Elizabeth Rodriguez is a Manhattan born and raised native New Yorker and a graduate of Lehman College in the Bronx. After graduation from Lehman, Rodriguez studied for two years under acclaimed acting teacher Maggie Flanigan at William Esper Studios in NYC. While still at the studio she began working professionally with appearances in the feature films
Fresh (1994),
Dead Presidents (1995) and
I Think I Do (1997), as well as in TV shows such as
Law & Order (1990), and recurring roles on both
Oz (1997) and
New York Undercover (1994).
Rodriguez has since appeared in numerous shows, including a recent recurring role as Aleida Diaz on the upcoming Netflix Original Series
Orange Is the New Black (2013). Other TV credits include roles as series regulars on both NBC's
Prime Suspect (2011), opposite
Maria Bello, and ABC's
All My Children (1970), in addition to recurring roles on
The Shield (2002) and
ER (1994). Other credits include
Six Feet Under (2001),
Flashforward (2009),
Cold Case (2003),
Just Shoot Me! (1997),
NYPD Blue (1993) and
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999). Her made-for-TV movies include
Inflammable (1995) and
P.O.W.E.R.: The Eddie Matos Story (1994). Some of her feature films include
Return to Paradise (1998),
Four Lane Highway (2005),
Acts of Worship (2001),
Blow (2001),
All Things Fall Apart (2011),
Pound of Flesh (2010),
Tonight at Noon,
A Line in the Sand (2008),
Jack Goes Boating (2010), directed by
Philip Seymour Hoffman, and
Michael Mann's
Miami Vice (2006), opposite
Colin Farrell and
Jamie Foxx. Other notable films include
Tio Papi (2013),
Glass Chin (2014) and
The Drop (2014), with
Tom Hardy and
James Gandolfini.
In addition to her work on screen, Rodriguez remains extremely active in the theater. She has starred in "Beauty of the Father" (Manhattan Theatre Club), "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (NY's Public Theater), "Roger and Vanessa" (Actors' Gang), "Den of Thieves" (Black Dahlia), "Robbers" (American Place Theater), "A View From 151st Street" (NY's Public Theater) and "Unconditional" (NY's Public Theater). Rodriguez is a
longtime member of NY's acclaimed Labyrinth Theater Company.