Emily Rios played Magdalena in the 2006 film Quinceañera.
Magdalena is a teenager in a Mexican American family in Los Angeles whose quinceañera plans change after she becomes pregnant. The role places Rios at the center of the film’s family drama and its exploration of cultural expectations.
Rios was born in Los Angeles and began acting professionally as a teenager. Her performance in Quinceañera helped establish her as a notable young performer in independent film. She later became widely recognized for television roles, including Andrea Cantillo in Breaking Bad.
Quinceañera was written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. It premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2006, where it won the U.S. Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. The film is fictional and should not be treated as a universal guide to quinceañera practices.