Mariel Molino
Birth nameMariel Chantal Oberwager
Birth dateDecember 18, 1992 (age 33)
Birth placeSan Diego, California, U.S.[1]
OccupationActress
Years active2015–present
Websitemarielmolino.com

Mariel Molino (born December 18, 1992[1]) is an American actress. She has performed in both Spanish-language and English-language theatrical productions. She starred in Amazon's first original film for Mexico. She was cast in a main role as Agent Lala Dominguez in NCIS: Origins.

Biography

Molino has Mexican and Jewish heritage.[2] Her mother's family has Mexican and Spanish heritage. Her father's parents were Jewish Austrians who fled The Holocaust to Mexico because it had the most affordable travel visas.[3] Her parents moved from Mexico City to San Diego.[2] She has described herself as a "white Latina."[4] She was born in San Diego, California, as the youngest of four,[1][3] including two older brothers.[5] Molino was raised in Coronado, California.[6] Her earliest stage play appearance was at age 6.[2] An elementary school production of The Wizard of Oz in which she was cast as Crow Number 6, cemented her interest in acting.[3] At The Academy of Our Lady of Peace Molino appeared in school musicals such as Grease and Hairspray.[7][8] Her father, who supported her creativity, died when she was 15.[3] Among her early television experiences was earning an invitation to a birthday party aired on MTV's My Super Sweet 16, in which she did get some screen time at age 19.[3] Molino did some early modeling jobs.[7][8] She attended Loyola Marymount University.[9]

Born Mariel Chantal Oberwager, Molino changed her name to honor her Mexican heritage using the name of her family's bakery, El Molino.[7][8] Her mother's bakery is in Tijuana. Molino and her mother operated it during the COVID-19 pandemic to provide sustenance to its community.[2] In 2021, she split time between San Diego and Mexico City.[7][8] By the beginning of 2023, she was able to afford to move out of her mom's house.[10] As of 2024, she split time between Los Angeles and Mexico City.[11]

Molino has heterochromia iridum.[12]

Acting career

Molino had to overcome the catch-22 of needing an agent to get work and needing work to get an agent even though her parents both worked full-time limiting her transportation options for Hollywood auditions. The family even endured fraudulent scams in her pursuit.[3] She auditioned for many roles by travelling between San Diego and Los Angeles, eventually landing a spot as an extra on Glee (season 6, March 20, 2015 episode 12, entitled "2009").[10] She earned her first credits in Spanish language works, including appearances in Muy padres, El juego de las llaves, and La negociadora.[11] When she did her one-line role on Entre correr y vivir donned with a Marilyn Monroe–esque wig, she impressed the producer enough to earn a second (wigless) role on the same episode.[3] She has also appeared on Netflix’s Narcos: Mexico and Luis Miguel: The Series.[11] In November 2020,[13] she starred in the Amazon Prime Video's first original film for Mexico, Locas por el cambio.[7][8][14][15] She has appeared in the main cast of the 2022 ABC series Promised Land, her first American show,[10][6] and the 2023 Freeform series The Watchful Eye,[11] which was her first thriller genre role.[16] On March 15, it was announced that she was cast as female lead in the role of Agent Lala Dominguez in the original cast of the NCIS 2024 prequel spinoff NCIS: Origins.[17][11]

Notes

  1. ^ Anderson, Hayley (March 16, 2024). "NCIS Origins cast: Who is Mariel Molino? Who will she play?". Daily Express (Online). Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  2. ^ "Mariel Molino". ABC.com. Retrieved February 6, 2025.
  3. ^ Bergado, Gabe (March 1, 2023). "Mariel Molino Is Living Her Childhood Dream Meet the star of The Watchful Eye, a mystery series with a supernatural edge". The New Yorker. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  4. ^ Fuentes, Tamara (February 13, 2023). "'The Watchful Eye' Star Mariel Molino Is Finally Getting Her Flowers, and It's Been a Long Time Coming". Cosmopolitan. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  5. ^ Bentley, Rick (October 14, 2024). "Mariel Molino plays it tough with 'NCIS: Origins'". KGET. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  6. ^ Lopez, Diane (January 28, 2022). "San Diego Latina actress starring in new Latino series 'Promised Land' on ABC". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  7. ^ Garin, Nina (January 31, 2021). "Coronado's Mariel Molino stars in Amazon's first original film in Spanish". San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  8. ^ Garin, Nina (January 28, 2021). "Mariel Molino, de Coronado, protagoniza la primera pelicula original de Amazon en espanol" (in Spanish). San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  9. ^ Kenyon, Sandy (January 30, 2023). "Freeform's 'The Watchful Eye' is a thriller full of twists and turns". KGO-TV. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  10. ^ Dodson, Claire (January 31, 2023). "How The Watchful Eye Star Mariel Molino Went From Glee Extra to Star of Her Own Series". Teen Vogue. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  11. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (March 15, 2024). "'NCIS: Origins' Sets Mariel Molino To Join Austin Stowell In CBS Prequel Series". Deadline.com. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  12. ^ Varley, Steve (January 31, 2023). "Mariel Molino on having two different colored eyes.". YouTube. Retrieved February 15, 2025.
  13. ^ Bautista, Berenice (November 26, 2020). "Sisniega y Molino intercambian vida en "Locas por el cambio"" (in Spanish). San Diego Union Tribune. Retrieved February 8, 2025.
  14. ^ Escobar, Froylan (November 27, 2020). "Juegan con las apariencias" (in Spanish). El Norte. p. 2. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  15. ^ "LISTA DE INFORMACIONES PRINCIPALES 11:30 AM" (in Spanish). Infobae. Associated Press. November 26, 2020. Retrieved February 14, 2025.
  16. ^ Beard, Rachel A. (March 28, 2023). "Artist Spotlight: Mariel Molino on Her Career, Influences, and the Changing Landscape of TV Streaming". Harvard Crimson. Retrieved February 7, 2025.
  17. ^ Otterson, Joel (March 15, 2024). "'NCIS' Prequel Series Casts Mariel Molino". Variety. Retrieved February 7, 2025.