After more than 15 years of steady work across television, film, and theater, Jessie Prez has learned how to adapt without losing his foundation. Currently appearing as Ruben on CBS’s Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage, Prez brings both lived-in grit and unexpected heart to a character navigating new responsibilities, shifting power dynamics, and personal ambition. In a wide-ranging conversation, the actor reflects on how the industry has changed, how his Chicago theater roots shaped his craft, and why learning never stops.
From In-Room Auditions to the Era of Self-Tapes
When asked what has changed most since he first entered the business, Prez doesn’t hesitate. “Self-tapes, for sure,” he says. He recalls a time when auditions required printed headshots, long drives across Los Angeles, and crowded casting offices filled with actors who “look the exact same.”
“There’s something about being in the room and being self-taped,” he explains. “There’s pros and cons in both avenues. I do miss the in-person interaction with casting directors, but with self-tapes, I do love the feeling of, ‘I can take my time on this.’”
That shift carried over directly into booking Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage. “Georgie and Mandy was a self-tape,” Prez says, noting that later stages involved Zoom and EchoCast sessions with casting. For a working actor, adaptability has become essential.
Ruben’s Evolution: From Rivalry to Partnership
In the CBS sitcom’s first season, Ruben and Georgie were coworkers defined largely by friction. Season two, however, raises the stakes. “Now you see Georgie and Ruben, who now own a tire shop together,” Prez says.
He describes their relationship as a “frenemy dynamic,” rooted in class, age, and opportunity. “Ruben’s been at that tire shop for 10 years, and then he saw nepotism happen right in front of his face,” Prez explains. “He didn’t take that lightly.”
Over time, that resentment evolves into something more layered. “Georgie is a hard worker and ambitious, and wants to strive for more,” he says. “Ruben saw that as an opportunity, like, ‘Hey, I also want to strive for more.’”
As a result, viewers see a deeper side of Ruben emerge. “You’re gonna see him have a lot more heart,” Prez says. “That’s gonna be a lot of fun.”
Chicago Theater Roots and the Value of Grit
Before television, Prez cut his teeth in Chicago’s storefront theater scene, an experience he credits with shaping both his artistry and resilience. “Storefront theater definitely shaped me as a person as much as it shaped me as an actor,” he says.
Unlike more commercial theater paths, Chicago storefront work demands commitment without financial reward. “You only get paid a $300 stipend, so you’re not doing it for the money, you’re doing it for the work,” Prez explains. “You wanna get your fingernails dirty. You wanna bust your ass.”
That foundation still informs how he approaches television today. “Because of storefront theater, I’m able to understand my hustle, my grit,” he says. “I came from storefront theater, so this is nothing. This is easy. This is luxury.”
Learning the Musicality of Multicam Comedy
Although known for drama-heavy projects like Griselda and Bosch: Legacy, Prez doesn’t consider himself a comedian. “I don’t really consider myself a comedian,” he says. “I’m a dramatic actor.”
That made stepping into multicam comedy a learning curve, particularly under the guidance of Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage creative team. “Their rhythm is musical,” Prez says of the show’s writers. “They write like it’s music, like it’s a music sheet.”
Unlike drama, multicam comedy leaves little room for improvisation. “You have to find that rhythm,” he explains. “The more you do it, the more you understand it.” Working alongside veteran performers has accelerated that growth. “I’m constantly learning from them,” Prez says. “I’m still growing and learning, even at my age now.”
Advice for Actors: Quiet the Noise
When asked to offer advice to young actors, Prez distills years of experience into a simple directive: “Ignore your intrusive thoughts.” He elaborates on the self-doubt that can plague actors at every level. “If you don’t hear from this audition, it’s not because you’re bad. It just wasn’t your time,” he says.
Even now, self-doubt still surfaces. “I am a series regular, and sometimes I think, ‘Do I belong here?’” Prez admits. What grounds him is remembering that forward momentum means trust has already been earned. “If we’re moving on, it’s because they got it.”
For Prez, staying present matters most. “Right now I’m living in the now with my show,” he says. “It’s only gonna make me better in the future.”
Georgie and Mandy’s First Marriage returns to CBS on February 2026. Stream past episodes on Paramount+.
