1. Overview
Mauricio Ochmann is an American and Mexican actor, widely recognized for his extensive work in telenovelas, film, and theatre. Born in Washington, D.C., Ochmann's career spans over two decades, marked by significant roles in popular television series like Amarte así, Frijolito, Victorinos, El Clon, and particularly as José María "Chema" Venegas in El Señor de los Cielos and its spin-off El Chema. Beyond his screen presence, he has also garnered critical acclaim for his stage performances. His personal life has been characterized by public relationships, including marriages and divorces, and a candid journey through personal struggles with addiction and mental health, culminating in a notable path to recovery.
2. Early Life
Mauricio Ochmann's early life was shaped by his unique family circumstances and a move that bridged two cultures, leading him to pursue an acting career from a young age.
2.1. Birth and Childhood
Mauricio Ochmann was born on November 16, 1977, in Washington, D.C.. He never knew his biological parents and spent his early years with his adoptive mother, María, and her first husband, Guillermo. After his adoptive parents divorced, Ochmann and his mother relocated to Mexico. In Mexico, his mother began a relationship with German Thomas Ochmann, and Mauricio grew up alongside his step-brothers, Thomas, Christian, and Paulo.
2.2. Education
Years later, Ochmann moved to Los Angeles, where he pursued formal acting training. He enrolled at the Joanne Baron Studio in Santa Monica, honing his skills and preparing for a professional career in the entertainment industry.
3. Career
Mauricio Ochmann's career trajectory showcases his versatility across television, film, and theatre, evolving from early roles to critical success in major productions.
3.1. Early Career (1997-2005)
From a young age, Mauricio Ochmann demonstrated a strong interest in performance, actively participating in various local activities and theatrical productions. His first professional opportunity came at the age of 16, when he appeared on the television show La Otra Cosa, hosted by Héctor Suárez. After completing his studies in Los Angeles, he secured a minor role as a mail boy in the 1999 film Message in a Bottle, starring alongside prominent actors like Kevin Costner and Robin Wright.
Following these initial experiences, Ochmann returned to Mexico. There, actor and producer Humberto Zurita and his wife Cristian Bach offered him a starring role in his first telenovela, Azul Tequila, opposite Bárbara Mori. The series premiered in 1998. The subsequent year, Elisa Salinas cast him as a lead in the telenovela Háblame de amor alongside Danna García.
After establishing himself in television, Ochmann ventured into theatre. His debut stage performance was in Equus in 2000, a role that earned him significant recognition, including the "Actor Revelation in Theater" award from the National Association of Theater Critics. In 2000, he returned to Los Angeles to participate in the series That's Life, produced by Diane Ruggiero.
Upon concluding That's Life, Ochmann returned to Mexico and starred alongside Lorena Rojas in the 2001 telenovela Como en el cine for Televisión Azteca. Their pairing in the series received widespread praise, with many considering it to be of cinematic quality, a significant achievement for a telenovela. In 2003, he joined the cast of Mirada de mujer, el regreso, a sequel to Mirada de mujer.
His film career also progressed during this period. He appeared in Ladies' Night in 2003, and in 2004, he starred in 7 mujeres, 1 homosexual y Carlos alongside Adriana Fonseca, Rogelio Guerra, Luis Felipe Tovar, and Ninel Conde. This film was a commercial success, grossing over 300.00 K USD and remaining in the box office top three for three consecutive days. Also in 2004, Ochmann played Benjamin Braddock in the film The Graduate. In 2005, he starred in three films: Ver, oír y callar, alongside Luis Felipe Tovar and Paola Núñez; Tres, directed by Carlos Valdivia; and Corazon Marchita. That same year, he also took on the lead role of Ignacio in the telenovela Amarte así, Frijolito.
In 2006, Ochmann was slated to star in the telenovela The Marine but withdrew from the production due to health reasons. Media reports at the time suggested his withdrawal was linked to struggles with addiction, though Ochmann maintained silence on the specifics.
3.2. Critical Success and Major Roles (2006-Present)

Following his early career, Mauricio Ochmann achieved significant recognition through a series of impactful roles in telenovelas and films. Among his notable works are the telenovelas Dame chocolate and Marina, though he notably departed from Marina due to personal struggles with addiction. In 2007, he participated in Victoria, a remake of Señora Isabel and Mirada de mujer, where he shared credits with Géraldine Bazán and Andrea López.
Between 2010 and 2011, Ochmann starred in Victorinos, a remake of Cuando quiero llorar no lloro based on a book by Venezuelan author Miguel Otero Silva, and El sexo débil alongside Itatí Cantoral. In 2012, he starred in Rosa diamante with Carla Hernández. The following year, he joined the Telemundo series El Señor de los Cielos, initially appearing in the final episode of the first season before being promoted to a main protagonist in the second and third seasons. His portrayal of José María "Chema" Venegas in this series earned him multiple nominations at the annual Premios Tu Mundo awards, where he won the "Best Bad Boy" award in 2015.
