| Intro | American actress |
| Is |
Actor Television actor Film actor Stage actor |
| From | United States of America |
| Type | Film, TV, Stage & Radio |
| Gender | female |
| Birth | 27 December 1980, New York City |
| Age: | 39 years |
Elizabeth Rodriguez (born December 27, 1980) is an American actress. She received a Tony Award nomination, and won the Outer Critics Circle Award, as well as a Theatre World Award, for her performance in Stephen Adly Guirgis’s 2011 play on Broadway, The Motherfucker with the Hat. Rodriguez is best known for her role as Aleida Diaz in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–present). In 2015, she starred as a series regular on the first season of AMC’s pre-apocalyptic drama series, Fear the Walking Dead.
Early life and education
Rodriguez was born and raised in Manhattan, New York City to Puerto Rican parents. She graduated from Lehman College in the Bronx and later studied acting with Maggie Flanigan at the William Esper Studio.
Career
1990s
While still studying, Rodriguez began appearing on-screen in small parts in films like Fresh (1994) and television shows such as New York Undercover, New York News, Law & Order, NYPD Blue and Oz.
2000s
She has appeared in a number of stage productions, television shows and independent films. 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. She was nominated for an Imagen Award for her role in the feature film Tio Papi (2013), and co-starred as Gina Calabrese in Michael Mann’s feature film Miami Vice (2006). From 2008 to 2009, she played the role of Carmen Morales on the ABC daytime soap opera, All My Children.
2010s
In 2011, she had a series regular role on the short-lived NBC police drama series, Prime Suspect.
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. Rodriguez also had recurring roles as Paz Valdes in the Starz drama series, Power, and as Special Agent Chavez in the NBC police procedural Grimm.
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. In 2016 she was cast in the highly anticipated Hugh Jackman/Wolverine film “LOGAN”, directed by James Mangold.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Fresh | Consuela | |
| 1995 | Dead Presidents | Marisol | |
| 1997 | I Think I Do | Celia | |
| 1998 | Return to Paradise | Gaby | |
| 2001 | Acts of Worship | Jan | |
| 2001 | Blow | Martha Oliveras | |
| 2005 | Four Lane Highway | Sasha | |
| 2006 | Miami Vice | Gina Calabrese | |
| 2007 | Tracks of Color | Sonia Martinez | Short film |
| 2007 | On Bloody Sunday | Older Isabelle | |
| 2008 | Line in the Sand, AA Line in the Sand | Martel | |
| 2010 | Pound of Flesh | Sgt. Rebecca Ferraro | |
| 2011 | All Things Fall Apart | Mrs. Lopez | |
| 2013 | Side Effects | Pharmacist | |
| 2013 | Tio Papi | Cheeky | |
| 2014 | Glass Chin | Rita Sierra | |
| 2014 | The Drop | Detective Romsey | |
| 2015 | 11:55 Holyoke | Angie | |
| 2017 | Logan | Gabriela | Post-production |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1994 | Lifestories: Families in Crisis | Erika | Episode: “POWER: The Eddie Matos Story” |
| 1994 | Law & Order | Elvira Juarez | Episode: “Old Friends” |
| 1994–1995 | New York Undercover | Gina | Recurring role (5 episodes) |
| 1995 | New York News | Tanya | Episodes: “Thin Line”, “Broadway Joe” |
| 1995 | Inflammable | Tanya Santos | TV film |
| 1995 | Law & Order | Caridad Montero | Episode: “Rebels” |
| 1995 | NYPD Blue | Amalia Lopez | Episode: “UnAmerican Graffiti” |
| 1997 | Oz | Maritza Alvarez | Episodes: “God’s Chillin'”, “Capital P” |
| 1998 | Trinity | Del Bianco | Episodes: “In Loco Parentis”, “Hang Man Down” |
| 1999–2001 | ER | Nurse Sandra | 3 episodes |
| 2000 | NYPD Blue | Anita Rios | Episode: “Bats Off to Larry” |
| 2001 | Just Shoot Me! | Maria | Episode: “Finch and the Fighter” |
| 2001 | Six Feet Under | Sylvie | Episode: “Familia” |
| 2002 | Without Warning | Selena Sanchez | TV film |
| 2002 | Third Watch | Sergeant Chris Reyes | Episode: “The Chosen Few” |
| 2002–2003 | Shield, TheThe Shield | Lita Valverde | Episodes: “Cherrypoppers” and “The Quick Fix” |
| 2008–2009 | All My Children | Carmen Morales | Recurring role, 56 episodes |
| 2009 | Law & Order | Isabel Alvarez | Episode: “Boy Gone Astray” |
| 2009 | FlashForward | Ingrid Alvarez | Episode: “Playing Cards with Coyote” |
| 2010 | Cold Case | Gina Lopresi | Episode: “Bombers” |
| 2011–2012 | Prime Suspect | Det. Carolina Rivera | Series Regular, 5 episodes |
| 2012 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Carmen Vasquez | Episode: “Home Invasions” |
| 2013–present | Orange Is the New Black | Aleida Diaz | Recurring role (2013–2016) Series regular (2016–present) |
| 2014–present | Power | Paz Valdes | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 2014–2015 | Grimm | Special Agent Chavez | Recurring role, 5 episodes |
| 2015–2016 | Fear the Walking Dead | Liza Ortiz | Season 1 (Main Cast; 6 episodes) Season 2 (Guest; 1 episode) |
| 2016 | Devious Maids | Josefina | Recurring role |
Theatre
| Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Robbers by Lyle Kessler | Cleo | American Place Theatre
Directed by Marshall Mason |
| Last Days of Judas Iscariot, TheThe Last Days of Judas Iscariot by Stephen Adly Guirgis | Saint Monica | Joseph Papp Public Theater / Martinson Hall
Directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman |
| Beauty of the Father by Nilo Cruz | Marina | New York City Center – Stage II
Directed by Michael Greif |
| View From 151st Street, AA View From 151st Street by Bob Glaudini | Irene | Joseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall
Directed by Peter DuBois |
| Unconditional by Brett C. Leonard | Jessica | Joseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall
Directed by Mark Wing-Davey |
| Motherf*cker With the Hat, TheThe Motherf*cker With the Hat by Stephen Adly Guirgis | Veronica | Broadway
Directed by Anna D. Shapiro |
| “Roger and Vanessa” by Brett C. Leonard | Vanessa | Actors’ Gang Theatre, Los Angeles
Directed by Silas Weir Mitchell |
| “Den of Thieves” by Stephen Adly Guirgis | Buchi | Black Dahlia Theater, Los Angeles
Directed by Matt Shakman |
| “Unorganized Crime” by Kenny D’Aquila | Rosie | Elephant Theater, Los Angeles
Directed by David Fofi |
| “The Power of Duff” by Stephen Belber | Sue Raspell | Geffen Theatre, Los Angeles
Directed by Peter Dubois |
Awards and nominations
| Year | Association | Category | Work | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Tony Award | Best Featured Actress in a Play | The Motherfucker With the Hat | Nominated | |
| Outer Critics Circle Awards | Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play | Won | |||
| Theatre World Awards | Lunt-Fontanne Award for Ensemble Excellence | Won | |||
| 2013 | Imagen Foundation Awards | Best Supporting Actress – Feature Film | Tio Papi | Nominated | |
| 2014 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Orange Is the New Black | Won | |
| Ovation Award | Lead Actress in a Play | Unorganized Crime | Nominated | ||
| 2015 | Screen Actors Guild Award | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series | Orange Is the New Black | Won |