Eiza González Reyna (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈeisa ɣonˈsalez ˈreina];[2] born 30 January 1990) is a Mexican actress and singer. She gained popularity for her debut role as Dolores "Lola" Valente in the Mexican musical telenovela Lola...Érase una vez (2007–2008). González gained further success starring as Santanico Pandemonium in the American horror series From Dusk till Dawn: The Series (2014–2016). She is also known for her roles as Monica "Darling" Castello in the action crime film Baby Driver (2017) and as Nyssiana in the cyberpunk action film Alita: Battle Angel (2019).
Early life[]
Born in Caborca, Sonora, Mexico,[3] González is the only daughter of former Mexican model, Glenda Reyna. Her father, Carlos, died in a motorcycle accident when she was twelve; she has cited her father's death as a strong influence in her career.[4] She has one brother, Yulen, who is twelve years older than her. She attended two private bi-lingual schools, Edron Academy and the American School Foundation, both located in Mexico City.[5][6] She completed two years of a three-year course at Televisa's acting school, Centro de Educación Artística, before she was cast as the protagonist in the 2007 teen-oriented telenovela Lola...Érase una vez at 16.
Acting career[]
2007–2012: Career beginnings and breakout success in Latin America[]
From 2003 through 2004, González studied acting at the M & M Studio, an acting school in Mexico City run by famed actress, Patricia Reyes Spíndola.[5] At age 14, she was accepted into Televisa's famous acting school, Centro de Educación Artística in Mexico City. While attending school, she was first spotted by producer and director, Pedro Damian (best known for his success with Latin pop band, RBD). Two years later, Damian cast González in a remake of Argentina's famous children's telenovela, Floricienta. She portrayed "Lola", the lead female protagonist in Lola...Érase una vez. The show began filming in late 2006 and debuted in Mexico on February 26, 2007. It was later shown in various countries throughout Latin America and the US. To promote the show, González went on a national tour in Mexico to perform songs that she sang on the show. Lola...Érase una vez ran for two seasons before ending in early 2008. Following the completion of Lola...Érase una vez, González, accompanied by her mother, moved to New York City briefly to attend a three-month course of acting classes at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in the spring of 2008. She returned to Mexico City in early fall of that same year.[7]
In April 2009, González was cast in an episode of the popular crime drama television series Mujeres Asesinas as a supporting character for the second season. She starred alongside Mexican actress Susana Gonzálezin the episode Tere, Desconfiada, playing the teenage antagonist, "Gaby". González commented that she was informed about the casting call while she was preparing to release her first solo album Contracorriente.[8]
In early 2010, following the US release of González's debut album, Contracorriente, she announced to fans via Twitter that she had been cast as the lead protagonist in the musical "tween" telenovela Sueña conmigo.[9]González played dual roles of "Clara" and Clara's alter-ego "Roxy Pop". For the role, González traveled to Buenos Aires to film in April 2010. She lived in Buenos Aires for a year, travelling back to Mexico City on breaks during the production of Sueña conmigo. When filming ended in February 2011, Gonzalez returned to Mexico City. The show was produced by Televisa and Nickelodeon Latin America, and aired on July 20, 2010 in Argentina, Mexico, and other Latin American countries. Because of its success in Argentina, the cast performed several concerts in throughout Argentina from March to July 2011.[10]
In June and July 2011, González attended castings for Televisa's newest tween television series, Miss XV in Mexico City. She auditioned for one of two lead roles and was considered for the lead role. However, producers felt she was too old for the part and she lost the role.[11]
In early 2012, González filmed Casi 30, a comedy-drama directed by Alejandro Sugich. Filming was conducted in Sonora and Mexico City. González plays Cristina, an 18-year-old ballet student who falls in love with Emilio, the film's lead character.[12] The film marks González's acting debut in cinema. In 2013, the movie premiered at several film festivals in Mexico, but it premiered nationwide in Mexico on August 22, 2014.[13][14][15]
In May 2012, she was officially confirmed as one of the female protagonist, Nicole "Nikki" Brizz Balvanera, for Televisa's latest telenovela, Amores verdaderos. Amores verdaderos is a telenovela remake of the TV Azteca television series Amor en custodia, based on the Argentine telenovela of the same name. Filming began on July 23, 2012 and concluded in early May 2013. The show premiered on September 3, 2012 for Canal de las Estrellas in Mexico.
Originally, Mexican producer Pedro Torres offered González the lead role of Sofía López-Haro (Serena Van Der Woodsen in the original television show) in his television show, Gossip Girl: Acapulco, the Mexican remake of the hit American television series, Gossip Girl. González considered accepting the role, but declined, due to her rigorous filming schedule for Amores verdaderos.[16]
2013–present: transition to English-speaking roles[]
In late August 2013, González moved to Los Angeles, California to further pursue her acting career.[17][18] In September 2013, González was cast in director Adrian Cervantes' film, All Hail the Squash Blossom Queen. The film was slated to star Bonnie Wright of the Harry Potter film franchise, and González was expected to play "Brittany" in the movie. She was later dropped from the project when the role was recast in 2015.[19][20] In November 2013, she was announced as a cast member for producer Robert Rodriguez's television series, From Dusk till Dawn: The Series.[21] González plays Santanico Pandemonium, a role portrayed by Salma Hayekin the original film. The role is González's first English-speaking part, and she is also featured prominently on the print advertisements for the series. The show is produced by Rodriguez for his cable network El Rey. González relocated to Austin, Texas to film the program's first season. Following its U.S. debut, the show began available for streaming internationally on Netflix in the UK, Canada, and Latin America. On March 26, 2014, the series was renewed for a second season on El Rey.[22][23][24] On August 12, 2014, she hosted the "MTV Millennial Awards" at the Pepsi Center in Mexico City.[25][26] In March 2015, González and the cast of From Dusk till Dawn: The Series returned to Austin, Texas to begin filming for the show's second season.[27]
Personal life[]
As of late August 2013, González was living in Los Angeles.[17][18] She is fluent in English and Spanish, and she also speaks some Italian.[5] In 2014, she began dating her From Dusk till Dawn: The Series co-star, D.J. Cotrona, until June 2016. In September 2015, she revealed that she struggled with depression and compulsive overeating from age 15 to age 20 as a result of her father's death.[41][42]
Roles[]
