- JW can be seen in the HBO Documentary "In Memoriam 9/11 " via News Camera, CNN on Duane Street, running with steel workers, wearing a red shirt, toward Ground-Zero to search for survivors. JW's roommate at the time was a rookie-cop who moments before the collapse phoned JW to tell him he was running into the building to 'check things out'.
- On November 3, 2014, J.W. Cortes was featured in the popular "Humans of New York" project by photographer Brandon Stanton while still working as NYPD officer in Penn Station. In the interview, he told how he just received word that he was cast as Detective Alvarez on Gotham, and spoke of how he hopes he won't have to be a cop much longer.
- Deployed to AnNasiriyah, Iraq in March of 2003, as part of initial troop movement during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
- Before moving to Los Angeles worked as a Police Officer in New York City's Penn Station, Grand Central Terminal and in the borough of Staten Island.
- Served 2 years in Canberra, Australia as an Embassy Guard as well at the American Embassy in Nairobi, Kenya.
- All of his siblings to include 90% of his immediate family members have names that begin with the letter J. His two son's are named Jaiden and Jonah.
- Grew up in Sunset Park, Brooklyn on a street the New York City Police Department dubbed "Little Vietnam.".
- Trained as an actor at the prestigious William Esper Studio in New York City under Terry Knickerbocker.
- Played little league baseball with Julio Lugo of the Baltimore Orioles.
- Made his Musical Theater debut in the Off-Broadway production of Soldiers Song. He was directed by Angelica Torn of The Actors Studio.
- In his Directorial-Debut, many of the characters in "Conscientious Objector" were named after his friends and family. The character of 'Judge Childers' was named as a homage to his fallen friend/comrade, LT Therrel S. Childers, USMC KIA 21 Mar 03.
- JW lent his voice to the remixed version of the smash-hit "HOMESICK" by Country Music superstar Kane Brown.
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