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Who Is Pablo Castelblanco? Get to Know the Happy's Place Star
You'll recognize the Happy's Place star from a few hit shows.
From dramas to comedies and even thrillers, Pablo Castelblanco is proving he’s a jack of all trades. The actor is starring as a series regular on NBC’s new sitcom Happy’s Place, alongside The Voice Coach and country music icon Reba McEntire. But before this gig, he shared the screen with an Oscar-winning actress and had a role on a very popular comfort show.
So where have you seen Pablo Castelblanco before? Read on to get to know the up-and-coming actor.
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Pablo Castelblanco moved to U.S. as a teen to become an actor
Born and raised in Bogotá, Colombia, Castelblanco decided to move to the U.S. to become an actor when he was just 17 years old. He made the move on his own, without his family, and studied acting in New York and Los Angeles, according to his actor biography.
Castelblanco said in an interview with Hola! USA that while his parents, who still live in Colombia, were nervous for him to move away from home so young, they supported his dreams of becoming an actor.
“This business in Colombia, even though there’s some, it was not as big as I wanted, or maybe, I was young and I didn’t really know,” Castelblanco said. “I just knew if I wanted to do this as a performer, I had to come to New York to pursue my dream in a way that I found fulfilling and that I would find a space for myself. When I presented that whole scenario to my parents, they understood.”
Beyond his passion for acting, Castelblanco’s interests also include yoga, writing, and singing, according to his resume. He also has an adorable dog named Bruno.
Pablo Castelblanco’s acting credits include many popular TV shows
Before Castelblanco joined the cast of NBC’s new comedy Happy’s Place, he landed roles in a variety of comedy and drama television series. Most recently, Castelblanco played Gabriel Tovar in the newsroom drama Alaska Daily, alongside Hilary Swank and Jeff Perry.
Castelblanco told Hola! USA that he learned “so much” from his Alaska Daily co-stars. “Being on the show, working with Hilary is amazing. She’s such a kind performer. And with me particularly, she’s very generous with her knowledge as well,” he told the outlet, adding that his favorite trait about his character, Gabriel, was that he was “so earnest.”
Castelblanco also appeared on the series Scream Queens, Room 104, and the series Dear White People. You might also recognize Castelblanco from an episode of New Girl, streaming on Peacock. In Season 7, Episode 2 (“Tuesday Meeting”), Castelblanco appears in a scene with Jake Johnson and Zooey Deschanel as Cooper, Nick Miller’s social media director.
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In films, Castelblanco played Kyle Culper in the 2024 LGBTQ+ thriller Ganymede. He also portrayed Diego Gonzalez in the 2017 adventure movie Solver.
“I’m so, so blessed and feel very happy, very ecstatic, and very proud of myself as well,” Castelblanco told Hola! USA about the opportunities he’s had as an actor. “As you know, I’m Latinx, Latine, but I’m also an immigrant in the U.S. So, also to know all the hurdles that not only myself, but all my friends that I grew up with in the business, and just know that it’s possible to get to that level.”
Pablo Castelblanco’s role in NBC’s sitcom Happy’s Place
Happy’s Place is a new comedy about a woman named Bobbie (Reba McEntire) who unexpectedly inherits her late father’s restaurant. Bobbie also unexpectedly learns that she has a half sister, Isabella (Belissa Escobedo), who is also now her new business partner.
As for Castelblanco, he plays Steve, Bobbie’s accountant who’s a bit of a germaphobe and doesn’t accept change all that well. Castelblanco told Entertainment Affair that viewers will see Steve “pushing himself out of his comfort zone” as his character grows and develops in the new sitcom set in Knoxville, Tennessee.
“I feel like we can see in Steve that kind of heart — like a family environment — and I feel like Happy’s Place highlights how a place where your co-workers are your family lets you have some safety net to grow and get better,” Castelblanco told the outlet.
Happy’s Place also stars McEntire’s actor boyfriend Rex Linn as Emmett, her former Reba cast-mate Melissa Peterman as Gabby, and Tokala Black Elk as Takoda.
RELATED: The Happy’s Place Theme Song Will Be a Reba McEntire Original
Castelblanco said in a post on Instagram that “working with this team is such a dream,” adding that McEntire, Escobedo, and Peterman are the “heart” of the show while Linn and Elk “bring the perfect mix of wisdom and foolishness that’s needed.”
Watch the Happy’s Place premiere on Friday, October 18 at 8/7c on NBC and the next day on Peacock.
