Manny Montana

{{Infobox person

| name = Manny Montana

| image =

| caption =

| imagesize =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|09|26}}

| birth_place = Long Beach, California, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| occupation = Actor

| spouse = Adelfa Marr

| children = 1

| alma_mater = California State University, Long Beach

| yearsactive = 2008–present

}}

Manny Montana (born September 26, 1983) is an American actor. Born and raised in Long Beach, California, he started his career in 2008 and is best known for his character Rio in the series Good Girls.

Early life and education

Manny Montana was born and raised in Long Beach, California.{{Cite web |last=Ratzlaff |first=Angela |date=2013-06-10 |title='Graceland' Actor Manny Montana Plays Big Role in Long Beach Community |url=https://lbpost.com/hi-lo/graceland-actor-manny-montana-plays-big-role-in-long-beach-community-2/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=the Hi-lo |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Kandie |first=Lynn |date=2022-06-21 |title=Who is Adelfa Marr? Everything to know about Manny Montana's wife - Briefly.co.za |url=https://briefly.co.za/facts-lifehacks/celebrities-biographies/129135-who-adelfa-marr-everything-manny-montanas-wife/ |access-date=2025-02-03 |website=briefly.co.za |language=en}} After graduating from Jordan High School, Montana got a football scholarship to California State University Sacramento, but quit after an arm injury and dislocating his shoulder for the eighth time. He transferred to California State University, Long Beach to major in Journalism and Broadcasting. He worked as a DJ in the school's student-radio station, which landed him an intern position at Power 100.3.{{cite news |last=Ratzlaff |first=Angela |url=http://lbpost.com/life/2000002431-graceland-actor-manny-montana-plays-big-role-in-long-beach-community#.U738cfldVls|title='Graceland' Actor Manny Montana Plays Big Role in Long Beach Community|newspaper=Long Beach Post|access-date=May 19, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141022053425/http://lbpost.com/life/2000002431-graceland-actor-manny-montana-plays-big-role-in-long-beach-community#.U738cfldVls|archive-date=22 October 2014|url-status=dead}} He is a first generation Mexican-American.{{Cite magazine |url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/08/manny-montana-of-graceland-when-a-straight-actor-plays-a-gay-scene.html|title=What's It Like for a Straight Actor to Play a Gay Scene?|last=Thomas|first=June|date=2014-08-14|website=Slate magazine|language=en|access-date=2019-06-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190602102438/https://slate.com/human-interest/2014/08/manny-montana-of-graceland-when-a-straight-actor-plays-a-gay-scene.html|archive-date=2019-06-02|url-status=live}}

Career

After graduating in 2006, Montana acted in a number of student films which eventually led him to guest star in single episodes of various television series. In 2012, Montana was cast as Johnny "J.T." Turturro in Graceland. In regards to fan reaction to the show, he stated: "Being cast on a regular procedural, where everything gets wrapped up by the end of the episode was always a fear of mine because that doesn't really test you as an actor. On this show, every week we're playing somebody different, there's great dialogue, I love my co-stars, it's fun to be at work and I think the fans are seeing that. Regardless of whether they like the show or not, I think they like the cast and the dynamic we have together."{{cite web|url=http://www.etonline.com/tv/136001_Manny_Montana_Graceland_Interview/|title=5 Questions with 'Graceland's' Manny Montana|date=14 November 2012|work=www.etonline.com|access-date=27 October 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714142902/http://www.etonline.com/tv/136001_Manny_Montana_Graceland_Interview/|archive-date=14 July 2014|url-status=live}}

In 2015, Montana appeared in Michael Mann's Blackhat as Lozano, a "wanted criminal". Montana auditioned for a lead role and did not receive it, but got offered a supporting role.{{cite web|url=http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/gracelands-manny-montana-joins-michael-manns-cyber-exclusive-94776/|title='Graceland's' Manny Montana Joins Michael Mann's 'Cyber' (Exclusive)|work=TheWrap|access-date=27 October 2014|date=2013-05-31|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141004164915/http://www.thewrap.com/movies/column-post/gracelands-manny-montana-joins-michael-manns-cyber-exclusive-94776/|archive-date=4 October 2014|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=http://collider.com/manny-montana-graceland-cyber-interview/|title=Manny Montana Talks Graceland and Michael Mann's Cyber|work=Collider|access-date=27 October 2014|date=2013-07-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140929142510/http://collider.com/manny-montana-graceland-cyber-interview/|archive-date=29 September 2014|url-status=live}}

From 2018 to 2021, he was a member of the main cast of Good Girls as Rio. The show was cancelled after four seasons. In 2021, Montana appeared in one episode of the television show All American, portraying coach Dante Smart. In April 2022, it was announced that Montana would join season four of the show Mayans M.C., as a member of the Yuma Mayans.{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2022/04/mayans-mc-manny-montana-cast-season-4-contenders-tv-1234990218/|title='Mayans M.C.' Casts 'Good Girls' Alum Manny Montana As EP Elgin James Teases Season 4 – Contenders TV|last=Cordero|first=Rosy|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=2022-04-09|access-date=2022-06-24}}

