Why Jasper From Amazon's Reacher Looks So Familiar
Lonely travelers moving across the world and using unique skills to aid the downtrodden has been a mainstay of television shows for quite some time. Whether it be the television shows "Kung Fu" or 1978's "The Incredible Hulk," and now Amazon's "Reacher," TV fans are always eager to watch a misunderstood protagonist solve other people's problems. "Reacher" is based on the popular book series from Lee Child and stars Alan Ritchson as Jack Reacher, a dangerous former military police officer. This is not the first Jack Reacher adaptation either, with Tom Cruise having played the role in two feature length films (via Cinema Blend).
The first season of "Reacher" sees Jack post up in Margrave, Georgia, and unwittingly gets drawn into a brutal conflict with hints of a grand conspiracy that requires his unique skills to unravel. Jasper (Harvey Guillén) acts as Margrave's medical examiner, and helps Reacher with observations, and keen-eyed viewers may have recognized him from other shows and movies. But where exactly, and why does he look so familiar?
Guillén's first major role was on the ABC Family show Huge
The first major television show Harvey Guillén appeared in was ABC Family's "Huge." Running for 10 episodes in 2010 (via IMDb), "Huge" is about teenagers who are sent to a weight-loss camp known as Camp Victory. Starring Nikki Blonsky, Zander Eckhouse, Raven Goodwin, and Guillén, "Huge" has a diverse cast of actors who struggle with their weight, and through their trials and tribulations, learn about who they truly are and what it takes to be happy with one's self.
Guillén plays Alistair Delgado on "Huge," and is characterized by his love of the softer side of life, and is often mocked by his fellow campers. As such, Alistair spends most of his time by himself and is generally left to his own devices. He is the twin brother of fellow camper Chloe Delgado (Ashley Holliday), a fact that Chloe doesn't want anybody to know because she seeks validation through being popular and doesn't want to be associated with her brother in any way.
Unfortunately, the show was canceled after the first season, but Guillén said after its culmination (via Hollywood The Write Way), "The last few days on set were bittersweet because we didn't know at the time where we stood with ABC Family. It was nice because we all wanted to be together during the last few days, so even if we weren't scheduled to come in, we could in. It was very laid back and it was just a great feeling of accomplishment."
Guillén appeared alongside Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn in The Internship
A major movie that Harvey Guillén appeared in is 2013's "The Internship," which stars "Wedding Crashers" alumni Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn (via IMDb). Following the two proverbial misfits, "The Internship" sees two middle-aged people join Google's vaunted internship program. This program is based on multiple teams of interns competing against each other for a chance to actually be hired by the titanic and ever-present company. However, since it is Vaughn and Wilson, the two get into their stereotypical hijinks, but at the same time, teach their fellow classmates a thing or two about living life to its fullest, and pursuing one's own dreams.
Guillén plays the role of Zach in the movie, who is a member of an opposing team in "The Internship," is often bullied by the team leader Graham (Max Minghella). Zach eventually gets his revenge and asserts himself towards the end of the movie when he punches Graham straight in the chest after a recent bout of negative comments. In an interview with Hollywood.com, Guillén stated, "I am just so grateful to be a part of this film. It is so funny, and the cast is amazing."
Guillén is the best friend of the main character on MTV's Eye Candy
The next major role that Harvey Guillén lent his talents to is MTV's 2015 television show, "Eye Candy," which ran for 11 episodes (via IMDb). Starring Victoria Justice, Casey Deidrick, and Marcus Callender, "Eye Candy" follows a young woman Lindy Sampson (Justice) who begins to think that one of her online suitors is actually a serial killer after receiving some rather threatening messages through an online dating profile created by one of her friends for her, which has the user name "Eye Candy." This causes Lindy to investigate not only her own stalker, but the disappearances of several others, which she believes is all interconnected.
Guillén plays George Reyes on "Eye Candy," and is a close personal friend and co-worker to Lindy, and often acts as a sympathetic ear for Lindy while also aiding her pursuit of the truth. During an interview with Bustle about the nature of the show and cyberstalkers, Guillén said, "I'm not going to lie to you, it's scary. It's only scary because you can put yourself in the situation."
Guillén plays Benedict Pickwick on Syfy's The Magicians
Between 2017 and 2020, Harvey Guillén appeared on eight episodes of Syfy's "The Magicians" as Benedict Pickwick (via IMDb). Based on the novel from Lev Grossman, "The Magicians" stars Jason Ralph, Stella Maeve, Olivia Taylor Dudley, and Rick Worthy, and is about an elite training school that reveals that magic is indeed real, and often threatens the existence of the mundane world. As such, students at Brakebills University are trained not only in the art of magic, but also the best means to contain and control magic to prevent it from harming others or being exploited by rogue mages.
In a 2018 interview with Starry Mag, Guillén was asked about the ripple effects of actions of characters on "The Magicians," and he replied, "I will say nothing is what it is seems and nothing is wrapped in a nice bow this whole series. That's why we love the show. That's what we love about life. It's unexpected and we don't know what is around the corner. It's such a great season and the fans are going to love it. It's being called 'the best season yet' and I'm so excited for what is to come."
Guillén has made a big splash on FX's What We Do In The Shadows
Perhaps what Harvey Guillén is currently best known for is his role in FX's "What We Do In The Shadows," which is based on the film of the same name. The show follows a group of vampires who are living in the modern age, but due to the immortal nature of the blood-suckers, are woefully unprepared for this current age, which often results in hilarious results. Guillén plays the role of Guillermo, a familiar in service of the vampiric household with dreams of one day becoming a vampire himself, but is often just strung along and kept in his normal human state.
Guillén has appeared in 30 episodes of the hit television show (via IMDb), and he is often tasked with menial jobs around the house with hopes of being "turned." When asked about his fan-favorite status on show by Esquire, Guillén said, "We're all Guillermos. You've been a Guillermo at one point. You might be a Guillermo right now. You might be a Guillermo tomorrow. But we've all been a Guillermo at one point in our lives. Who hasn't been overlooked for a promotion? Who hasn't been infatuated with someone from afar? Who doesn't sometimes lack the nerve to say how they really feel in the moment?" One thing for certain when it comes to Guillén, and that is that we will probably be seeing much more of him in the future if his star power continues to grow, and with current roles in "What We Do In The Shadows" and "Reacher," we definitely will be seeing his talents put to good use.