1. Early Life and Background
Roberta Colindrez's early life was marked by migration and a burgeoning interest in the performing arts, which laid the foundation for her career as an actress and writer.
1.1. Birthplace and Early Life
Colindrez was born on May 28, 1986, in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico. She possesses a rich multicultural background, with both Argentinian and Honduran heritage. At the age of five, Colindrez migrated from Mexico to Houston, Texas, in the United States. She resided in Houston for six years before moving to Austin, Texas, at the age of ten. Her passion for acting ignited at the age of twelve when she and her brother enrolled in a theatre class together.
1.2. Education
Colindrez attended Westwood High School before pursuing higher education at Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas. She graduated from the university with a bachelor's degree in acting, honing her skills and preparing for a professional career in the performing arts.
1.3. Early Career and Influences
Following her graduation, Colindrez relocated to New York City to pursue acting opportunities. During her initial period in the city, while actively seeking acting roles, she took on various jobs, including working in restaurants and briefly as a janitor in a church. Eventually, Colindrez joined the New York Neo-Futurists, an experimental theatre company known for its unique and fast-paced performances. Her involvement with the Neo-Futurists marked an important step in her early professional development.
2. Career
Roberta Colindrez has established a diverse and impactful career across various artistic mediums, including theatre, film, television, and writing, consistently delivering versatile performances and contributing significantly to character representation.
2.1. Acting Career
Colindrez's acting career spans stage, screen, and voice work, showcasing her range and ability to embody a variety of characters.
2.1.1. Theatre
- Water, NPR Playhouse
- The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill: Vol. 2
- Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind, off-Broadway, 2006
- Song for the Disappeared, Sundance Theatre Lab
- Fun Home, Joan, off-Broadway, Sep. 30, 2013 - Jan. 12, 2014
- Mala Hierba, Maritza, Second Stage Theatre, 2014
- Fun Home, Joan, Broadway, Apr. 19, 2015 - September, 2016
- Hamlet, Rosencrantz, off-Broadway, 2017
- Spreckles, Marfa Live Arts, 2022
2.1.2. Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | One Dollar Poem | Short | |
| 2011 | Otis Under Sky | Ursula | Also writer |
| 2013 | Beautiful Dreamer | Catherina | Short |
| 2013 | The Artist's Assistant | Justine | Short |
| 2014 | Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) | Broadway Woman on Street | |
| 2019 | Ms. White Light | Lex Cordova | |
| 2019 | Friends Like That | Alex | Short |
| 2022 | Unidentified Objects | Lola Nelson | |
| 2023 | Cassandro | Sabrina |
2.1.3. Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-2014 | Girls | Tako | 2 episodes |
| 2014 | F to 7th | Baby | Episode: "Down to Zero" |
| 2014 | Gotham | Female Detective | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2014 | Unforgettable | Pam Lisotta | Episode: "Throwing Shade" |
| 2014 | Boardwalk Empire | Episode: "Golden Days for Boys and Girls" | |
| 2015 | Late Night with Seth Meyers | Self/Joan | Episode: "Ed Helms/Alison Bechdel/Fun Home/Brad Wilk" |
| 2016-2017 | I Love Dick | Devon | 8 episodes |
| 2018 | The Good Fight | FBI Agent Grace | Episode: "Day 492" |
| 2018 | Home | Roberta Colindrez | Episode: "Home on the Range" |
| 2018-2019 | The Deuce | Irene | 12 episodes |
| 2018-2020 | Vida | Nico | 14 episodes |
| 2019 | Mr. Robot | Happyhardonhenry806 | Episode: "404 Not Found" |
| 2020 | Interrogation | Detective Boyd | Episode: "Det. Dave Russell vs Chris Keller 1983" |
| 2020 | Mrs. America | Jules | Episode: "Phyllis & Fred & Brenda & Marc" |
| 2020 | Monsterland | Shawn Greene | Episode: "Plainfield, Illinois" |
| 2021 | The Harper House | Tonya Acosta (voice) | 5 episodes |
| 2021 | High Herstory | The Storyteller/Ellen Ochoa | 2 episodes |
| 2022 | A League of Their Own | Lupe Garcia | 8 episodes |
| 2024 | Eric | Ronnie | Miniseries |
2.1.4. Voice Acting
- Alice Isn't Dead, 6 episodes, 2016-2017
- It Makes a Sound, Pam Orland, 1 episode, 2018
2.2. Writing Career
Beyond her acting endeavors, Roberta Colindrez is also a writer. She is known for writing for the stage, expressing a preference for narratives with "dark, heavy, comedic nuance." Her writing credits also extend to film, as she wrote the 2011 film Otis Under Sky, in which she also starred.
2.3. Portrayal of Identity
A significant aspect of Roberta Colindrez's career is her impactful contribution to media representation. She has consistently taken on roles that portray queer Latine characters, making a conscious effort to adapt these roles in ways that avoid perpetuating harmful stereotypes. Her work, particularly in series like Vida, has been celebrated for its authentic depiction of queer Latin American experiences. Colindrez's dedication to showcasing diverse identities on screen has made her a notable figure in promoting inclusivity within the entertainment industry.
3. Personal Life
Roberta Colindrez is openly queer and identifies as butch. Her personal identity is an important aspect of her public persona and often informs her professional choices, particularly in her advocacy for diverse representation. During the filming of I Love Dick, Colindrez developed a close friendship with co-star Bobbi Salvör Menuez. This friendship proved beneficial when they filmed a sex scene together, contributing to a more comfortable and authentic portrayal. As a memento of their bond, Menuez gave Colindrez a stick and poke tattoo.
4. Impact and Reception
Roberta Colindrez's work has been widely recognized for its artistic merit and its significant impact on the cultural landscape, particularly in advancing the representation of diverse communities.
4.1. Artistic Contributions and Influence
Colindrez has made positive and substantial contributions to media diversity through her thoughtful portrayal of characters, especially queer and Latine individuals. Her unique artistic style, characterized by a preference for "dark, heavy, comedic nuance" in her writing and a "masterful" and "queer cowboy masculinity" in her acting, has resonated with audiences and critics alike. By actively choosing roles that challenge stereotypes and highlight underrepresented experiences, she has played a crucial role in amplifying queer and Latine voices within the entertainment industry. Her performances, particularly in breakthrough roles, have influenced discussions around identity and representation on screen, contributing to a broader cultural shift towards more inclusive storytelling.
4.2. Criticism and Controversy
There is no publicly documented criticism or controversy surrounding Roberta Colindrez's work or career.
5. External Links
- [https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4295500/ Roberta Colindrez at IMDb]
- [https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-cast-staff/roberta-colindrez-125832 Roberta Colindrez at the Internet Broadway Database]
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20150302163342/http://www.playbillvault.com/Person/Detail/125832/Roberta-Colindrez Roberta Colindrez at Playbill Vault]