Cristóbal Fernández (born 27 January 1991)[2] is a Mexican actor and professional footballer who plays as a forward for USL Championship club El Paso Locomotive.[3] He is best known for playing Dani Rojas in the Apple TV+ series Ted Lasso.
Cristo Fernández | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Fernández at GalaxyCon Richmond in 2024 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | Cristóbal Fernández 27 January 1991 Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation | Actor | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years active | 2016–present | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notable work | Ted Lasso | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Early life
editCristóbal Fernández was born on 27 January 1991, in Guadalajara, Jalisco. He fell in love with acting while in college.[4]
Acting career
editAfter moving to London, Fernández further pursued acting. Following a stint in several indie films, he was cast in the Apple TV+ comedy series Ted Lasso, in which he played Dani Rojas across all three seasons (2020–2023).[2]
Fernández is also the co-founder of film production company Espectro MX Films.[5]
Starting in 2024, Fernández has featured in the State Farm commercial "Bundle is Life" alongside Patrick Mahomes.
Recently he was featured in the English and Spanish commercial for Old Spice Swagger deodorant "Mantente fresco con Cristo Fernandez", "Underfreshtimated" [6]
He also played a small part in Sonic the Hedgehog 3.
In the German-language Swiss sitcom Unsere kleine Botschaft, Fernandez plays the local embassy staff member Fernando. Fernandez speaks fluent German and is not dubbed.[7]
Football career
editEarly career
editEl Paso Locomotive
editIn early 2026, Fernández pursued a return to professional football. He trained with Chicago Fire II, the reserve side of MLS club Chicago Fire,[10] before trialing with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive. Fernández logged approximately 30 minutes in a preseason match against New Mexico United, with the club set to determine whether to offer him a contract.[11] On 12 May 2026, El Paso Locomotive signed Fernández to a professional contract.[3]
Filmography
editFilm
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Bizet | Son | Short film |
| Treintona, soltera y fantástica | Mesero | ||
| 2017 | Fuera De Serie | Guillermo | Short film |
| 2018 | New Message Received | Ben | Short film |
| Intermitente | Erick González (Boxer) | Short film | |
| 2019 | Distract-MEME | Quirky Man | Short film |
| The Great Travel Experiment: Brisbane, Australia | Guide Assistant | Short film | |
| Vainilla Por La Noche | Papá (Alcohólico Agresivo) | Short film | |
| Çdo Çast | Shpirti Amë (Native American Spirit) | Short film | |
| TraducLations | Paco | Short film | |
| Puedo Explicarlo | Felipe | Short film | |
| Method in Madness | Hamlet | Short film | |
| El Hada de Las Chelas | Max | TV movie | |
| 2020 | Smoked | Rico | Short film |
| Intruso | Eduardo | Short film | |
| Mis Mejores Días | Eric | Short film | |
| Jaguar | Jaguar | Short film | |
| 2021 | Me Enredas - Xias | Paco | Video short |
| When You Are Gone | Waiter 1 | ||
| Jano | Javier | Short film | |
| Distance | Francisco | Short film | |
| Don't Go to School Tomorrow | Rafa | ||
| Who Speaks Love | Paco | ||
| Creatures | Jorge | ||
| Spider-Man: No Way Home | Bartender | ||
| 2023 | Transformers: Rise of the Beasts | Wheeljack | |
| 2024 | The Casagrandes Movie | Chipiri (voice) | [12] |
| Corina | Carlos | ||
| Venom: The Last Dance | Bartender (MCU) / (SSU) | ||
| Sonic the Hedgehog 3 | Juan / Pablo | Cameos | |
| 2025 | Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Road Trip | Chavo | |
| TBA | In Flight | Marco | Post-production[13] |
Television
edit| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020–2023 | Ted Lasso | Dani Rojas | (Seasons 1-3) |
| 2024 | Zorro | Po-mahn-kwakurr / Zorro[14] | Episodes 1 & 2 |
| 2024 | Acapulco | Gustavo (Season 3) | Episode 3 |
| 2025 | Unsere kleine Botschaft | Fernando (Season 1) | |
| 2025 | Phineas and Ferb | Himself | Voice, episode "Bend It Like Doof" |
| 2026 | Hey A.J.! | Claudio | Voice, episode "Independence Day" |
Awards and nominations
edit| Year | Association | Category | Project | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 |
Imagen Awards | Best Supporting Actor – Television (Comedy) | Ted Lasso | Nominated | [15] |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Won | [16] | ||
| Hollywood Music in Media Awards | Song – Onscreen Performance (TV Show/Limited Series) | "So Long, Farewell" (from Ted Lasso) | Nominated | [17] | |
| Screen Actors Guild Awards | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Ted Lasso | Nominated | [18] |
References
edit- ↑ El Paso Locomotive FC. "Roster Archive". El Paso Locomotive FC. Archived from the original on 12 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- 1 2 "'Fútbol is Life!' Mexican actor Cristo Fernández is loving his 'Ted Lasso' role". NBC News. 21 August 2021. Retrieved 2 September 2022.
- 1 2 "'Ted Lasso' star turned football pro: Cristo Fernández signs for USL team". www.espn.com. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ Sandra Gonzalez (22 July 2021). "For 'Ted Lasso' actor Cristo Fernández, football was life until life had other plans". CNN. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ↑ "About - Espectro Mx Films". espectromxfilms.com. Retrieved 19 January 2026.
- ↑ "Old Spice Swagger TV Spot, 'Mantente fresco' con Cristo Fernández" – via www.ispot.tv.
- ↑ Schäfer, Oliver (15 October 2025). "Kritik "Unsere kleine Botschaft" - neue Schweizer Sitcom".
- 1 2 3 Vanessa Guillen Matheus (21 August 2021). "'Fútbol is Life!' Mexican actor Cristo Fernández is loving his 'Ted Lasso' role". NBC News. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ↑ Sandra Gonzalez (22 July 2021). "For 'Ted Lasso' actor Cristo Fernández, football was life until life had other plans". CNN. Retrieved 26 December 2021.
- ↑ "Cristo Fernández trains with Chicago Fire II". YouTube. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ↑ Lynch, Joey (2 March 2026). "Football is life! 'Dani Rojas' from 'Ted Lasso' is on trial at a USL club". ESPN. Retrieved 4 March 2026.
- ↑ "'The Casagrandes Movie' to Release on Netflix Exclusively in March 2024". 23 February 2024.
- ↑ Cordero, Rosy (10 May 2024). "Gravitas Ventures Acquires Worldwide Rights To Indie Thriller 'In Flight' Ahead Of Cannes Premiere". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Didyme-Dôme, André (18 January 2024). "Crítica: Zorro – Episodio 1". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ↑ Schneider, Michael (2 August 2021). "2021 Imagen Awards Film and TV Nominations Announced (Full List)". Variety. Retrieved 14 August 2021.
- ↑ Lewis, Hilary; Coates, Tyler (12 January 2022). "SAG Awards: 'House of Gucci,' 'The Power of the Dog' Lead Film Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 12 January 2022.
- ↑ "Nominations unveiled for Hollywood Music in Media Awards 2023". Shoot Online. 2 November 2023. Retrieved 3 November 2023.
- ↑ "Nominations Announced for the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards®" (Press release). Screen Actors Guild. 10 January 2024. Retrieved 10 January 2024.