Catalina Sandino walked the red carpet in London with quiet confidence. Her austere and composed demeanor reflects the foundation of a career that continues to thrive in Hollywood.

It was during that red carpet event, held a month ago, that Ballerina was launched — a spin-off of the John Wick saga. The Colombian actress, who rose to fame two decades ago with Maria Full of Grace, returns to the spotlight in a high-profile production, this time alongside Ana de Armas, Keanu Reeves, Ian McShane, and Anjelica Huston.

With a global release set for June 6, 2025, Ballerina further cements Sandino’s presence in a franchise known for its signature visual style: stylized violence, strict codes of honor, and deadly assassins trained from childhood. Her character, Lena, is part of a reclusive cult led by the character played by Gabriel Byrne. They live isolated in the Austrian mountains, raised to be constantly ready for combat. “They are taught from a young age to use weapons, to kill, to protect themselves. They're supposed to be prepared for any attack — but they weren’t prepared for the one coming: Ana de Armas,” the actress said in an interview with Marvel Latin News.

While her role is not the lead, it is critical. Lena holds key secrets connected to the mission of Eve Macarro, the revenge-seeking ballerina played by De Armas. The Ruska Roma organization, which trains assassins, expands the John Wick universe with a darker, deeper layer. Sandino’s performance — filmed in Prague between 2022 and 2024, with reshoots directed by franchise lead Chad Stahelski — adds to her portfolio as a versatile and globally relevant actress.

Her journey is far from conventional. Born in Bogotá on April 19, 1981, Catalina Sandino broke into the international scene in 2004 with a raw and poignant portrayal of María Álvarez, a young Colombian woman recruited as a drug mule. That performance earned her the Silver Bear for Best Actress in Berlin and a historic Academy Award nomination — the first ever for a Colombian actress. Since then, her career has spanned independent films, historical dramas, and international television.

Sandino has acted in both English and Spanish, in films such as Fast Food Nation, Love in the Time of Cholera — where she played Hildebranda Sánchez — and Che, directed by Steven Soderbergh, where she portrayed Aleida March, the revolutionary companion of Che Guevara. On television, she has appeared in The Affair, American Gothic, Falling Skies, The Bridge, and From, a sci-fi series filmed in Canada, which is about to begin a new season.

Although she hasn’t returned to the Oscar stage, Sandino has stayed consistently active in a fiercely competitive industry by selecting roles that challenge her and resonate across cultures. “I’ve had the opportunity to work with very well-known people. The best actors are the simplest ones. You don’t need anything to show your talent. Your talent speaks for itself,” she reflected.

In Ballerina, her presence also carries broader meaning: the growing affirmation of Latino talent in Hollywood. Sandino is clear about it. “We’re there because of Ana,” she said, referring to Ana de Armas, the film’s lead. “I admire her so much for everything she’s doing in this industry. She’s opening a huge path for all of us, dragging a lot of people along with her. I love being part of that wake.”

That “us” includes fellow Latino actor David Castañeda, also in the cast. For Sandino, the John Wick universe is not just expanding — it’s evolving, with Latino faces no longer cast as exceptions, but integrated into the center of the story.

Her career — marked by moments of international acclaim as well as quiet perseverance — has been built without flash, guided more by artistic coherence than fleeting fame. She lives in the United States, is married to cinematographer David Elwell — whom she met on the set of Maria Full of Grace — and they have a son together.

Now, twenty years after her breakout role, Catalina Sandino remains an actress who carefully chooses her projects. Her performance in Ballerina doesn’t just connect her to one of Hollywood’s most powerful franchises — it reminds us, with elegance, resolve, and fire, that Colombian talent continues to make its mark on the world’s screens.