Christian Serratos

Christian Serratos was born in Pasadena, California, and has been acting in series and films for years. Starting her career in Disney and Nickelodeon shows like “Hannah Montana,” “Zooey 101,” and “Ned’s Declassified School Survival Guide,” Serratos has slowly made a name for herself in an industry where Latinas don’t have the easiest time breaking through.

The actress has appeared in movies like the “Twilight Saga,” which are some of the most famous films of the 2000s, responsible for launching the careers of Hollywood stars like Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Anna Kendrick. Serratos was then cast, and remains a regular, in “The Walking Dead” series, the most famous Zombie franchise of all time and one of the most viewed shows all over the world. She plays the role of Rosita Espinoza, a character that started off in the background of the ensemble but quickly grew in importance and screentime. As of this date, she has appeared in 129 episodes since her Walking Dead debut in 2014.

© AMC

Last but certainly not least, Serratos starred in the Netflix series Selena: The Series, developed by Moises Zamora. Serratos portrays the lead role of Selena herself and the show tracks the beginnings of her career until her death at 23 years old. Being a long-time fan of Selena, Serratos created the necessary space in her life to continue to star in the time-consuming Walking Dead franchise and in the Netflix show, which has already aired two seasons. “I kind of made the decision that I was just going to terrorize everybody until I got the job,” she said in an interview with Good Housekeeping. “It took a long time. It was not easy, but eventually, I was given the role.”

© Netflix

Selena Quintanilla is an icon for Mexican-Americans of all sorts, a responsibility that Serratos takes seriously. Not only is the icon beloved by legions of people but the last time she was portrayed on screen, it was done by none other than Jennifer Lopez. The Selena movie launched Lopez’s acting and singing career, one that has endured for over three decades. Selena is a personality that Serratos identifies with deeply, someone that, as a Mexican-American herself, she’s protective of. The care she put into the role is easy to see all over the series, from the way Serratos dances to the way she speaks and holds herself like Selena.

Serratos is married to David Boyd, the singer from the band the New Politics. They have a four-year-old daughter together called Wolfgang.