There’s a new loyal and lovable paramedic in Salem. Jacob Martinez has taken over the role of Javi Hernandez on Days of our Lives, Leo’s ex-boyfriend — and almost husband — and Rafe and Gabi’s devoted cousin. The character was previously played by Al Calderon.
Key Takeaways
- Jacob Martinez has stepped into the role of Javi Hernandez, replacing Al Calderon as Salem’s beloved paramedic and member of the Hernandez family.
- Before joining DAYS, Martinez built a foundation in theater, musical performance, commercial work, and professional acting training.
- The actor shares an unexpected connection to legendary talk show host Johnny Carson, whose hometown inspired his own path into entertainment.
- Martinez earned his EMT certification in 2021, giving him real-life emergency response experience similar to his DAYS character.
- His credits include stage productions, national advertising campaigns, and a featured role in In Pieces: The Musical.
- Martinez has openly discussed his dream of starring in a movie musical and hopes his time on DAYS will help him achieve it.
- The newcomer has also spoken candidly about his journey of faith, identity, and coming out, calling it one of the most important decisions of his life.
Here’s What You Need to Know
A daytime newcomer, Martinez was born in Norfolk, Nebraska. He began performing in stage productions as a child. He went on to enroll in a 12-week intensive study program at Zac Barnett Acting Studio in Los Angeles and later studied acting, singing, and dancing at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York, graduating in 2018.
Want to learn more about the actor? Here are seven things to know about Jacob Martinez.
1. Martinez’s inspiration to delve into show business was a legendary talk show host. “Johnny Carson and I both come from the same small town in Nebraska,” he revealed in an interview with out.com. “I was lucky enough to grow up performing in the Johnny Carson Theater in high school. I will never forget my first role as a freshman, playing the T-Bird ‘Doody’ in Grease. All the upperclassmen in that production made the theater feel like home, which inspired me to continue performing on that stage in more ways than just theater.”
2. Speaking of Carson, things have come full circle for Martinez. Years ago, he would pass a mural of the talk show star every time he took the stage at Carson’s theater in Nebraska. Now he passes by Carson’s mural at the Burbank studios, where The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was filmed from 1962 to 1992, on his way to the DAYS set.
3. Javi’s not the only one who’s prepared to handle an emergency; so is Martinez. Back in 2021, he got his National Registry Emergency Medical Technicians’ certificate. “Big cheesing cuz ya boy is officially an EMT,” he shared on Instagram. “Literally couldn’t have done it without my amazing classmates and my even more amazing teacher @bradkorth.”
4. Martinez has a background in commercial work. He has appeared in ads for JCPenney and Target. He was also a featured model for Stila cosmetics.
5. Before delving into the soap world, Martinez starred in the musical In Pieces: The Musical at Joe’s Pub at The Public Theater in New York City. He was hand-picked by singer/songwriter Joey Contreras to play the role of Grey. Here’s a clip he shared of himself singing in the production.
6. Musicals are Martinez’s jam, and he’d like to take his act on the big screen. “I think I tell every single person I meet this — my dream is to star in a movie musical,” he told out.com, adding that he’s hoping his experience on DAYS will eventually help make that happen. “I have the chance to grow as an on-camera actor and, hopefully, one day, combine that with my musical theater background to fulfill that dream.”
7. Martinez made the decision to come out as gay publicly when he was 22 and living in New York, after “a very intimate conversation with God,” he explained to out.com. “It felt like He said to me, ‘Jacob, stop denying the parts of yourself that I am ready to embrace and love.’ I used to think that being gay and loving God couldn’t coexist, but since coming out, my faith and my joy for life have only grown, allowing me to feel freer than ever before.”
