Introduction
Tonantzín Carmelo (born 1976) is an American award-winning film and television actress, voice actress, and musician known for her roles in Into the West (2005), Child of Grace (2014), Entertainment (2015), and The Chosen One (2019).
She is a member of the Los Angeles-based professional theater company Native Voices.
Early life
Tonantzín Carmelo was born in 1976 in Southern California. She is a descendant of the Tongva and Kumeyaay tribes of Southern California from her mother's side. Her father is a professional Latin musician.
She grew up in a North Orange County neighborhood within a diverse community, where she describes having Samoan, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, and Middle Eastern neighbors. In her early years, she performed in a Native American dance troupe led by her mother, Virginia Carmelo. Her family traveled throughout Indian county as Aztec dancers, performing during the annual Navajo Nation and Apache Tribal Fairs and the near eight-decade-long annual Standing Rock Indian Ceremonial at Wisconsin Dells.
Carmelo attended University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Environmental Analysis and Design, with a minor in Dance. While at the university, she studied ballet and modern dance and also appeared in various theater productions and independent films.
Following her interest in performing, she began taking acting lessons in college, making her leap from dancing to acting through a musical theater anti-smoking paid gig. Through the theater gig, she was able to move to Los Angeles.
Career
Theater
Carmelo's acclaimed stage roles include Anita in the play Exmagare, Christina Kahlo/Paula in Frida Kahlo, and multiple characters in Malinche. She also took the stage as Victoria Roubideaux in Eventide at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts and as Ms. Yellowtree in Carbon Black at Native Voices at the Autry.
Film/Television
After moving to Los Angeles, Carmelo made her screen debut in 2002 playing the character of "Anita" in James Gavin Bedford's King Rikki alongside Jon Seda and Mario Lopez. The following year, she was seen in Frank Nunez's drama 187 Shadow Lane and "Coyote" episode of the TV series Dragnet.
Her breakthrough role came in 2005 when she was cast for the role of the resilient Lakota woman named Thunder Heart Woman in TNT's Emmy-winning TV series Into The West. In the series executive-produced by Steven Spielberg, she was seen in three episodes: Wheel to the Stars, Manifest Destiny, and Dreams and Schemes. For her role, she won "Outstanding Actress Performance in a TV Movie/Special (Lead)" at the 2006 First Americans in the Arts Awards. In addition, she was nominated for "Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries" at the 2005 Online Film & Television Association awards, and "Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Television Movie or Miniseries" at the 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards.
Next, in 2007, she was seen in the lead character of "Shayla Stonefeather" in Chris Eyre's thriller Imprint opposite Carla-Rae and Michael Spears. For her work, she won the "Best Actress" award at the 2007 American Indian Film Festival and a nomination for the "Best Actress" award at the 2008 Hoboken International Film Festival.
Also in 2007, she was seen in an episode of CSI: Miami and in Matthew Leutwyler's Unearthed
2011 was a good year for her when she was cast in the role of "Caitlyn" in Korinna Sehringer's Shouting Secrets alongside Chaske Spencer, Tyler Christopher, and Q'orianka Kilcher. She won the "Best Actress" award at the 2011 American Indian Film Festival for her work. In 2015, Carmelo played the character of "Teresa" in Rick Alverson-directed drama Entertainment, starring John C. Reilly and Gregg Turkington.
In 2019, she was seen as "Dr. Lúcia Santiero" in six episodes of Netflix's Brazilian thriller drama series The Chosen One (original title: O Escolhido). The series is based on the Mexican series Niño Santo (directed by Pedro Peirano)
Most recently, in 2020, Carmelo appeared as "Alpana" in Michael Feifer's Western A Soldier's Revenge, starring Neal Bledsoe, and Rob Mayes.
She has also finished filming for Gabe Torres' horror/thriller The Windigo and Guy Malim's drama Mosquito. The films are currently in post-production with release dates yet to be announced.
Voice
In 2008, Carmelo lent her voice to "Kendra Daniels" character of Electronic Arts' survival horror video game Dead Space. Her character was placed third in the "Maxim's Hottest Video Game Babes of 2008" list; the first two being Naomi Hunter (Metal Gear Solid 4) and Anya Stroud (Gears of War 2).
In 2014, she was the voice behind "Roxanne" character of Ubisoft's video game The Crew.
In 2018, she gave her voice in Alexandre Espigares' adventure animation film White Fang.
Music
As a musician, Carmelo has recorded 3 CDs with Canyon Records.
Personal life
Carmelo is an Emerging Voice with the California Indian Storytellers Association and a mentor for the Native Voices Youth Playwright Project.
She resides in Los Angeles, California.
Partial filmography
- Undone (2019) TV - Tonantzin
- Teen Wolf (2016) TV – Skinwalker
- Z Nation (2015-2018) TV – Kuruk
- Shadowheart (2009) – Miakoda
- Unearthed (2007) – Nodin
- Imprint (2007) – Shayla Stonefeather
- Into the West (2005) – Thunder Heart Woman
- 187 Shadow Lane (2003) – Christina
- Dragnet (2003) TV – Erika Sanchez
- The Street King (2002) – Anita