WALKER: INDEPENDENCE Star Justin Cortez

Born and raised in Santa Paula, CA – just outside of rustic Ojai – Johnson Cortez still lives in the rural house he grew up in. As a youth he loved and excelled in anything athletic from skateboarding, surfboarding, snowboarding, football, baseball to riding dirt bikes and motorcycles. It wasn’t until his mid-20s that he began showing an interest in acting and began taking classes which ultimately lead to getting signed with a manager and agent. Around this time, he also began writing as well as he didn’t see roles that featured characters like him. Half Native Yaqui and Latino on his mother side, he was disappointed in the lack of representation in film and television. He additionally has another project soon to be announced which highlights the lives of Native people in an honest and impactful way. Cortezhas also guest-starred on Fox’s 911: Lone Star and Lucifer. He also served as actor/writer/director/producer in the short film The Fall, which was a 2020 Skins Fest official selection.