Who plays Magdalena, the teenager at the center of the film Quinceañera?

Emily Rios plays Magdalena, the teenager at the center of Quinceañera.

Magdalena is a Los Angeles teenager preparing for her fifteenth-birthday celebration when she discovers that she is pregnant. Her situation creates conflict with relatives and changes how the family understands the planned event. Through Magdalena, the film considers religious expectations, teenage responsibility, family loyalty, and the pressures affecting a changing neighborhood.

Emily Rios is an American actress of Mexican descent. Her performance in Quinceañera helped establish her as a significant young performer in independent film. She later became widely recognized for television roles, including Andrea Cantillo in Breaking Bad and Adriana Mendez in The Bridge.

Quinceañera was written and directed by Richard Glatzer and Wash Westmoreland. It premiered at the 2006 Sundance Film Festival, where it won both the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the Dramatic Audience Award. The film’s title refers to the celebration, but the story focuses on how Magdalena’s family responds when a carefully planned milestone no longer follows expectations.