他在德克萨斯州的埃尔帕索出生和长大。米格尔·奥尔特加（父亲）是一名越野卡车司机，宝琳娜·奥尔特加（母亲）是一名家庭主妇。开始了 2 年的夏季股票剧院生涯 - El Paso Del Norte。1978年移居洛杉矶。抵达后不久，他开始在一部名为《胡珀》（1978）的电影中担任特技演员。他的第一份演艺工作是在一个名为 CHiPs （1977） 的电视节目中客串主演。他赢得了特技演员奖 - 最壮观的序列 - “北方和南方”迷你剧。他还获得了美国演员工会奖 - 演员杰出表演 - 交通（2000 年）。

He was born and raised in El Paso Texas. Miguel Ortega (father) was a cross country truck driver and Paulina Ortega (mother) a housewife. Began career doing summer stock theater for 2 years - El Paso Del Norte. Moved to Los Angeles in 1978. Shortly after arriving, he started to work as a stuntman on a picture by the name of Hooper (1978). His first acting job was in a guest starring role on a TV show by the name of CHiPs (1977). He has won a Stuntman's Award - Most Spectacular Sequence - "North & South" miniseries. He also won a Screen Actors Guild Award - Outstanding Performance By Cast - Traffic (2000).