If you turned on a TV in 1994, you couldn't escape him. Antonio Sabato Jr. was everywhere. He was the smoldering face of Calvin Klein. He was Jagger Cates on General Hospital. He was the guy in the Janet Jackson music video that everyone was talking about. Honestly, he was the definition of a "it" boy before that term got run into the ground by influencers.
But then, things got weird. Or quiet. Or both, depending on who you ask.
Today, you won't find him on the red carpet at the Emmys. You’re more likely to find him on a construction site in Florida or training for a celebrity boxing match in Philadelphia. It’s a wild pivot. People often wonder what happened to the guy who seemed to have Hollywood in the palm of his hand.
The Rise of Jagger Cates and the Calvin Klein Era
Antonio wasn’t just some random pretty face. He’s actually the son of Italian film star Antonio Sabato Sr., so the industry was basically in his blood. He moved to the U.S. from Italy in 1985 and, within a few years, he was a household name.
The breakthrough was General Hospital. Playing Jagger Cates from 1992 to 1995 didn't just make him a soap star; it made him a phenomenon. The show's ratings actually jumped when he joined the cast. Think about that for a second. One guy moves the needle for a whole network.
Then came the Calvin Klein ads. You remember the ones. Huge billboards in Times Square. Minimal clothing. He was the first celebrity model for the brand after Mark Wahlberg. It was a massive deal. From there, it was a sprint: Melrose Place, Earth 2, and big-screen projects like The Big Hit.
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The Blacklisting Claim: What Really Went Down?
Everything changed around 2016. Antonio has been very vocal—kinda blunt, actually—about his belief that he was blacklisted from Hollywood. Why? Because he spoke at the Republican National Convention and threw his full support behind Donald Trump.
He told Variety that after that speech, his agents left, his managers bailed, and the auditions just stopped. "I had to sell everything," he said in an interview. "I literally had to move and find a new job to survive."
Whether you agree with his politics or not, the shift in his career was undeniable. He went from being a series regular on various shows to basically being persona non grata in major studios. Some critics argue his career was already cooling off into reality TV territory (like My Antonio or Dancing with the Stars), but Sabato maintains the "blacklisting" was a deliberate move by the industry.
Life After Hollywood: Construction, Boxing, and Florida
So, what does a 90s heartthrob do when the phone stops ringing? He picks up a hammer.
In 2020, Antonio moved to Florida. He started working for a construction company. He’s been pretty open about the fact that he needed to provide for his kids and wasn't going to sit around waiting for a miracle.
- Construction: He swapped the film set for the job site.
- Conservative Studio: He announced plans for "Trail Blazers Pictures," a studio aimed at making films for a conservative audience.
- Professional Boxing: Most recently, at 53, he's been training for professional boxing. He’s even mentioned wanting a crack at the influencer-turned-boxer circuit.
It's a scrappy existence compared to the 90-foot billboards in Times Square, but he seems to prefer the honesty of it. He’s also been doing the podcast rounds, like his recent appearance on Habits and Hustle, where he talks about overcoming addiction to painkillers and sleeping pills.
The Financial Reality of a "Has-Been"
It sounds harsh, but it’s a reality many actors face. Antonio has been candid about the debt he faced after the work dried up. He had to pay off everything and restart from scratch.
There's a lesson here about the volatility of fame. One day you’re dating Madonna (which he did when he was 18) or Jennifer Love Hewitt, and the next, you're trying to figure out how to fund an independent film called Trail Blazers with other actors who feel "canceled," like Kevin Sorbo or Scott Baio.
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What Most People Get Wrong About Antonio Sabato Jr.
A lot of people think he just "retired" or grew old. That’s not it. He’s in incredible shape—still hits the gym for four hours a day. The guy is 53 but looks like he could still step into a CK ad.
The "disappearance" wasn't a choice; it was a collision between his personal convictions and the cultural climate of the industry he worked in. He’s also deeply religious now, often discussing his faith and his Jewish heritage (his mother was the daughter of a Holocaust survivor).
Actionable Takeaways for Following His Current Journey
If you’re looking to keep up with what Antonio is doing now, don’t look at the trades. Look at his social media and independent platforms.
- Check out his book: He released Sabato: The Untold Story, which goes deep into the blacklisting and his personal life.
- Watch the indie projects: If you want to see him act, you have to look for faith-based or independent films like God's Not Dead: We the People.
- Follow the boxing: Keep an eye on celebrity boxing lineups in the Philadelphia area if you want to see if he actually lands that big fight.
Antonio Sabato Jr. is a reminder that the Hollywood machine is fickle. You can be the biggest star in the world and, within a decade, find yourself starting over in a completely different industry. Honestly, it takes a certain kind of grit to go from being a global sex symbol to a guy working 9-to-5 in construction.
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To see how his newest venture is faring, you can look up the current production status of Trail Blazers Pictures or follow his updates on X (formerly Twitter) where he remains extremely active in political discourse.