Few Latinx narratives are as compelling as the complicated and emotional storylines woven in the 2018 Starz drama television series, "Vida [1]." Chronicling the life of two sisters who return to their childhood home of Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, following the death of their mother Vidalia, this show tackled issues of gender, spirituality, culture, queerness, mental illness, gentrification, and death. It's a lot to responsibly handle in just 26 half-hour episodes, but "Vida" does it beautifully and without ever sacrificing the complexity of its characters and their emotions in favor of easily solved storylines.

In the show, budding starlet Melissa Barrera [2] plays the bubbly younger sister Lyn to Mishel Prada [3]'s pragmatic older sister Emma [4]. At their mother's funeral, they discover Vidalia had been secretly married to another woman, a butch lesbian named Eddy. For Emma, who had been kicked out by Vidalia due to her own queerness, the news is equal parts enraging and overwhelming. This is only one of the many storylines in "Vida" that articulates the complexity of being both queer and Latinx [5]. Over the course of its three compelling seasons, "Vida" offers an intimate glimpse into the intersections of these identities and the subsequent conflict of their coexistence. For example, Vidalia owned a bar, which the two girls inherit, but the pair struggle to renovate the space into a queer haven without compounding the gentrification plaguing the neighborhood.

Often dismissed as being too white by local activists, the two sisters have a hard time reconciling their adult personas with the neighborhood they grew up in. From gay mariachis, butch bar owners, drag queens, and even a gender-nonconforming "queerceañera," "Vida" spotlit the individuals historically marginalized within our own communities, honoring both their struggles and triumphs against the very real, ever-looming backdrop of gentrification. The show was canceled by Starz in 2020, but its impact is long-lasting beyond the merits of raw storytelling and radiant representation. This show helped put titular actresses Melissa Barrera [6] and Mishel Prada on the map; to see where they and the rest of the cast of "Vida" is now, read ahead.

Melissa Barrera as Lyn Hernandez

Lyn — the ditsy, yet well-intended younger sister — reckoned with spirituality, mourning, and a realignment of values after realizing she's, in her own words, "la porqueria." Barrera's performance elegantly depicted Lyn's inner turmoil, propelling the young actress's Hollywood repertoire to new heights — literally. Since her time on "Vida," Barrera has worked as Vanessa in "In the Heights [7]" and starred in the fifth installment [8] of the Scream franchise, playing the leading role of Samantha. Her upcoming productions include the sixth Scream movie and "The Collaboration," a film about Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat. If you're itching to see her back on your screen sooner, Barrera's most recent works include the Tubi supernatural thriller "Bed Rest [9]" and the Netflix survival drama "Keep Breathing [10]." The young actress also worked on several telenovelas in Mexico, such as "Tanto Amor" and "Siempre Tuyo Acapulco."

Mishel Prada as Emma Hernandez

Despite her no-nonsense corporate attitude, Emma navigated deep waters of grief, anger, and unresolved personal conflict. Prada demonstrated her character's layered disposition and struggles with grace and honesty, portraying an older sister who felt genuine to viewers. Since starring in "Vida," Prada had to grapple with the passing of her own mother [11], a loss that deeply impacted her desire to act and the projects she joined. Her first production since her mother's passing in 2021 was a Christmas movie alongside executive producer Eva Longoria [12], titled "Let's Get Married," which she joined for its lighthearted script and the chance to support another Latina creative. Since then, she's also starred in the John Wick TV miniseries "The Continental," where she brought much of her upbringing and mother's influence to the role of KD. Her most recent movie role was in "Gigi and Nate," but you can also find her in the films "A Place in the Field" and "My Life Stopped at 15." Beyond this, she recently worked on a zine about abortion access and helped narrate a podcast with Project Brazen.

Ser Anzoategui as Eddy Martínez

In portraying Vidalia's long-term partner, Ser Anzoategui captured hearts with their gentle disposition to contrast Eddy's seemingly tough exterior. After working on "Vida," Anzoategui has had one-off appearances in a few different television series, including "With Love," "Pinecone and Pony," and "Little America." They've also worked in comedy, headlining locally in Los Angeles at the Tao Comedy Studio. Beyond this, you can catch them on their Instagram [13], spreading awareness for varying social and community issues, along with the occasional book or show recommendation.

