Elizabeth Rodriguez


Elizabeth Rodriguez is an American actress, best known for her role as Aleida Diaz in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. She 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. In 2015, she starred as a series regular on the first season of AMC's pre-apocalyptic drama series Fear the Walking Dead. She played Gabriela Lopez in the 2017 film Logan.

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.

Career

1990s

While still studying, Rodriguez began appearing on-screen in small parts in films like Fresh 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, and co-starred as Gina Calabrese in Michael Mann's Miami Vice. 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 2017, she appeared in Hugh Jackman's final Wolverine film Logan directed by James Mangold.

Filmography

Film

Television

Theater

TitleRoleNotes
Robbers by Lyle KesslerCleoAmerican Place Theatre
Directed by Marshall Mason
' by Stephen Adly GuirgisSaint MonicaJoseph Papp Public Theater / Martinson Hall
Directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman
Beauty of the Father by Nilo CruzMarinaNew York City Center – Stage II
Directed by Michael Greif
' by Bob GlaudiniIreneJoseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall
Directed by Peter DuBois
Unconditional by Brett C. LeonardJessicaJoseph Papp Public Theater / LuEsther Hall
Directed by Mark Wing-Davey
by Stephen Adly GuirgisVeronicaBroadway
Directed by Anna D. Shapiro
"Roger and Vanessa" by Brett C. LeonardVanessaActors' Gang Theatre, Los Angeles
Directed by Silas Weir Mitchell
"Den of Thieves" by Stephen Adly GuirgisBuchiBlack Dahlia Theater, Los Angeles
Directed by Matt Shakman
"Unorganized Crime" by Kenny D'AquilaRosieElephant Theater, Los Angeles
Directed by David Fofi
"The Power of Duff" by Stephen BelberSue RaspellGeffen Theatre, Los Angeles
Directed by Peter Dubois

Awards and nominations