TV Shows with Jencarlos Canela: Why This Crossover Star is Everywhere in 2026

You probably know the face. That specific mix of "wait, was he in that Netflix comedy?" and "didn't my mom watch him on Telemundo?" That’s the Jencarlos Canela effect. He’s one of the few guys who actually managed to jump the fence from the high-drama world of Spanish soaps to mainstream American TV without losing his soul—or his fanbase—along the way.

Honestly, it's kinda rare to see. Most actors get stuck in one lane. But Jencarlos? He’s been a priest, a pop star, a "telenovela" actor playing a "telenovela" actor, and a lovable uncle. If you’re looking to binge-watch some tv shows with jencarlos canela, you’ve actually got a pretty weirdly diverse list to choose from.

The Netflix Era: Finding Uncle Victor

Most people recently found him through The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia. It’s this quirky Netflix sitcom where he plays Victor, the uncle of a 15-year-old rocket scientist. It’s light, it’s funny, and it’s basically the opposite of the heavy drama he started with.

What’s cool about this role is how much of himself he put into it. The showrunner actually found out Jencarlos was a musician and changed the character to match. They literally wrote his real-life music career into the script. It’s not just some generic "cool uncle" role; he’s playing a guy getting a second chance at a music career, which feels pretty meta if you know his actual backstory as a singer.

Then there’s the whole Mario Lopez connection. Mario produced it and was originally supposed to play Victor himself about ten years ago. But back then, networks weren’t exactly jumping at the chance to air a Latino-led family sitcom. By the time it finally got made, Mario was "too old" (his words, not mine!) and handed the torch to Jencarlos.

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The Eva Longoria Connection: Telenovela and Grand Hotel

If you want to see him leaning into the "heartthrob" thing while also making fun of it, you have to watch Telenovela. This was an NBC show executive produced by Eva Longoria. Jencarlos plays Xavier Castillo, a superstar actor who is basically the ex-boyfriend from hell—but in a hilarious way.

The show is a "behind-the-scenes" look at a fictional soap opera. Since Jencarlos actually was a massive soap star in real life, the irony is thick. He’s great at playing "cocky but lovable," which is a hard line to walk without being annoying.

Later, he teamed up with Longoria again for Grand Hotel on ABC. He played a character called "El Rey," a famous Miami music artist. It was a smaller role, only a few episodes, but he basically stole every scene he was in. He described the character as a "Pitbull-inspired" ego-maniac. If you’ve ever lived in Miami, you know exactly the kind of guy he’s parodying.

Where It All Started: The Telemundo Heavy Hitters

You can't really talk about tv shows with jencarlos canela without going back to the projects that made him a household name in Latin America. We’re talking about the "Golden Era" of Telemundo.

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• Más Sabe el Diablo (2009): This is the big one. He played Ángel Salvador, a guy caught between a life of crime and his talent for art. This show was massive. It’s also where he met Gaby Espino, which became a huge real-life celebrity romance.
• Mi Corazón Insiste en Lola Volcán (2011): A total classic. He plays Andrés Santacruz. If you like "star-crossed lovers" and intense plot twists, this is your jam.
• Pasión Prohibida (2013): This was one of his last major Spanish-language leads before he started focusing more on the U.S. market. It's darker and more mature than his earlier stuff.

That One Time He Played Jesus

Yeah, that happened. In 2016, Fox did a live musical special called The Passion. It was set in modern-day New Orleans, and Jencarlos played Jesus Christ.

It was a bold move. Singing "Unconditionally" by Katy Perry while portraying a biblical figure isn't exactly on every actor's resume. But he actually pulled it off. His voice is genuinely incredible—he’s a classically trained musician from the New World School of the Arts—so the musical format fit him perfectly.

What’s He Doing Now in 2026?

Things have shifted a bit for Jencarlos lately. After a brief hiatus a couple of years ago to focus on his mental health (which he was super open about on social media, by the way), he’s been moving into more "meaningful" projects.

He’s been heavily involved in Miami’s architecture and urban development scenes, surprisingly. But he hasn't quit the screen. He’s been popping up in more indie-style projects and focused a lot on The Man from Toronto with Kevin Hart and Woody Harrelson. He plays Agent Santoro, and while it's a film, it marked a big step into the "action-comedy" genre that seems to be his new sweet spot.

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Quick Checklist: Which Jencarlos Show Should You Watch?

• For Laughs: The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia or Telenovela.
• For "Grab the Popcorn" Drama: Más Sabe el Diablo.
• For Music Lovers: The Passion.
• For Miami Vibes: Grand Hotel.

If you’re just starting out, I’d suggest hitting Netflix first. Ashley Garcia is the most "modern" version of him, and it’s an easy watch. If you want to see the "Legend" version of Jencarlos that made people lose their minds in the late 2000s, find a way to stream Más Sabe el Diablo. Just be prepared for a lot of cliffhangers.

The best way to keep up with his current projects is to check out his recent production deals. He's been pivoting toward executive producing lately, meaning we’ll likely see him behind the camera just as much as in front of it in the coming year. If you're a fan of his music, keep an ear out for his singles on Spotify—he usually drops a track that ties into whatever character he's currently playing.

Check out The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia on Netflix today to see his most iconic transition into American comedy.