When Al Calderon joined Days of Our Lives as Javi, fans were immediately taken with the talented newcomer. He was quickly put with another fan favorite – Greg Rikaart’s Leo and is a member of the Hernandez family, who has been part of the DAYS fabric since 2008. Calderon’s star is on the rise, because he is departing the show and is a series regular on the second season of Brilliant Minds.
Key Takeaways
- Al Calderon’s journey to Days of Our Lives started with a childhood love of music and theater on Long Island.
- He made an early splash on Broadway in the all-teen musical 13, sharing the stage with future daytime stars.
- Calderon has dabbled in TV dramas, including The Walking Dead: World Beyond and Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie.
- His debut as Javi Hernandez on Days introduced him to fans as part of a close-knit on-screen family.
- He’s now expanding his career with a new role as Nico Silva on NBC’s Brilliant Minds, opening doors to primetime audiences.
Borough Born
Al was born on February 22 in New York.
Broadway Bound
Calderon’s journey to DAYS began far from Salem — on Long Island, New York, where a childhood love of music sparked a lifelong passion for performing. Inspired after seeing Les Misérables with his mom, he quickly realized the stage was where he belonged. That spark soon grew into a full-blown pursuit of theater, nurtured at a local summer camp that set the tone for his future in the entertainment industry. By the time he was 13, Calderon’s talent was already shining bright. He landed a coveted spot in the Radio City Christmas Spectacular and soon after booked his first Broadway role in 13, an all-teen musical that launched several young stars, including Max Ehrich, who played Fen on The Young and the Restless, and Eric Nelsen, who starred as AJ on All My Children.
Dead Man Walking
The actor appeared in four episodes over two seasons of The Walking Dead: World Beyond, playing Barca. Calderon also starred in Ryan Murphy’s Grotesquerie, and in 2013, he was a contestant on The X Factor. He ended up in the top 10 of the male vocalists.
Salem Connections
Calderon first aired as DAYS’ Javi on October 28, 2024. He quickly bonded with the actors who made up the Hernandez family. Al recounted how his co-stars Cherie Jimenez (Gabi) and Galen Gering (Rafe) “embraced me from the start. While I’m responsible for how I show up, they’ve really shown up for me, too. Their openness, their willingness to play and have fun in scenes together… It created this real, historic family feel.”
Brilliant Casting
The actor was cast as a series regular on the second season of NBC’s Brilliant Minds. He plays Nico Silva, a nurse and colleague of series lead Zachary Quinto’s Dr. Oliver North. He previewed his new role to fans last month, and he debuted on the October 20th episode. While the gig meant he would no longer be playing Javi on DAYS, it opens him up to a new audience. The role of Javi will be recast.
Photo credit: NBC
