Melonie Diaz Explained

Birth Date:1984 4, mf=yes
Birth Place:New York City, New York, U.S.
Alma Mater:Tisch School of the Arts
Credits:Mel Vera in Charmed
Occupation:Actress
Spouse:Octavio Genera (m. 2020)
Children:1
Yearsactive:2001 - present

Melonie Diaz (born April 25, 1984) is an American actress who has appeared in many independent films, including four shown at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.[1] She received Independent Spirit Awards nominations for performances in films A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) and Fruitvale Station (2013). From 2018 to 2022, she appeared as one of the main roles as Mel Vera on the remake television series Charmed on The CW.

Early life

Diaz was born in New York City, and was raised along with her elder sister on the Lower East Side ("Loisaida" or Alphabet City, Manhattan), by parents of Puerto Rican descent.[2] [3] She became interested in acting at the Henry Street Settlement and subsequently attended the Professional Performing Arts School in Manhattan. She completed a degree in Film Production at New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, and has made numerous off-Broadway and workshop appearances including Medea at Bullet Space, the Hip Hop Theater Festival at P.S. 122, and the New York City Fringe Festival.

Career

She started her film career with a supporting role in Tom DiCillo's Double Whammy (2001) and later landed roles in Jim McKay and Hannah Weyer's From an Objective Point of View and Peter Sollett's Raising Victor Vargas (both 2002). Television work at this time included an episode of Law & Order and a pilot for Queens Supreme (both 2003).

Her breakthrough roles came as Blanca in Catherine Hardwicke's Lords of Dogtown (2005) and as Laurie in Dito Montiel's A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints (2006) which earned her an Independent Spirit Awards nomination for Best Supporting Female. She was subsequently cast by Jamie Babbit in the lead role of Anna in Itty Bitty Titty Committee (2007) as well as a role in Hamlet 2, Be Kind Rewind, and also played Christina in American Son in 2008.

She appeared in the Mary J. Blige video "We Got Hood Love" which debuted on May 10, 2010.

In 2012, she starred in the indie romantic comedy, She Wants Me with Josh Gad and Kristen Ruhlin. In a hyped-up, Woody Allen, Annie Hall-type film, she plays a girl who gets caught in a love triangle between aspiring artists and a celebrity.

In 2013, she appeared in Fruitvale Station, a film based on the shooting of Oscar Grant. The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it earned the U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic and the Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic. The film had its international premiere at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it played in the French: [[Un Certain Regard]] section and won the French: Un Certain Regard Best First Film award. For her work in the movie she was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.

She has expressed a desire to return to Tisch in order to complete her degree in filmmaking, citing director Kathryn Bigelow as an inspiration.[4] In 2014 she appeared briefly on an episode of Girls as Susan, a friend of Jessa Johansson's. That same year she appeared in Ryan Piers Williams' film X/Y alongside America Ferrera as well as The Cobbler starring Adam Sandler.

In February 2018, Diaz was cast in the lead role of Mel Vera in The CW's fantasy drama series Charmed, a reboot of the 1998 series of the same name.[5] The reboot "centers on three sisters in a college town who discover they are witches".[6] [7]

Diaz co-starred in the dystopian thriller The First Purge, the prequel to 2013's The Purge and the fourth installment in The Purge franchise.[8] [9] [10] [11] The film was released July 4, 2018.[12] [13]

Personal life

Diaz is married to singer Octavio Genera, having eloped during the COVID-19 pandemic. She announced her pregnancy with their first child in March of 2021.[14]

