Elizabeth Rodriguez
{{Short description|American actress}}
{{About|the American actress|the Peruvian politician|Elizabeth Astete Rodríguez}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Elizabeth Rodriguez
| image = Elizabeth Rodriguez by Gage Skidmore.jpg{{!}}border
| image_size =
| caption = Rodriguez at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con.
| birth_name =
| birth_date =
| years_active = 1991–present
| birth_place = New York City, New York, U.S.
| occupation = Actress
| alma_mater = Lehman College
| spouse =
| website =
}}
Elizabeth Rodriguez is an American actress. She began her career appearing in films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995), I Think I Do (1997) and Blow (2001). She played Detective Gina Calabrese in the 2006 film adaptation of Miami Vice.
Rodriguez received a Tony Award nomination and won an Outer Critics Circle Award and a Theatre World Award for her performance in Stephen Adly Guirgis' 2011 play The Motherfucker with the Hat. On television, Rodriguez starred as Aleida Diaz in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–2019). In 2015, she starred in the first season of AMC's post-apocalyptic horror drama series Fear the Walking Dead. She also had recurring roles in Power, Power Book II: Ghost and Shameless and was regular cast member in Prime Suspect and East New York. She also appeared in films The Drop (2014) and Logan (2017). She co-wrote and starred in the 2022 comedy-drama film, Allswell in New York.
Early life
Rodriguez was born to Puerto Rican parents and raised in Manhattan, New York City. She went to Brandeis High School and Lehman College in the Bronx.{{cite web|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/elizabeth-rodriguez-costars-amc-fear-walking-dead-article-1.2321565|work=New York Daily News|title='Orange is the New Black' actress Elizabeth Rodriguez costars in AMC's 'Fear the Walking Dead' |access-date=September 4, 2016|author=Ortiz, Erik|date=August 11, 2015}} She later spent two years at the William Esper Studio in New York and worked as a hair stylist before acting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/elizabeth-rodriguez/bio/3030408050/|title=Elizabeth Rodríguez|website=TVGuide.com}}
Career
While still studying, Rodriguez began appearing on-screen playing supporting roles in films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995) and I Think I Do (1997).{{Cite web|url=https://www.allamericanspeakers.com/speakers/395201/Elizabeth-Rodriguez|title=Elizabeth Rodriguez | Speaking Fee | Booking Agent|website=www.allamericanspeakers.com}} On television, Rodriguez made guest appearances in Law & Order, Lifestories: Families in Crisis and CBS Schoolbreak Special, before playing the recurring role in the police drama series, New York Undercover from 1994 to 1995. She later made appearances in New York News, NYPD Blue, Oz, City of Angels, Six Feet Under, ER, Third Watch and The Shield. She co-starred in the 1998 thriller film, Return to Paradise and played Martha Oliveras in the 2001 crime drama film, Blow. In 2006, Rodriguez appeared as Gina Calabrese in the action film, Miami Vice by Michael Mann.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/movies/28vice.html|title='Miami Vice': Operatic Passions, Yet Cool in the Heat|first=A. O.|last=Scott|work=The New York Times |date=July 28, 2006|via=NYTimes.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/miami-vice-style/|title='Miami Vice' Style|date=July 27, 2006|website=www.cbsnews.com}}
Rodriguez performed in a number of Broadway and off-Broadway productions, such as Robbers, Robbers, Beauty of the Father, A View From 151st Street, and Unconditional. From 2008 to 2009, Rodriguez played the role of Carmen Morales in the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children.{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/06/elizabeth-rodriguez-talks_n_858800.html|title=Elizabeth Rodriguez Talks 'All My Children' Cancellation, Susan Lucci Going To 'Desperate Housewives'|work=The Huffington Post|date=May 6, 2011|access-date=June 12, 2015}} In 2011, she was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play and won Outer Critics Circle Award, as well as a Theatre World Award, for her role on Broadway play in Stephen Adly Guirgis's The Motherfucker with the Hat.{{cite web|url=http://www.ibdb.com/person.php?id=489085|title=Elizabeth Rodriguez {{!}} IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information IBDB: The official source for Broadway Information|work=Internet Broadway Database|publisher=The Broadway League|access-date=May 24, 2015}} In 2011, she had a series regular role on the short-lived NBC police drama series, Prime Suspect.{{cite web|url=https://www.deadline.com/2011/06/elizabeth-rodriguez-joins-nbcs-prime-suspect-as-new-regular/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110616170901/http://www.deadline.com/2011/06/elizabeth-rodriguez-joins-nbcs-prime-suspect-as-new-regular/|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 16, 2011|title=Elizabeth Rodriguez Joins NBC 'Prime Suspect' As New Regular|author=Nellie Andreeva|work=Deadline|date=June 15, 2011|access-date=June 12, 2015}} She was nominated for an Imagen Award for her role in the feature film Tio Papi (2013), and the same year had secondary role in the Side Effects directed by Steven Soderbergh.
