Daniella Pineda facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Daniella Pineda
Pineda in 2022
Born	(1987-02-20) February 20, 1987 (age 38) Oakland, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Mills College
Occupation	Actress, comedian, writer
Years active	2010–present
Known for	The Originals Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom Cowboy Bebop

Daniella Pineda (born February 20, 1987) is an American actress, comedian, and writer. She is famous for her roles in popular movies and TV shows. You might know her as the dinosaur vet Zia Rodriguez in Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom or as the bounty hunter Faye Valentine in the Netflix show Cowboy Bebop.

Pineda started her career by making funny videos online. Her first big TV role was as the witch Sophie Deveraux in the series The Originals. As a Mexican American actress, she speaks up about the challenges actors with Mexican heritage face in Hollywood.

Early Life and Education

Daniella Pineda was born in Oakland, California. She is a third-generation Mexican American, which means her great-grandparents were the first in her family to live in the United States.

She went to Mills College and studied sociology and radio journalism. After graduating, she earned a special training position, called a fellowship, at the radio station KALW. There, she worked on stories about important topics like racism and poverty.

Acting Career

Pineda in 2016

Pineda's career began with small parts, but she first got noticed online. She made several funny videos for the website CollegeHumor and also created fashion videos for YouTube. Her first movie was a 2011 comedy-drama called Newlyweds.

Breakthrough on Television

In 2013, Pineda got a major role in the TV show The Vampire Diaries. She appeared in a special episode that was used to introduce a new spin-off show, The Originals. This type of episode is called a backdoor pilot.

Her character, a witch named Sophie Deveraux, became a main character in The Originals. Pineda was part of the show for its first season. Later, in 2015, she starred in the NBC show American Odyssey, about a team of American soldiers who uncover a major secret.

Major Movie Roles

Pineda's first role in a big-budget movie came in 2018 with Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom. She played Zia Rodriguez, a paleo-veterinarian, which is a doctor for dinosaurs. Her character joins a mission to save dinosaurs from a volcano. Pineda said the dinosaur models on set were so realistic they even had pulsing veins.

She returned as Zia in the 2022 movie Jurassic World Dominion. She appeared in the beginning of the film. A travel problem caused by the COVID-19 pandemic kept her from being in another scene.

Recent Work

In 2019, Pineda starred in the Netflix thriller series What/If. That same year, she was cast as Faye Valentine in the live-action version of the famous anime Cowboy Bebop. The show was released on Netflix in 2021. Pineda described her character Faye as smart and fun.

In 2023, she appeared in the action movie Plane with actor Gerard Butler.

Personal Life and Activism

Pineda was raised by her aunt and uncle from the age of 16.

She is a strong voice for Mexican American actors in the film industry. She has spoken about how it can be hard for them to get good roles. Pineda has also shared that some casting directors have told her she doesn't look "Mexican enough," even though she is proud of her heritage.

In January 2025, a wildfire called the Eaton Fire destroyed her home in Altadena, California. She was only able to save her dog and a laptop.

Filmography

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Daniella Pineda para niños