Netflix’s new sitcom Man on The Inside almost serves as a reunion between the show’s creator and several stars, who have already worked together on some major hit shows.
Streaming from November 21, the series follows a retired man who finds a new zest for life when he responds to an ad from a private investigator and becomes a mole in a covert operation.
The show is the brainchild of Mike Schur and features Ted Danson in the lead role. The duo previously worked together on the Netflix series The Good Place, reports the Mirror.
Stephanie Beatriz, known for her portrayal of Rosa Diaz on Brooklyn Nine Nine – another one of Schur’s creations, is also returning to collaborate with the showrunner.
But who exactly is Stephanie Beatriz? What other roles has she played, and what has she revealed about her personal life? Here’s everything you need to know.
Who is Stephanie Beatriz?
Born on February 10, 1981, in Argentina, Stephanie Beatriz Bischoff Alvizuri is the daughter of a Colombian father and Bolivian mother. The family relocated to the United States when she was just two years old, and she grew up in Webster, Texas, a small town not far from Houston.
Her passion for acting was ignited after participating in debate and speech classes, which led to opportunities in school plays.
Upon turning 18, Beatriz became a US citizen and attended an all-women university in Colombia, Missouri. After graduation, she moved to New York to chase her acting dreams but has been residing in Los Angeles since 2010.
Beatriz has openly labelled herself a ‘disordered eater,’ having discussed her struggles in writing for InStyle. She divulged: “I used disordered eating to try to keep myself small. I used my job as an actor under constant scrutiny as an excuse, a reason to hurt myself with food.”
Beatriz continued to detail her troubled relationship with food, explaining: “I often used food to self-medicate, if you will, with a cycle of bingeing and restricting. I used the size of my ass and flatness of my stomach as the answer to everything that was wrong with my life and why I couldn’t seem to feel really, truly happy.”
Stephanie Beatriz’s real voice
Fascination around Stephanie Beatriz’s real voice is unexpectedly common, considering her role as Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine features a deeper tone than her natural speech.
Audiences have expressed their astonishment upon hearing Beatriz’s true, marginally higher-pitched voice during interviews. Keen watchers also noted that Beatriz would revert to her authentic voice during episodes where her character went undercover.
Modulating her voice isn’t something new for Beatriz; she effortlessly transitioned into different vocal performances for voiceover work and singing roles.
Where else might you have spotted Stephanie Beatriz?
Beatriz landed more minor roles in the drama series Southland, and on Modern Family, she made a guest appearance as Gloria’s sister.
She truly shone when she secured the role of Detective Rosa Diaz in Brooklyn Nine-Nine, a hit show crafted by Mike Schur of The Office and Parks and Recreation fame. Schur is also credited with creating A Man on the Inside.
Throughout Brooklyn Nine-Nine’s lifespan from 2013 to 2021, Beatriz portrayed Diaz, leading her to snag parts in big screen musicals such as In the Heights and the animated success Encanto by Disney.
She hasn’t limited her talents to just live-action, having contributed her voice to animations like Bob’s Burgers, Bojack Horseman, Hit-Monkey, and even shining on stage in the West End production of 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Stephanie Beatriz’s sexuality
Beatriz confided about her bisexuality to friends during her college years but admitted she hid it early in her career for fear of jeopardising her professional opportunities.
Encouraged by Aubrey Plaza’s similar disclosure, Beatriz echoed the sentiment by sharing an article where Plaza discussed her attractions by saying “Yep.”
Opening up further about her sexuality, she confessed to People: “I thought, ‘Oh it may affect my career, it might have an effect on some of my relationships.”
“I think as a bisexual woman who is currently married to a man, what was important to me was that the world knew that I wanted to be open about who I was, saying to the world, ‘This is me, all of me. Take it or leave it, baby. And, ‘I’m here, sharing the same space as you. So what’s up.'”
Following her candid revelation, the creators of Brooklyn Nine Nine approached her with the concept of having her on-screen character’s journey parallel her own. In the show’s landmark 99th and 100th episodes, audiences saw Rosa come out as bisexual to her colleagues and family members.
Beatriz tied the knot with fellow actor Brad Hoss in 2018, and the couple welcomed their daughter in 2021.
A Man on the Inside is streaming on Netflix from November 21