Personal life

Montana is married to Adelfa Martinez, with whom he has one child, a son. Marr is a life coach providing services digitally. The couple keeps their life private and their child away from the public.{{Cite web|last=Watson|first=Fay|date=2021-02-18|title=Manny Montana wife: Which Good Girls co-star is Rio actor married to?|url=https://www.express.co.uk/celebrity-news/1322162/Manny-Montana-wife-girlfriend-Good-Girls-co-star-Rio-actor-married|access-date=2021-04-15|website=Express.co.uk|language=en}}{{Cite web|title=Manny Montana|url=https://adelfamarr.com/radar/2018/1/23/manny-montana|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210415010307/https://adelfamarr.com/radar/2018/1/23/manny-montana|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 15, 2021|access-date=2021-04-15|website=Adelfa Marr|language=en-US}}

Filmography

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ Film
Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes
2008 \| El Primo \| Luis \| Short
2008 \| East L.A. \| Alex Guzman \|
2008 \| Sanctuary \| Ramirez \|
2009 \| Detached \| Manuel Sabatar \|
2009 \| Road to Moloch \| Martinez \| Short
2009 \| Maria de Covina \| Manuel Batista \| Short
2010 \| 30 Is the New 12 \| Paco \| Short
2011 \| The Ghost of Crenshaw \| Terence Simmons \| Short
2012 \| Atonal \| Young Fighter \| Short
2012 \| Courageous \| Alexander \| Short
2013 \| Go for Sisters \| Tenoch \|
2015 \| Blackhat \| Alonso Reyes \|
2015 \| Hacker \| Lozano \|
2016 \| Undrafted \| Zapata \|
2018 \| The Mule \| Axl \|
2020 \| I Hate the Man in My Basement \| Logan \|

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Film

Year

! Film

! Role

! Notes

2008

| El Primo

| Luis

| Short

2008

| East L.A.

| Alex Guzman

2008

| Sanctuary

| Ramirez

2009

| Detached

| Manuel Sabatar

2009

| Road to Moloch

| Martinez

| Short

2009

| Maria de Covina

| Manuel Batista

| Short

2010

| 30 Is the New 12

| Paco

| Short

2011

| The Ghost of Crenshaw

| Terence Simmons

| Short

2012

| Atonal

| Young Fighter

| Short

2012

| Courageous

| Alexander

| Short

2013

| Go for Sisters

| Tenoch

2015

| Blackhat

| Alonso Reyes

2015

| Hacker

| Lozano

2016

| Undrafted

| Zapata

2018

| The Mule

| Axl

2020

| I Hate the Man in My Basement

| Logan

class="wikitable sortable" \|+ Television
Year ! Title ! Role ! Notes
2008 \| ER \| Football Orderly \| Episode: "Heal Thyself"
2008 \| Eleventh Hour \| Vasquez \| Episode: "Surge"
2009 \| Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles \| Hector \| Episode: "Some Must Watch While Some Must Sleep"
2009 \| Raising the Bar \| Romeo Vasquez \| Episode: "I'll Be Down to Get You in a Taxi, Honey"
2009 \| Cold Case \| Francisco Ariza \| Episode: "Officer Down"
2010 \| Lie to Me \| Dax \| Episode: "Delinquent"
2011 \| The Chicago Code \| Antonio Betz \| 2 episodes
2011 \| Chase \| Matt Nestor \| Episode: "Roundup"
2011 \| Breakout Kings \| Cesar Vega \| Episode: "Where in the World Is Carmen Vega"
2011 \| CSI: NY \| Off. Glen Cates \| Episode: "Officer Involved"
2012 \| Cybergeddon \| Frank Porter \| 2 episodes
2013–2015 \| Graceland \| Johnny Tuturro \| Main cast
2013 \| Grimm \| David Florez \| Episode: "El Cucuy"
2014 \| Power \| Miguel \| Episode: "Not Exactly How We Planned"
2015 \| NCIS: LA \| Diego Salazar \| Episode: "The Long Goodbye"
2015 \| The Following \| Luis Serra \| Episode: "The Hunt"
2016 \| Lucifer \| Javier Junior \| Episode: "Pops"
2016–2017 \| Conviction \| Franklin "Frankie" Cruz \| Main cast, 13 episodes
2017 \| Rosewood \| Marcos Villa \|Recurring cast, 5 episodes
2017–2018 \| Miles from Tomorrowland \| Zeno \| Voice, 10 episodes
2018–2021 \| Good Girls \| Rio \| Main cast
2021 \| All American \| Dante Smart \| Episode: "Ready or Not"
2022 \| Mayans M.C. \| Manny \| 8 episodes
2022 \| Westworld \| Carver \| 2 episodes
2025 \| Ironheart \| Cousin John \|Post-production

class="wikitable sortable"

|+ Television

Year

! Title

! Role

! Notes

2008

| ER

| Football Orderly

| Episode: "Heal Thyself"

2008

| Eleventh Hour