In the 2006 film Quinceañera, Emily Rios plays Magdalena, the teenage birthday celebrant.
Magdalena is a Mexican American teenager living in Los Angeles whose planned quinceañera becomes complicated after she becomes pregnant. The film follows her relationship with her cousin Carlos and her great-granduncle Tomás, while exploring family, faith, sexuality, and community.
Emily Rios was born in Los Angeles in 1989 and began acting as a child. Her performance in Quinceañera helped establish her as a notable young screen actor. She later became widely recognized for television roles, including Andrea Cantillo in Breaking Bad and Adriana Mendez in The Bridge.
The film premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Audience Award. A common mix-up is confusing Rios with America Ferrera, another actor associated with Latino-focused American television and film.