Natalia Cordova-Buckley

While American audiences first got to know Natalia Cordova-Buckley as "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D." (ABC, 2013-), the actor had already long established herself as a highly respected artist in her native Mexico by the time she landed that role. Born in Mexico City in 1982, Cordova-Buckley's first love was ballet. She trained in the art from age four to age 16, at which point she became frustrated with her teachers' constant admonishments that the way she expressed emotion within her dances did not fit within the strict standards of classical ballet. Inspired by her grandfather, actor Pancho Cordova, Cordova-Buckley transitioned into acting and immediately found it to be a better fit for her style of creative expression. She would travel to the U.S. to attend college at the University of North Carolina, but Cordova-Buckley's first major role as an actor would be on the Mexican screen with a co-starring role on the series "Los simuladores" (Telefe, 2008-) in 2008. She soon followed it with other TV roles on shows like "Los Minondo" (Once TV, 2010-), before she began working regularly in feature films as well, notably calling upon her past as a dancer to star in the drama "Ventanas al mar" (2012). Cordova-Buckley made her English language debut in the sports drama "McFarland, USA" (2015) before she was cast as Rodriguez on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."