Carlos Ponce grew up wanting to be a singer. At home, he was surrounded by the sweet, melodious voice of his mother and a largely musical family. Ponce would eventually fulfill his musical dreams, but it was acting that triggered his international fame.
Ponce started at the early age of six, booking commercials in Puerto Rico. His uncle owned a publicity company and would throw Ponce into whatever he was working on—including one advertisement involving Christie Brinkley and Captain Kangaroo.
As a teen, Ponce moved with his family to Miami, discovered his high school’s drama department, shot commercials for KFC and Pond’s cold cream, and landed a scholarship at the New World School of Arts Conservatory and his first role in a telenovela.
“Acting fell in my lap by mistake,” Ponce says. “Back in high school, the drama teacher picked me from the school choir for the annual musical. That’s when I thought, ‘Maybe I can be an actor,’ but I really had no clue. I was always aiming to have a music career.”