Chelsea Rendon as Mari Sanchez

Chelsea Rendon played the role of Mari Sanchez, a headstrong community leader and a sort of antagonist to Lyn and Emma. In LA's rapidly gentrifying reality, no one could really fault Mari for wanting to protect her community how she knew best. Rendon does a great job of showing us all of Mari's ambitions, insecurities, and strengths as her character struggles to keep Boyle Heights looking Latinx. Since "Vida," Rendon has worked on the 2020 movie, "The Tax Collector," and the 2022 short film "Bodies Will Tumble and Roll." You can also hear her in the Netflix animated miniseries "Maya and the Three," where she lent her voice to the role of Acat. You can find her on her Instagram [14], where she frequently posts supporting other Latinx actors and productions.

Carlos Miranda as Johnny Sanchez

Johnny Sanchez is Lyn's dreamy high school sweetheart; the two start seeing each other when Lyn comes back to town, despite Johnny's marriage to another woman, who's pregnant with his child. Inevitably, the relationship quickly unravels. Still, Carlos Miranda is stealing hearts, given his most recent onscreen role as Theo Ruiz in the "Grey's Anatomy [15]" spinoff "Station 9." Besides this, he starred in "My Life Stopped at 15," alongside Mishel Prada, and in the 2021 film "Senior Moment." His latest production is the Audible original "Fade," which chronicles the story of a Mexican-born novelist working her first TV writing job.

Roberta Colindrez as Nico

Nico is introduced to the story in season 2, as Emma's new and much more serious love interest. A bartender who inevitably joins Emma in renovating her mother's bar, Nico is played by Roberta Colindrez. Since Colindrez's work in "Vida," she has gone on to work in a few TV series, including "Monsterland," "High Herstory," and most notably, "A League of Her Own," where she stars as the beloved Lupe García [16]. She also played Lola in the 2022 film "Unidentified Objects" and has lent her voice to the podcast series "The Bite."

Tonatiuh Elizarraraz as Marcos Zamora

Actor Tonatiuh Elizarraraz stars as Marcos Zamora, a queer, gender-nonconforming person and PhD holder who moves into Lyn and Emma's building in the show's second season. Through Marcos, we get the delightful "Queerceañera" episode, which is a powerful reclaiming of the traditional Quinceañera for queer Latinxs everywhere. After "Vida," Elizarraraz has starred in quite a few productions, including the short films "Gayme On" and "Dick Appointment." They also worked in the 2021 movie "Shoplifters of the World" and several TV series, including "Hot Spot," "Promised Land," "Hidden Canyons," "Angelyne," and the animated series "The Loud House." For their latest endeavor, the actor is set to star in a new Netflix thriller titled "Carry-On."

Adelina Anthony as Rocky

Adelina Anthony played the role of Rocky in "Vida," Eddy's close friend and fellow butch lesbian. Anthony, who is an accredited writer and director beyond their acting repertoire, went on to produce a 12-minute short film titled "The Daily War" after starring as Rocky in "Vida." Most recently, they also directed a 2022 short film, "Ro & Shirelle" which premiered at the San Francisco Transgender Film Festival. They continue to direct and guide multiple creative projects through their independent production company, AdeRise productions, which they cofounded alongside Marisa Becerra in 2012.

Ramses Jimenez as Tlaloc

Tlaloc is far from a fan-favorite character; in season one, he films Mari performing oral sex on him without her consent. The reveal is devastating to Mari, who admired Tlaloc for his activism in the community. This shows how men in positions of power within our communities can be complicit in contributing to major issues, such as misogyny and rape culture [17]. Since this role, Jimenez has moved on to star in the television series "Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt For the Bone Collector," the 2020 film "Critical Thinking," and most recently, a short film titled "Wingwalker." He's also contributed to several creative projects since, including working as the executive producer for the short film "Ocultos."

Elena Campbell Martinez as Doña Lupe

Doña Lupe is the local spiritual guide, offering emotional and religious support to the sisters and the community as needed. Elena Campbell Martinez who portrays the gentle yet firm Doña Lupe starred in the 2020 thriller "The Nanny Murders" after her work on "Vida." Since then, she's also had a few appearances in several television shows including, "S.W.A.T.," "9-1-1," "Rebel," "The Rookie," and "Reasonable Doubt."

Adrian Gonzalez as Rudy Marquez

Rudy, who gets introduced in season two, is Lyn's new love interest for the remainder of the show. His political pull becomes helpful in hurrying along the bar's renovation process and protecting the establishment from predatory investors. The actor for Rudy — Adrian Gonzalez — has gone on to star in various productions. These include the short films "Aspirational Slut" and "Wrong House," as well as the movies "Seven Days" and "5 South." He also appeared in a few episodes of Prime Video's "With Love," but his latest role was as Pablo in the HBO Max series "The Garcias [18]."