Filmography

Films

YearFilmRoleNotes
2001Double WhammyMaribel Benitez
2002From an Objective Point of ViewKelly
2002Raising Victor VargasMelonie
2005Lords of DogtownBlanca
2006A Guide to Recognizing Your SaintsYoung LaurieNominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
2006EmilUnnamed Actress
2007Itty Bitty Titty CommitteeAnna
2007Remember the DazeBrianne
2007Feel the NoiseMimi
2008American SonCristina
2008I'll Come RunningVeronica
2008Assassination of a High School PresidentClara
2008Be Kind RewindAlma
2008Hamlet 2Ivonne
2008Nothing like the HolidaysMarissa
2012She Wants MeGwen
2012Supporting CharactersLiana
2012Save the DateIsabelle
2013Fruitvale StationSophinaNominated — Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
Nominated — Black Reel Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress
Nominated — Black Reel Award for Outstanding Breakthrough Performance, Female
2014X/YJen
2014The CobblerCarmen
2016Ghost TeamEllie
2016The Belko ExperimentDany Wilkins
2017And Then I GoMs. Meier
2018GringoMia
2018All About NinaGloria
2018The First PurgeJuani

Television

YearSeriesRoleNotes
2003Queens SupremeMr. Diaz's DaughterEpisode: "Pilot"
2003Law & OrderBettinaEpisode: "Ill-Conceived"
2010Nip/TuckRamona Perez3 episodes
2010Ivonne HernandezEpisode: "Manhunt"
2010Rizzoli & Isles MiaEpisode: "When the Gun Goes Bang, Bang, Bang"
2011Person of InterestPaula VasquezEpisode: "Number Crunch"
2012RoRo 6 episodes
2014GirlsSusanEpisode: "Dead Inside"
2016The BreaksDamitaMain role
2017Room 104MegEpisode: "Ralphie"
Nominated — Imagen Foundation Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television
2017ElementaryTanyaEpisode: "Hurt Me, Hurt You"
2018–2022CharmedMel VeraMain role
Nominated — Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Actress Fantasy/Sci-Fi[15]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Melonie Diaz: This year's Queen of Sundance . 2008-06-12. Keeps . David A. . 2008-01-25 . .
  2. http://www.papermag.com/?section=article&parid=3381 Melodie Diaz
  3. Web site: "Fruitvale Station" actress Melonie Diaz shares why film speaks to race relations today. Nina. Terrero. 16 July 2013. NBC Latino.
  4. Web site: Melonie Diaz . August 14, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140713180515/http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2013/08/melonie-diaz-fruitvale-hbo-girls . July 13, 2014 . . July 14, 2013 .
  5. Web site: Charmed Reboot: How Does The CW's Pilot Compare to the Original Series? . Swift . Andy . . March 25, 2018 . March 26, 2018 .
  6. Web site: Charmed: Melonie Diaz Cast as Lesbian Witch Mel in CW Reboot . Ausiello . Michael . . February 20, 2018 . February 21, 2018.
  7. Web site: Charmed: Melonie Diaz Cast As A Lead In The CW Reboot Pilot . Andreeva . Nellie . . February 20, 2018 . February 23, 2018 .
  8. News: WATCH: Trailer For The First Purge Shows Us A Deadly Origin Story . Awards Circuit . April 6, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  9. Web site: The First Purge Trailer & Poster Want to Make America Great . Carolyn . Burke . . April 6, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  10. News: CW's Charmed Reboot Pilot Casts Fruitvale Station Star Melonie Diaz . Joe . Otterson . . February 20, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  11. Web site: The First Purge Teaser Trailer Will Make America Great Again, Complete With Government-Sanctioned Murder — Watch . Kate . Erbland . . January 31, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  12. News: The First Purge Gets Official Poster and Release Date . Charlie . Ridgely . ComicBook.com . January 30, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  13. News: The First Purge Trailer and Release Date . Tony . Sokol . . April 6, 2018 . November 10, 2018 .
  14. News: Is 'Melonie Diaz Pregnant? The 'Charmed' Actress Eloped Mid-Pandemic . Anna . Garrison . . March 21, 2021 . May 31, 2021 .
  15. Web site: Teen Choice Awards: Shadowhunters, Riverdale, The Flash Lead Nominations. Matt Webb. Mitovich. 19 June 2019. TV Line.