Daniella Alonso

American film and television actress

Daniella Alonso is an American actress and former fashion model. She has appeared in a number of horror films, including The Hills Have Eyes 2 and Wrong Turn 2: Dead End. Alonso was a regular cast member in the NBC post apocalyptic series Revolution from 2012 to 2013, and the medical drama The Night Shift in 2014. Alonso also appeared in the first season of the TNT crime drama Animal Kingdom in 2016, and in 2019 began starring as Cristal Flores in the third season of the prime time soap opera Dynasty, which aired on The CW.

Alonso was born in New York City and is of Puerto Rican, Peruvian, and Japanese heritage. She has stated that she "grew up in a pretty much all woman household in NYC", but added that her father, grandfather and uncles had "strong influences" in her life as well. Alonso has a brother. She has participated in karate, in which she holds a fourth level green belt. She loves animals and supports PETA, posing in a 2013 advertising campaign that asked consumers to wear synthetic leather. Discovered by the Ford Modeling Agency, Alonso began booking jobs for teen magazines like Seventeen, YM, and Teen, which led to her booking commercials for Clairol, CoverGirl, Clean & Clear, Kmart, Target, Footlocker, Volkswagen, and others. She has also done over thirty national commercials and at least twenty Spanish market advertisements.

In television, Alonso began her career with guest appearances on Law & Order and As the World Turns. She had her first break with a recurring role as Anna Taggaro in Season 2 of The WB drama series One Tree Hill (2004–05). She then began appearing in a number of horror movies, including Hood of Horror (2006), The Hills Have Eyes 2 (2007), Wrong Turn 2: Dead End (2007), and The Collector (2009). She has also had guest appearances in CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, Private Practice, Rizzoli & Isles, and Castle. In 2007, Alonso began a recurring role in the NBC drama series Friday Night Lights (2007–08) as Carlotta Alonso. In 2010, Alonso starred in the short lived ABC drama series My Generation. From 2012 to 2013, she starred in the NBC post apocalyptic series Revolution as Nora Clayton. Alonso later starred in the first season of another NBC series The Night Shift as Dr. Landry de la Cruz, which aired on the summer of 2014. In 2015, she had a recurring role in the BET drama series Being Mary Jane. In 2015, Alonso starred in two films: first was Re Kill a horror film; and the box office hit comedy Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2, opposite Kevin James. In 2016, Alonso starred in the first season of TNT crime drama Animal Kingdom. The following year, she went to star in the ABC drama pilot Las Reinas, but it not was picked up to series. Alonso later had recurring roles on Criminal Minds and The Resident. In 2019, she joined the cast of The CW prime time soap opera Dynasty replacing Ana Brenda Contreras in the role of Cristal Jennings.

On November 5, 2020, Alonso said on a podcast that she was pregnant with her first child. She gave birth to a girl, Inara, in 2021.

Year Title Role Notes 2001 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Angie Suarez Episode: "Jones" 2003 Law & Order Maddi Donlou Episode: "Mother's Day" 2004 As the World Turns Pilar Domingo Episode: "Episode #1.12239" 2004–2005 One Tree Hill Anna Taggaro Recurring cast: Season 2 2006 CSI: NY Jenny Rodriguez Episode: "Cool Hunter" 2007 CSI: Miami Alexis Dawson Episode: "Born to Kill" Saving Grace Lily Blackbird Episode: "Yeehaw, Geepaw" 2007–2008 Friday Night Lights Carlotta Alonso Recurring cast: Season 2 2008 Stargate: Atlantis Katana Labrea Episode: "The Lost Tribe" Without a Trace Dr. Erica Loza Episode: "Push Comes to Shove" 2009 Knight Rider Lynn Episode: "Exit Light, Enter Knight" CSI: Crime Scene Investigation Liz Martin/Rosa Gonzales Episode: "Deep Fried and Minty Fresh" Medium Elizabeth Torres Episode: "Baby Fever" 2010 My Generation Brenda Serrano Main cast 2011 Mad Love Nurse Episode: "Friends and Other Obstacles" In Plain Sight Sue Shears/Sue Stills Episode: "Provo Cation" 2012 Private Practice Reyna Reyes Episode: "True Colors" Rizzoli & Isles Riley Cooper Recurring cast: Season 3 Covert Affairs Suzanne Wilkins Recurring cast: Season 3 2012–2014 Revolution Nora Clayton Main cast: Season 1; Guest: Season 2 2014 The Night Shift Dr. Landry de la Cruz Main cast: Season 1 Castle Maria Sanchez Episode: "The Time of Our Lives" 2015 Major Crimes Lori Weber Episode: "FindKaylaWeber" Being Mary Jane Marisol Esparza Recurring cast: Season 3 2016 iZombie Alyssa Tramall Episode: "Fifty Shades of Grey Matter" Animal Kingdom Catherine Belen Main cast: Season 1 2017 Lethal Weapon Maria Navar Episode: "A Problem Like Maria" MacGyver Alejandra Rosa Episode: "Duct Tape + Jack" 2018 SEAL Team Leigh Wheeler Episode "Containment" The Magicians Pirate King Episode: "The Losses of Magic" Criminal Minds Lisa Douglas Guest: Season 13; Recurring cast: Season 14 2018–2019 The Resident Zoey Barlow Recurring cast: Season 2 2019–2022 Dynasty Cristal Carrington Main cast: Season 3–5