Biyografi
Born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico, and raised in Jacksonville, Alabama, Rodriguez grew up in a military family that regularly attended the Soldier Show, an annual song-and-dance production featuring members of the United States Army. Initially, she intended to follow her family's path by joining the military as a JAG officer and participating in the Soldier Show. In high school, she nurtured her passion for the arts by joining the choir and band, where she played the clarinet, and took part in the school musical during her senior year. When applying for college, she planned to join the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) but ultimately chose to study art with a focus on political science and Spanish, minoring in theatre to secure a scholarship. Rodriguez earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Alabama. After graduation, she returned to work at the Jacksonville McDonald's, where she had worked throughout high school, to save money for a move to New York City. While in New York, she prepared for a career in public service and planned to take the foreign service exam to become an ambassador representing a Spanish-speaking country. Unexpectedly, she auditioned for a national tour of "Dora the Explorer" and secured the role, touring for nearly two years. Following an injury during the tour, she returned home to Alabama to recover. Facing medical expenses, she accepted a union job in Atlanta and has worked there ever since. Her film credits include the multicultural comedy "The Valet," starring opposite Eugenio Derbez, Samara Weaving, and Max Greenfield, as well as roles in "The In Between" (Paramount+), "Night Teeth" (Netflix), "The Suicide Squad" (Warner Bros.), and her feature film debut in "Pitch Perfect 3" (Universal Pictures). On television, Rodriguez starred in the crime-drama series "The Blacklist" alongside James Spader, joining in the ninth season as Weecha Xiu, Raymond 'Red' Reddington's bodyguard. Her other TV roles include Amer Rose on "Twisted Metal," ADA Maria Delgado on NBC's "Law & Order: Organized Crime," appearances on CBS's "Bull" and "NCIS: New Orleans," BET's "Bigger" and "Long Slow Exhale," Amazon's "Tell Me Your Secrets," HBO's "The Outsider," USA Network's "The Purge," Showtime's "Ray Donovan," AMC's "Lodge 49," and IFC's "Stan Against Evil." Rodriguez is active in supporting local Atlanta causes and political organizations such as The Arc Georgia, Planned Parenthood of Georgia, B.L.A.C.T. ATL, Latinas in Media Atlanta, and Out of Hand Theater Atlanta. She is also a founding member of the social justice group Coalition for Racial Equity (CREAT), which aims to eliminate barriers preventing full and equitable inclusion of Black, Indigenous, and people of color in all aspects of theater-making, working to transform the Atlanta theater community to prioritize opportunities for historically underserved and underrepresented groups. In her free time, Rodriguez enjoys biking, watching television and films, and honing her craft. She also maintains a strong interest in law and public service, planning to pursue a career in that field as well.
