’s newest resident. Like soap opera hunks before him, Martinez also knows how to lay down a good thirst trap.
This is the biggest role of Martinez’s career so far. His previous credits include a concert staging of In Pieces at Joe’s Pub in New York and the short film Memory Swim. He also appeared as an assistant to Madison Beer in a LEGO Fortnite commercial.
“The real dreams coming true are the people you get to share them with,” he posted on Instagram recently.
Big things are on the horizon for Martinez—and it seems like he’ll be getting a few more cheerleaders along the way. We’re happy to be one of them!
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