Jor-el grew up in Monterey, California. At age six he decided he wanted to be an actor ("or geologist") and got involved with as much theatre as he could before making his way to Los Angeles to study acting at UCLA's School of Theater, Film, & Television.

After being discovered by a manager through UCLA's senior showcase, he booked his first TV role the summer after college, playing Billy the Kid in the National Geographic's special, Billy the Kid: New Evidence, which was executive produced and narrated by Kevin Costner.

Since then, he's appeared on MTV's Catfish, The Coroner: I Speak for the Dead (ID Network), as well as several short films ("Once Guilty, Now Innocent, But Still Dead*," "Juvenilia", etc.) He also voices the role of Emir on the English-Language version of Netflix's The Protector.

Jor-el can be seen in the upcoming Disney film Magic Camp, Directed by Mark Waters (Mean Girls, Freaky Friday) and in the film Zach and Mani Make a Mockumentary, which he co-wrote with his college roommate, Venk Potula.

Other passions besides acting include photography, rock climbing, playing music, and his lifelong pursuit to find the best sandwich in America.

*Best Narrative Short at The GI Film Festival - San Diego