Actor Jordi Vilasuso chatted with #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos about his 2026 Fides Entrepreneurship Award.
2026 Fides Entrepreneurship Awards
Jordi will receive the Fides Award for Entrepreneurial Witness on Friday, May 15th in New York City. Jordi is an Emmy Award-winning actor and Co-founder of The Code Red Foundation. He is a Cuban-American actor and a man of deep faith. Jordi will make a special public announcement on the evening — the first reveal of a new project rooted in faith and service. “Honestly, my faith is something I take very seriously. It means a lot,” he admitted.
“The reason I’m being honored as an entrepreneurial witness is that it’s a new area that I’ve found myself being called to be in, which is to develop things, especially amazing content that pertains to our faith and how we can inspire people to live a more fuller, more adventurous life. It’s not easy, but it provides the most joy and really isn’t dependent on everything the world offers,” he elaborated.
“It’s basically, giving everything I have… my work and my family to the greater glory of God. I’m not perfect at it, I’m definitely a sinner, a flawed human being, but I aspire to follow that calling, which I’ve been called to most recently, more profoundly in the last year,” he added.
Jordi will be honored alongside Father Sergio Gutiérrez Benítez and Eduardo Verástegui, and Sam Goodwin will be giving the opening address. “These are people that have lived uncommon lives of faith. They evangelize every chance they get, and I’m inspired by their stories and humbled to be present among the other honorees,” Jordi said.
“Eduardo is a guy who I’ve been watching from afar for a long time. I love Eduardo. Inspired by his conviction of faith, what he has been able to do with that faith, mainly to really penetrate media and share all the goodness of the gospel. With his producing and acting roles, he has been able to really go against what Hollywood is often giving us as entertainment, and really just push the message of the gospel further,” he elaborated.
“Father Fray has a fantastic story as well. He was able to live out his life as a wrestler and a priest at the same time, and his work parallels with what we are all trying to do,” he said. “He just lived it in real life.”
Jordi remarked about this event, “I want there to be a sense of unity and friendship with fellow Catholics. I think everyone that is attending this award ceremony is an entrepreneur on some level, otherwise I don’t think they would necessarily be there, or they’re supporting someone who is in entrepreneurship. So what I’ve encountered over the last, about 18 months of doing this, is that it’s a lonely process. We need to be there for each other. Because you’re taking risks, and you’re living a life that doesn’t really have any guardrails per se.”
“I just want to break bread with people and be very transparent about my journey, and hope that it inspires someone to keep going, or to start on the journey of entrepreneurship. If it’s not entrepreneurship, at the very least, or at the very most, their faith journey. A journey that is so worth living, it makes life so interesting, and again, you’re not beholden to whatever this world offers, it’s greater, and it serves a greater good,” he elaborated.
“So, ultimately, what I’m hoping to get is just to serve others with my story, and to meet people who may share aligned beliefs and want to evangelize in this new way to a culture who there’s a great Christian revival going on, and I think the timing is going to be better, so I’m just grateful that the timing is now, and that I get to share my vision with others who share common beliefs,” he explained.
Samantha’s Friends
Jordi recalled being a part of Samantha’s Friends recently in Lakewood Ranch, Florida. “It was good! Sammy is so sweet and we had a good turnout,” he said. “There were lots of people and I have been invited to the next two Samantha’s Friends events. So, they’ve become like a family to me.”
Remembering Johnny Wactor
Jordi also took the time to remember the late but great “General Hospital” actor Johnny Wactor. “I got the chance to know Johnny from several fan events and appearances. He had such a big heart… the way he went out was true to who he was.”
“Johnny was at the wrong place at the wrong time, but he was doing the right thing (helping and shielding his female co-worker). So, I know that Johnny’s looking down on us and his heart was in the right place,” Jordi noted.
“I think that he’s guiding a lot of his friends and family down here, and my prayers are with his family. Johnny was taken too soon. I’m just grateful for having known the man, and many other friends and fans have shared the same admiration for Johnny that I have,” he concluded.
To learn more about this upcoming Fides Entrepreneurship Awards GALA event, click here.
