Carlos Armando Ponce Freyre Jr. (born September 4, 1972) is a Puerto Rican actor, singer, songwriter, television host, and producer. Born in Santurce and raised in Humacao, Puerto Rico, he entered show business as a child, appearing in television commercials from the age of six. After his family moved to Miami in 1986, he continued acting in school productions and later studied at the New World School of the Arts.
Ponce's professional television career began with the Univision program Hablando, which he hosted while still a young performer. After traveling to Mexico, he obtained a role in the Televisa telenovela Guadalupe in the early 1990s. He gained wider recognition with Sentimientos Ajenos (1996-1997), in which he played Renato Aramendia. The series established him as a leading actor in Spanish-language television and also introduced his abilities as a singer, since he performed its theme song. His work earned recognition from Mexican entertainment publications, including an Eres award for revelation actor and a TV y Novelas award for best actor.
Returning to Miami, Ponce hosted Univision's youth-oriented entertainment program Control, working both in front of the camera and as an associate producer. The show ran for several years and brought him an ACE Award as an outstanding host. His television profile continued to grow through appearances in Latin American productions, including Sin pecado concebido, Angel de la guarda, mi dulce compania, Dame Chocolate, Perro Amor, and Santa Diabla. He also hosted Telemundo's talent competition Protagonistas de la Musica and the Puerto Rican children's singing contest Idol Kids Puerto Rico.
Ponce's recording career began after he signed with EMI Latin, with Emilio Estefan Jr. involved as producer and manager. His self-titled debut album, released in 1998, combined polished Latin pop with romantic ballads and included songs he co-wrote. The singles "Rezo" and "Decir Adios" reached the top of Billboard's Hot Latin Tracks chart, while the album achieved double-platinum status in the United States. His second album, Todo lo que Soy (1999), produced another major hit with "Escuchame"; its song "Amelia" was selected as the official theme of the 1999 World Championships in Athletics in Seville, Spain. His third album, Ponce (2002), continued his work as a songwriter, with Ponce contributing to several of its songs.
Ponce has maintained a parallel career in English-language television and film. His early American television appearances included Beverly Hills, 90210 and 7th Heaven, where he played Carlos Rivera, the husband of Jessica Biel's character. He later appeared in Once and Again, Karen Sisco, Lipstick Jungle, and the ABC comedy Cristela. His film work includes Chasing Papi, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, Meet Me in Miami, Just My Luck, Couples Retreat, and Spy. He has also worked extensively as a voice actor in animated productions such as Rio, Free Birds, The Pirate Fairy, and Ice Age: Collision Course.
Across Spanish-language entertainment, Latin pop, American television, and film, Ponce has built a career defined by versatility. His ability to move between music, hosting, dramatic telenovelas, comedy, and voice work has made him a recognizable figure in both Puerto Rican and broader Hispanic popular culture.