During this period, he performed in various concerts and special events like the Tony Awards Billboard's Series, CBS Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and the renowned New Year Eve's celebration, Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, held at New York City's Time Square for ABC.

Years before, he joined the cast of Broadway and Beyond, responsible for the opening of the Walt Disney Theater at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in Orlando, Florida.

The show was directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and included the participation of Sierra Boggess, Norm Lewis, Chris Mann, Deborah Voigt and Jane Monheit among others.

The Chosen, produced by Jennifer López, Marc Anthony and "The billion-dollar tour director" (Variety) choreographer Jamie King.

His first role in theater was in the musical Fama (as Tyrone Jackson) produced by Sonia Valentín and Alba Nydia Díaz.

[2][3][4] In 2008, critic Ileana Cidoncha praised Ektor's "scenic presence" in the play Hairspray, where he interpreted the role of Seaweed Stubbs.

Another film starring Rivera for the Hallmark Channel was 'Sugar Plum Twist' alongside Jamie Gray Hyder and Laura Rosguer.

Ektor Rivera portrayed the complicated life of Daniel Santos, one of the most important singers in Latin America during the era of Bolero.

Ektor has also been the face of marketing campaigns such as Kellogg's Zucaritas (Frosted Flakes), Fruit of the Loom, Intel, JCPenney, McDonald's, Sony, Coors Light, and Heineken, among others.

Rivera adopted the stage name of Joker as he started his musical ventures in 1996, when he participated in an underground rap album titled Reggae Mania with DJ Joel.

After that, he was part of a tropical music group named Magia, a quartet directed by dominican singer and composer Raldy Vázquez.

During that time, producer Edgardo Díaz (MENUDO, MDO) encouraged him to audition for the reality show Objetivo Fama.

Luny Tunes, a famous duo of producers, expressed interest in working with Ektor during an interview in Puerto Rican TV show Anda Pa'l Cara.

One of his paintings (“Don Quijote”) made history at the “Miss World International 2010” competition held in Shanghai, China.