Natalia Cordova-Buckley

Natalia Cordova-Buckley is a Mexican-American actress. She is best known for starring as Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez / Slingshot in the ABC superhero drama series Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013–2020).

Early life Cordova-Buckley was born in Mexico City and raised in Cancún. Her grandfather was Pancho Córdova, an actor in Mexican and American cinema, whom she never met.

At the age of 17, she moved to the U.S. after getting accepted to the drama department of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts, a high school program for seniors in fine arts. After graduating, she attended the theatre conservatory at the California Institute of the Arts. During the series' fourth season, she headlined a 6-episode miniseries, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot, which debuted online on December 13, 2016. The series was nominated for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.

In 2017, she guest starred as attorney Julia Ramos in the A&E horror drama series Bates Motel, where she worked opposite Vera Farmiga and Freddie Highmore. Also that year, she voiced the role of artist Frida Kahlo in the Disney-Pixar animated musical film Coco, which went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

In 2018, Cordova-Buckley portrayed Det. Gavras in the crime thriller film Destroyer, opposite Nicole Kidman.

Personal life Cordova-Buckley has been married to musician and actor Brian Buckley since 2011. Together, the couple reside in Los Angeles. They have two dogs.

One of her inspirations and role models was artist Frida Kahlo, whom she portrayed in Coco.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 2010 Sucedió en un día Natalia 2011 Lluvia de Luna Martha 2011 Ella y el candidato Andrea 2012 Ventanas al mar Ana 2014 Yerbamala Bárbara 2015 McFarland, USA Señora Valles 2015 Vámonos Del Short film 2016 Icebox Gabriela Fernandez Short film 2017 Welcome Back Carmen Short film 2017 Coco Frida Kahlo (voice) 2018 Destroyer Det. Gavras 2023The PortraitSofia

Television Year Title Role Notes 2008–2009 Los simuladores Natalia 6 episodes 2008 Terminales Rita 2 episodes 2010 Los minondo Isabel Main role; 10 episodes 2011 Bienes raíces Olga 4 episodes 2016–2020 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez Main role; 61 episodes 2016 Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Academy Herself Episode: "Commencement" Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Slingshot Elena "Yo-Yo" Rodriguez Lead role; 6 episodes 2017 Bates Motel Julia Ramos 2 episodes 2021 Mayans M.C. Laura 4 episodes 2021 Coyote Paloma Zamora 3 episodes 2022 Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty Lucía Season 12022-2023The Mosquito CoastIselaSeason 2, 10 episodes