D.J. Cotrona was born on May 23, 1980 in New Haven, Connecticut, USA as Donald Joseph Cotrona. He is an actor, known for G.I. Joe: Retaliation (2013), Dear John (2010) and Venom (2005).　　He has a complex ethnic background. D.J.'s paternal grandfather was of Italian descent, and D.J.'s paternal grandmother had German and Austro-Hungarian ancestry. D.J.'s maternal grandfather was of half Italian and half Polish descent, and D.J.'s maternal grandmother was of half British Isles/English and half Polish ancestry. Thus, D.J. is of three eighths Italian, and one quarter Polish, ancestry, with the rest of his heritage including German, Austro-Hungarian, and English.

2003年，在电视系列剧《法律与秩序：特殊受害者》饰演配角多诺万·阿尔瓦雷斯。

2005年，在惊悚恐怖片《恶魔之水》饰演男二号肖恩。

2013年，在由朱浩伟执导的科幻动作片《特种部队：全面反击》饰演配角特种部队成员弗林。

2019年，在由扎克瑞·莱维主演的奇幻动作片《雷霆沙赞》饰演配角超级英雄佩德罗。

他有一个复杂的种族背景。他的祖父是个意大利后裔，祖母有德国和奥匈帝国血统，外祖父有一半不列颠群岛/英国血统和一半波兰血统、外祖母有八分之三的意大利血统和四分之一的波兰血统；他身上的剩余传统包括德国、奥匈帝国、英国。