Born in Pinar del Río, Cuba, Héctor Medina is one of the most compelling and versatile Cuban actors working today. A force of nature on screen and stage whose talent, tenacity, and creative vision have taken him from the theaters of Havana to the film festival circuits of the world, and now to the forefront of Miami’s most exciting cultural conversations.
Medina trained at Cuba’s elite National School of Art (ENA), earning a place in the prestigious theater company El Público before making his mark in landmark Cuban films including Boleto al Paraíso (2010) and La Cosa Humana (2011).
His international breakthrough arrived in 2015 with the critically acclaimed Irish-Cuban co-production Viva, directed by Paddy Breathnach and distributed by Magnolia Pictures. His breakout performance as “Jesús” in the critically acclaimed film launched him as an undeniable talent, earning him recognition far beyond Cuba’s borders. He followed that with The King of Havana, by acclaimed Spanish director Agustí Villaronga, where critics called him the stand-out of the film, praising his performance as the ultimately tragic Yunisleidi and later invited as a guest actor at the prestigious 2018 Sundance Lab.
In 2024, Medina starred in and co-produced Los Frikis, the independent film inspired by the true, little-known story of a group of Cuban punk rockers who deliberately injected themselves with HIV in order to seek refuge and freedom in a government-run sanatorium. Produced by Academy Award winners Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and directed by Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz (The Peanut Butter Falcon), the film became a critical sensation. Variety praised Medina for giving an indomitable, force-of-nature performance that grounds the picture with its unglamorous bravery, while critics described the film as a startling portrait that serves as a stirring reminder of the power art holds to captivate our souls, calling it an incredibly moving and soulful story.
Los Frikis won multiple festival jury and audience awards, and Medina himself earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination at the Latino Entertainment Film Awards (LEJA). The film itself received six nominations from the LEJA, including Best Non-English Language Film, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Cast.
Now he brings that same ferocious creative energy back to the stage. He serves as Co-Writer and Co-Director of Muerto de Risa: El Último Show de Álvarez Guedes alongside Robby Ramos and Nelson Albareda. This groundbreaking immersive theatrical experience in Miami honors legendary Cuban comedian Guillermo Álvarez Guedes through a dynamic blend of stand-up comedy, cabaret, live music, and theatrical storytelling, celebrating the humor, legacy, and cultural impact of one of Latin comedy’s most influential voices.
For Medina, the project is personal. He recalls as a child seeing groups of people in Cuba listening in secret to Guedes’ cassettes alongside Radio Martí, forbidden transmissions that gave voice to things many Cubans wanted to say but couldn’t.
Medina is also set to appear in Killing Castro, premiering at the 2026 Tribeca Film Festival, and will star in Pedro Pan, the highly anticipated feature currently in post-production. Proof that for one of Cuban cinema’s most electric talents, the best is still ahead.
