Meet Néstor Carbonell: from mayor of Gotham to The Morning Show scene-stealer Yanko Flores
A third-culture kid born to Cuban parents, Carbonell got his big break in Suddenly Susan, before appearing in The Dark Knight Rises, Lost and Shōgun
One of the most talked-about plot points this season has been the potential revival of a fan-favourite romance with the return of Claire Conway (Bel Powley). The character walks back into the life of her ex, TMS anchor Yanko Flores, played by Néstor Carbonell, derailing his plan to propose to his girlfriend Ariana (Ashley Reyes). In the latest episode, Person of Interest, Claire is on the run from the FBI and seeks refuge with Flores. Viewers were torn between wanting the pair to reunite and hoping he’d stay loyal to his current partner. In a shocking twist, Yanko gets down on one knee for Ariana. Explaining the character’s decision, Carbonell told Decider, “Season one Yanko would have gone away with [Claire]. Season four Yanko is a bit more settled. He’s a different guy.”
Carbonell has been quite the scene-stealer this season. So what else do we know about him? Read on to find out.
Néstor Carbonell’s background
Néstor Gastón Carbonell was born in New York and raised Catholic by Cuban parents, Rosa Ramírez de Arellano Cárdenas and Néstor Tulio Carbonell Cortina, per Hola! and IMDB. A true third-culture kid, his growing-up years were split across Mexico, Venezuela, the US, the Bahamas and the UK. He graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English. His father was a lawyer; his sister, Rosa Maria “Mia” Carbonell, has worked at Telemundo and Fox.
Where else have you seen him?
Carbonell’s acting journey began in off-Broadway theatre, per his IMDB bio. He got his start in Spanish-language commercials and was once hired to play Batman at a children’s party but, he told Hola!, was “terrible”. His big break came when he was cast as Luis Rivera in the late-90s sitcom Suddenly Susan. From 2006 to 2010, he played the enigmatic Richard Alpert in ABC’s Lost. In 2008 and 2012, Carbonell redeemed himself on the Batman front, playing the mayor of Gotham in The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. He won the 2024 Emmy for outstanding guest actor in a drama series for his role in the FX series Shōgun.