After concluding his involvement in El Señor de los Cielos, Ochmann increasingly focused on film projects and participated in various publicity campaigns. In 2015, he premiered the film A la mala, his first project with Aislinn Derbez, whom he would later marry. In 2016, he appeared in the American series Easy. He then reprised his role as José María "Chema" Venegas in El Chema, a spin-off series from El Señor de los Cielos. This character significantly boosted his international recognition, garnering both positive and negative critiques, particularly due to the character's supposed basis on El Chapo. More recently, in 2021, Ochmann signed a first-look deal with Pantaya, a streaming service.
3.3. Stage Career
Mauricio Ochmann has maintained an active presence in theatre throughout his career, showcasing his versatility in various stage productions. His notable roles include:
- Equus (2000), where he played Alan.
- El Graduado (2004), the Mexican production of The Graduate, in which he portrayed Benjamin Braddock.
- Sueños de Juventud, playing the character Carlos.
- Profanación.
- Medicos a Palos, where he took on the role of Bartolome.
- La dama del alba.
- El juicio, in which he played a Judge.
- Veintidós, Veintidós.
4. Filmography
Mauricio Ochmann's filmography spans a wide range of productions across both film and television.
4.1. Film
| Year | Title | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Message in a Bottle | Mail Boy |
| 2003 | Ladies' Night | Desflorador |
| 2004 | 7 mujeres, 1 homosexual y Carlos | Carlos |
| 2005 | Corazon Marchita | |
| 2005 | Tres | |
| 2005 | Ver, oír y callar | |
| 2015 | A la mala | Santiago |
| 2017 | Hazlo como hombre | Raúl |
| 2018 | Te juro que yo no fui | Ludwig Pérez |
| 2022 | A Not So Merry Christmas | Jesús "Chuy" Padilla |
| ¡Qué despadre! | Pedro | |
| 2023 | Friends Till Death | Nacho |
| 2024 | Non Negotiable | Alan Bender |
4.2. Television
| Year | Title | Roles | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | La cosa | Mother's son | |
| 1998-1999 | Azul Tequila | Santiago Berriozábal | Main role; 64 episodes |
| 1999-2000 | Háblame de amor | Maximiliano | Main role; 124 episodes |
| 2000 | That's Life | Samuel | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2001-2002 | Como en el cine | Javier Borja / Joaquín "Joaco" Borja | Main role; 245 episodes |
| 2003 | Lo Que Callamos Las Mujeres | ||
| 2003-2004 | Mirada de mujer, el regreso | José Chacón | Recurring role |
| 2005 | Amarte así, Frijolito | Ignacio "Nacho" Reyes | Main role; 119 episodes |
| 2006 | Marina | Ricardo Alarcón Morales #1 | Main role; 168 episodes |
| 2007 | Decisiones | Federico | Episode: "Paraíso artificial" |
| 2007 | Dame chocolate | Fabián Duque | Recurring role |
| 2007-2008 | Victoria | Jerónimo Ernesto Acosta | Main role |
| 2009 | Victorinos | Victorino Mora | Main role; 152 episodes |
| 2010 | El clon | Lucas Ferrer / Diego Ferrer / Osvaldo Daniel | Main role; 182 episodes |
| 2011 | El sexo débil | Julián Camacho | Main role; 182 episodes |
| 2012-2013 | Rosa diamante | José Ignacio Altamirano | Main role; 129 episodes |
| 2012 | Capadocia | Iker | Episode: "La paz y la espada" |
| 2013-2015 | El Señor de los Cielos | José María "Chema" Venegas | Guest role (season 1); main role (seasons 2-3); 190 episodes |
| 2016 | Easy | Martin | Episode: "Controlada" |
| 2016-2017 | El Chema | José María "Chema" Venegas | Main role (season 1); 84 episodes |
| 2019 | De viaje con los Derbez | Himself | |
| 2020 | R | Francisco "Franco" Barrón | Main role; 10 episodes |
5. Personal Life
Mauricio Ochmann's personal life has been marked by significant relationships and a challenging journey through addiction and recovery, which he has openly shared.
5.1. Family and Relationships
Ochmann has been married twice. His first marriage was to María José del Valle Prieto. They had a daughter named Lorenza in 2004 and subsequently divorced in 2008.
His second marriage was to actress Aislinn Derbez, daughter of actor Eugenio Derbez. They first met in 2014 while filming the movie A la mala and married in 2016. Their daughter, Kailani, was born in 2018. The couple divorced in June 2020. More recently, Ochmann has been romantically linked to model Paulina Burrola, with their relationship often shared on social media.
5.2. Personal Struggles and Recovery
Mauricio Ochmann has candidly spoken about his struggles with addiction and mental health. He disclosed that he began consuming alcohol during childhood, and his use intensified with age. This period of his life was particularly challenging, leading him to consider suicide in 2006. His personal difficulties also impacted his professional life, notably leading to his withdrawal from the telenovela Marina due to addiction problems. Ochmann's journey has since focused on recovery and personal growth, highlighting his resilience in overcoming adversity.