Diany Rodriguez

Rodriguez was born in Fajardo, Puerto Rico and grew up in Jacksonville, Alabama. She was a self-described army brat. Both her parents and other family members served in the military. Her interest in acting stemmed from going to The Soldier Show, a variety show put on in the army base. Despite expecting to graduate to become a JAG Officer she became interested in the arts in high school joining a choir and a band playing clarinet. She ended up studying art with a concentration in political science and Spanish, minoring in theatre at the University of Alabama. Soon after she moved to New York City to pursue a career in public services.^[1]

One of Rodriguez' first big film roles was playing Natalie in the romantic comedy film The Valet.^[2] Her first big role came playing Weecha Xiu in the crime series The Blacklist.^[3][4] Her biggest role so far has been playing Vera Strickland in the police drama series NCIS: Origins.^[5] She has also done theatre work, her best known performance being the lead Dolores Roach in Empanada Loca, playwrights Aaron Mark twist on Sweeney Todd.^[6]

Her idols are Cate Blanchett who she considers to be her generation's Meryl Streep, Zoe Saldaña for being a successful fellow Latina, and the activist Jameela Jamil for helping to get clean water to Sub Saharan countries.^[7]