In 2013, Rodriguez began appearing in the recurring role of Aleida Diaz in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black; she was promoted to series regular in 2015. Along with the rest of the cast she received Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series in both 2015 and 2016.{{cite web|url=http://www.wearemoviegeeks.com/2015/01/birdman-downton-abbey-big-winners-21st-screen-actors-guild-awards/|title=BIRDMAN, DOWNTON ABBEY Big Winners At 21st Screen Actors Guild Awards|author=Michelle McCue|work=We Are Movie Geeks|date=January 25, 2015|access-date=June 12, 2015}} Rodriguez also had recurring roles as Paz Valdes in the Starz drama series Power from 2014 to 2020, and as Special Agent Chavez in the NBC police procedural Grimm from 2014 to 2015. In 2014, she appeared in the crime films Glass Chin and The Drop.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/glass_chin|title=Glass Chin | Rotten Tomatoes|date=June 26, 2015|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_drop|title=The Drop | Rotten Tomatoes|date=September 12, 2014|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}}
In 2015, Rodriguez was cast in the series regular role on the AMC post-apocalyptic drama Fear the Walking Dead, the companion series for The Walking Dead.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/17/fear-walking-dead-robert-kirkman-reveals-new-details-and-casting |title=Fear the Walking Dead: Robert Kirkman reveals new details and casting |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |first=Dalton |last=Ross |date=May 18, 2015 |access-date=May 18, 2015}} She left the series after the first season. The following year she had a recurring role in the Lifetime comedy-drama series, Devious Maids. In 2017, she appeared in Hugh Jackman's final Wolverine film Logan directed by James Mangold and starred in the second season of Hulu crime drama, Chance. In 2018, Rodriguez appeared in the teen drama film, Skate Kitchen.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/skate_kitchen|title=Skate Kitchen | Rotten Tomatoes|date=August 10, 2018|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}} From 2019 to 2020 she had the recurring role in the Showtime comedy-drama series, Shameless.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/10/shameless-mary-kay-place-elizabeth-rodriguez-join-cast-season-10-1202749365/|title='Shameless': Mary Kay Place, Elizabeth Rodriguez Join Season 10 Cast|first=Patrick|last=Hipes|date=October 1, 2019}}
In 2020, Rodriguez won a Obie Award for Distinguished Performance by an Actress and a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play nomination for her performance in Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven.{{Cite web|url=http://www.iobdb.com/Production/6759|title=Halfway Bitches Go Straight to Heaven|website=www.iobdb.com}} In June 2021, Rodriguez voiced Rafa Martez in the Star Wars: The Bad Batch episode "Decommissioned".{{cite web|url=https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Star-Wars-The-Bad-Batch/Rafa-Martez/|title=Rafa Martez Voice|website=Behind the Voice Actors|access-date=March 15, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721015753/https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/tv-shows/Star-Wars-The-Bad-Batch/Rafa-Martez/|archive-date=July 21, 2022|url-status=live}}
In 2022, Rodriguez co-wrote, produced and played the leading role in the comedy-drama film, Allswell in New York. The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and Rodriguez received Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature Film Award.{{Cite web|url=https://tribecafilm.com/films/allswell-2022|title=Allswell | 2022 Tribeca Festival|website=Tribeca}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstshowing.net/2023/latinx-dramedy-film-allswell-in-new-york-trailer-about-nyc-sisters/|title=Latinx Dramedy Film 'Allswell in New York' Trailer About NYC Sisters | FirstShowing.net|date=October 13, 2023|website=www.firstshowing.net}} The film received positive reviews from critics.{{Cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/allswell_in_new_york|title=Allswell in New York | Rotten Tomatoes|date=November 3, 2023|website=www.rottentomatoes.com}} She also starred as a Vanessa del Rio's mother in the biographical drama film, Queen of Manhattan by Thomas Mignone{{Cite web|url=https://www.filmindependent.org/blog/member-lens-thomas-mignones-wild-ride-from-big-tech-to-heavy-metal-biopics-and-beyond/|title=Member Lens: Thomas Mignone's Wild Ride from Big Tech to Heavy Metal, Biopics and Beyond|date=January 22, 2021}} From 2022 to 2023 she starred in the CBS police drama series, East New York.{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/03/east-new-york-kevin-rankin-elizabeth-rodriguez-cbs-drama-pilot-1234986040/|title='East New York': Kevin Rankin & Elizabeth Rodriguez Join CBS Drama Pilot|first=Denise|last=Petski|date=March 24, 2022}}
Filmography
