There's something captivating about an actor who brings quiet strength and reliability to every role, and that's exactly what Gavin Houston delivers. Born in Brooklyn and raised in New Jersey, he began his journey in front of the camera at a young age, appearing in commercials and even a guest spot on The Cosby Show. He found steady success in daytime television as Remy Boudreau on Guiding Lightfrom 2002 to 2006. But many know him best as Jeffrey Harrington on OWN’s popular primetime soap The Haves and the Have Nots, a role he portrayed with depth and nuance from 2013 until the series concluded in 2021.
Gavin Houston was born on December 10, 1977, in Brooklyn, New York. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey, with his parents, Lloyd and Colette Houston, and his older sister, Tonza. As a child, he took part in gymnastics, rising to the rank of second in the state of New Jersey and seventh in his region. For college, he went to the University of Florida, where he studied theater and even earned the title of "Mr. University of Florida." After that, he continued his acting training at the Manhattan Theatre Club in New York City.
Gavin Houston built a strong career in television and film that has spanned over two decades. He began acting at a young age with appearances in commercials and print ads, and one of his first roles was a small appearance on The Cosby Show. His major break came in 2002 when he joined the CBS daytime soap Guiding Light, where he played the character Remy Boudreau until 2006. This role gave him steady recognition and helped establish him as a talented soap actor. After leaving the show, Houston moved to California to expand his career and began appearing in different television series. He took on guest roles in shows such as Wizards of Waverly Place, Without a Trace, and The Singles Table. In 2010, he became part of General Hospitalwhere he played Sly Thomas, and in 2023 he returned to the series as a new character, Zeke Robinson.
Houston’s most notable role came in 2013 when he was cast as Jeffrey Harrington in Tyler Perry’s drama series The Haves and the Have Nots, which aired on the Oprah Winfrey Network. He remained with the show for its entire run until 2021, becoming one of the key figures in the storyline and gaining a large fan following. Alongside his television work, Houston also appeared in films and made-for-TV movies. He played Blake in Presumed Dead in Paradise(2014), portrayed singer Babyface in Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart(2016), and acted in The Secret She Keptthe same year. He continued to take on different roles, including Nathan Ramirez in the short film Me + 1and parts in Con Man, Safe Word, and Dance for Me.
In addition to these projects, Houston took guest roles in popular shows such as Rizzoli & Islesin 2015, Grey’s Anatomyin 2018, and Shamelessin 2021, showing his ability to work across different genres. From 2021 to 2022, he appeared in the CW series Roswell, New Mexicoas Theo, a recurring character that expanded his presence in primetime television. Through his long career, Houston has shown consistent dedication to his craft, balancing daytime soaps, primetime dramas, guest appearances, and television movies. His ability to bring depth to a wide range of characters has kept him active and well-regarded in the entertainment industry.
Gavin Houston has built a career that includes a variety of roles in films, television movies, and television series. In film, he appeared in Spyin 2011 as Mike Chase and also in The Rum Diarythe same year, where he played a small part as a sailor. He went on to star in several television films, including Presumed Dead in Paradisein 2014, where he played the role of Blake. In 2016, he portrayed the famous music producer Babyface in the biographical TV movie Toni Braxton: Unbreak My Heart, and in that same year he also played Lance in The Secret She Kept. In 2017, he took on the role of Nathan Ramirez in the short film Me + 1. The following year, in 2018, he had a small role in the film Con Man, credited as the “Hulking Jock.” More recently, in 2023, he appeared in two television movies, Safeword, where he played Ethan, and Dance for Me, where he appeared as Osiris Hughs.
Alongside his film work, Gavin Houston has had a strong career in television. From 2002 to 2006, he gained recognition as Remy Boudreau on the CBS daytime soap opera Guiding Light. After leaving that series, he appeared in several guest roles such as in The Singles Tablein 2007, and in 2008 he had appearances in both Wizards of Waverly Placeand Without a Trace. In 2010, he played Sly Thomas in a recurring role on the long-running soap opera General Hospital, and he returned to the same series in 2023 with a different guest role as Zeke Robinson. Between 2010 and 2014, he was also part of the digital drama The Bay, where he appeared as Tony Foster in the first and third seasons. His most important and widely recognized role came in 2013 when he joined the Oprah Winfrey Network drama The Haves and the Have Nots. He played Jeffrey Harrington and stayed with the show until its conclusion in 2021, becoming a central part of the series.
Beyond these long-term roles, Gavin Houston has also made appearances in several popular shows. In 2015, he guest-starred on Rizzoli & Islesas Alphonse. In 2018, he appeared in Grey’s Anatomyas Ed Benson. In 2021, he played Officer Paul Sikes in the hit series Shameless, and in 2022, he appeared in NCIS: Los Angelesas Wesley Roberts. He also had a recurring role as Theodore, also known as Theo, in Roswell, New Mexico, which aired during its second and third seasons between 2021 and 2022. This wide range of roles in soaps, dramas, films, and TV movies shows the diversity of Houston’s acting career and his steady presence in the entertainment industry.
As of 2025, Gavin Houston’s net worth is estimated to be about $1.4 million. His main source of earnings is his acting career, especially long-term roles in television shows like Guiding Lightand The Haves and the Have Nots, plus other work in TV films and guest appearances.