=Film=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1991
|Bedhead |The Nurse | |
| 1994
| Fresh | Consuela | |
| 1995
|Mariachi Fan | |
| 1995
| Marisol | |
| 1997
| Celia | |
| 1998
| Gaby | |
| 1999
|Golfballs! |Bentwood Girl | |
| 2001
| Jan | |
| 2001
|Blow |Martha Oliveras | |
| 2005
| Four Lane Highway | Sasha | |
| 2005
| Carmen | |
| 2006
| Gina Calabrese | |
| 2007
| Tracks of Color | Sonia Martinez | Short film |
| 2007
| Older Isabelle | |
| 2008
| {{sortname|A|Line in the Sand|nolink=1}} | Martel | |
| 2010
|Waldorf Event Assistant | |
| 2010
| Sgt. Rebecca Ferraro | |
| 2011
| Mrs. Lopez | |
| 2013
| Pharmacist | |
| 2013
| Tio Papi | Cheeky | |
| 2014
|Nurse Janet | |
| 2014
| Rita Sierra | |
| 2014
| The Drop |Detective Romsey | |
| 2016
| 11:55 |Angie | |
| 2017
| Logan | Gabriela Lopez | |
| 2018
| Renata | |
| 2018
| Maria | |
| 2020
|Mighty | Leti |Short film |
| 2022
|Mama Sánchez | |
| 2022
| Daisy |Also writer and producer |
| 2022
|We Are Gathered Here Today |Gwen Cantu | |
| TBA
|Tonight at Noon | Sarah |Post-production |
=Television=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| rowspan="2" | 1994
| Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Erika | Episode: "POWER: The Eddie Matos Story" |
| Law & Order
| Elvira Juarez | Episode: "Old Friends" |
| 1994–1995
| Gina | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| rowspan="4" | 1995
| Tanya | 2 episodes |
| Inflammable
| Tanya Santos | Television film |
| Law & Order
| Caridad Montero | Episode: "Rebels" |
| NYPD Blue
| Amalia Lopez | Episode: "UnAmerican Graffiti" |
| 1997
| Oz | Maritza Alvarez | 2 episodes |
| 1998
| Trinity | Del Bianco | 2 episodes |
| 1999–2001
| ER | Nurse Sandra | 3 episodes |
| 2000
| Anita Rios | Episode: "Bats Off to Larry" |
| rowspan="2" | 2001
| Maria | Episode: "Finch and the Fighter" |
| Six Feet Under
| Sylvie | Episode: "Familia" |
| rowspan="2" | 2002
| Without Warning | Selena Sanchez | Television film |
| Third Watch
| Sergeant Chris Reyes | Episode: "The Chosen Few" |
| 2002–2003
| {{sortname|The|Shield}} | Lita Valverde | 2 episodes |
| 2008–2009
| Carmen Morales | 56 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| Isabel Alvarez | Episode: "Boy Gone Astray" |
| FlashForward
| Ingrid Alvarez | Episode: "Playing Cards with Coyote" |
| 2010
| Gina Lopresi | Episode: "Bombers" |
| 2011–2012
| Det. Carolina Rivera | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2012
| Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Carmen Vasquez | Episode: "Home Invasions" |
| 2013–2019
| Main role, 53 episodes |
| 2014–2020
| Power | Paz Valdes | Recurring role |
| 2014–2015
| Grimm | Special Agent Chavez | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2015–2016
| Main role (season 1); guest (season 2) |
| rowspan="2" | 2016
| Josefina | 2 episodes |
| Talking Dead
| Herself | Episode: "Date of Death" |
| 2017
| Chance | Kristen Clayton | Recurring role (season 2) |
| 2019–2020
| Faye Donahue | Recurring role (season 10) |
| 2020
| Rafa Martez (voice) | 4 episodes |
| 2020, 2023–2024
| Paz Valdes | Guest role, Seasons 1, 3 and 4 |
| rowspan="2" | 2021
| Carina Bardo | Episode: "Waiting" |
| Star Wars: The Bad Batch
| Rafa Martez (voice) | Episode: "Decommissioned" |
| 2022–2023
| Detective Crystal Morales | Main cast |
| 2024
| ''Chicago P.D. | Detective Suarez | Episode: "Pawns" |
Theater
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Title
! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| Robbers by Lyle Kessler
| Cleo | American Place Theatre |
| {{sortname|The|Last Days of Judas Iscariot}} by Stephen Adly Guirgis
| Saint Monica | Joseph Papp Public Theater / Martinson Hall |
| Beauty of the Father by Nilo Cruz
| Marina | New York City Center – Stage II |
| {{sortname|A|View From 151st Street|nolink=1}} by Bob Glaudini
| Irene | Joseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall |
| Unconditional by Brett C. Leonard
| Jessica | Joseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall |
| {{sortname|The|Motherfucker with the Hat}} by Stephen Adly Guirgis
| Veronica | Broadway |
| Roger and Vanessa by Brett C. Leonard
| Vanessa | Actors' Gang Theatre, Los Angeles |
| Den of Thieves by Stephen Adly Guirgis
| Buchi | Black Dahlia Theater, Los Angeles |
| Unorganized Crime by Kenny D'Aquila
| Rosie | Elephant Theater, Los Angeles |
| The Power of Duff by Stephen Belber
| Sue Raspell | Geffen Theatre, Los Angeles |
Awards and nominations
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{Commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0735300|Elizabeth Rodriguez}}
- {{iobdb name|4381}}
- {{Twitter}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rodriguez, Elizabeth}}
Category:20th-century American actresses
Category:21st-century American actresses
Category:American film actresses
Category:American stage actresses
Category:American television actresses
Category:American actresses of Puerto Rican descent
Category:Hispanic and Latino American actresses