{"id":18817,"date":"2025-09-05T00:10:07","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T07:10:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hotnessrater.com\/articles\/?p=18817"},"modified":"2025-08-09T11:03:39","modified_gmt":"2025-08-09T18:03:39","slug":"the-last-of-us-star-isabela-merced-deserves-a-friday-feature","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hotnessrater.com\/articles\/2025\/09\/05\/the-last-of-us-star-isabela-merced-deserves-a-friday-feature\/","title":{"rendered":"The Last Of Us Star Isabela Merced Deserves A Friday Feature"},"content":{"rendered":"

Season 2 of The Last of Us is truly something.\u00a0 Okay, we’re a little disappointed that Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) died in episode 2 (but that’s expected), but this character, played by Isabela Merced<\/a>, made up for that.\u00a0 Especially the lesbian love-making she did with Lyanna Mormont, err Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey).<\/p>\n

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Oh, and she playing Dora the Explorer in 2019 is something, huh?\u00a0 Yup, now that she’s 23, she deserves a feature.\u00a0 And yes, it’s a Friday Feature<\/a>!<\/p>\n

Who is Isabela Merced<\/h2>\n

Isabela Merced is an American actress<\/a> who got her big break as the star of Nickelodeon\u2019s 100 Things to Do Before High School (2014\u20132016)\u2014basically a guide to middle school survival with a side of chaos.\u00a0 She then leveled up to the big screen with roles in Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Instant Family (2018), and Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018)\u2014because nothing says \u201ccareer range\u201d like jumping from family comedy to cartel drama.<\/p>\n

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In 2019, she put on her explorer hat and became the live-action Dora in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, proving she could survive both the jungle and awkward teen years.\u00a0 Fast forward to 2024, and she\u2019s still going strong with major roles in Turtles All the Way Down and Alien: Romulus\u2014so yes, she\u2019s doing both emotional depth and fighting extraterrestrials.<\/p>\n

And in 2025?\u00a0 She\u2019s starring in season two of HBO\u2019s The Last of Us. Zombies, drama, and heartbreak\u2014yep, she\u2019s officially made it.<\/p>\n

Her Early Life<\/h2>\n

Isabela Merced was born on July 10, 2001, in Cleveland, Ohio.\u00a0 Her mom is from Lima, Peru, and her dad hails from Louisiana\u2014so right from the start, she had a pretty unique blend of cultures.\u00a0 Spanish was actually her first language, and she\u2019s admitted that learning English in grade school wasn\u2019t exactly a walk in the park.<\/p>\n

Her acting journey began under pretty dramatic circumstances: her family\u2019s house in Cleveland burned down.\u00a0 To cheer her up, her parents encouraged her to audition for a local production of The Wizard of Oz, knowing she was a huge Judy Garland<\/a> fan. Isabela went for it and landed the glamorous role of…\u00a0 a Munchkin. Hey, everyone starts somewhere!<\/p>\n

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She later trained at the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory, run by Broadway producer Fred Sternfeld, who saw something special in her. He urged her mom to take her to New York for auditions.\u00a0 After a bit of hesitation, her mom gave in, and the family packed up and moved to NYC for a month so Isabela could chase her Broadway dreams. Turns out, it was the right move.<\/p>\n

Career Journey<\/h2>\n

Isabela’s first big break came when she starred as CJ Martin in Nickelodeon’s 100 Things to Do Before High School (2014\u20132016)\u2014basically a to-do list with more chaos and way fewer adult responsibilities.\u00a0 Around the same time, she also lent her voice to Kate in Dora and Friends: Into the City! (2014\u20132017), proving she could handle both live-action hijinks and animated adventures.<\/p>\n

In 2015, she played Lori Collins in the Nickelodeon movie Splitting Adam, and a year later, she suited up for jungle-themed excitement as Sadie in Legends of the Hidden Temple.\u00a0 Clearly, if Nickelodeon needed a star, Isabela was on speed dial.<\/p>\n

Oh\u2014and because acting and voice work weren\u2019t enough, she also dropped her debut album, Stopping Time in 2015, produced by Broadway Records.\u00a0 So yeah, she was juggling TV, movies, and music at that age while most of us were just trying to finish our homework.<\/p>\n

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In May 2016, Isabela landed a role in Transformers: The Last Knight, which hit theaters in June 2017\u2014because nothing says \u201cmade it\u201d like being part of a blockbuster robot apocalypse.\u00a0 That same year, she also voiced Heather in The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, bringing sass and heart to a squirrel-filled animated sequel released in August.<\/p>\n

Then, in October 2019, Isabela took to Instagram with some personal news: she was changing her stage name to Isabela Merced, as a tribute to her late grandmother.\u00a0 It was a meaningful moment\u2014and also the start of a new chapter.<\/p>\n

Shortly after, she dropped her first single, \u201cPapi,\u201d in 2019, followed by a music video that showed she could definitely hold her own in the pop world.\u00a0 In 2020, she released her debut EP, The Better Half of Me, through Republic Records, earning her a spot on Billboard\u2019s list of top 15 new Peruvian artists to check out. Actress, singer, robot-fighter\u2014Isabela really does it all.<\/p>\n

In 2024, Isabela took on two major roles: she starred in Turtles All the Way Down, the movie adaptation of John Green\u2019s 2017 novel (cue the tears), and battled aliens in Fede \u00c1lvarez\u2019s Alien: Romulus\u2014because emotional depth and outer space horror are just part of her range.<\/p>\n

Then came some seriously big news. In July 2023, she was cast as Hawkgirl (a.k.a. Kendra Saunders) in the upcoming Superman movie, set to hit theaters in 2025\u2014yep, she\u2019s officially joining the DC Universe.\u00a0 And in January 2024, she scored another major gig: playing Dina in season 2 of The Last of Us.\u00a0 From superheroes to survival horror, Isabela\u2019s schedule is basically booked solid with epic.<\/p>\n

Facts and Trivia<\/h2>\n

Isabela has openly described herself as someone who\u2019s \u201cbeen queer [her] whole life\u201d and shared that she\u2019s \u201cbeen in queer relationships.\u201d She credits singer Emily Estefan as a big source of inspiration, saying Emily\u2019s example encouraged her to live her own truth.\u00a0 Now, Isabela hopes to pay it forward and \u201cdo her part\u201d to represent and support the queer community in American pop culture\u2014one honest step (and bold role) at a time.<\/p>\n

\"Isabela<\/a><\/p>\n

Isabela grew up Catholic and has reflected on that experience as feeling like she had to stay \u201ccloseted\u201d to fit in\u2014describing it as adapting to her environment by suppressing parts of herself, including her queerness, to keep the peace.<\/p>\n

She\u2019s also been open about her health and mental well-being.\u00a0 Isabela has polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and has talked candidly about going to therapy and dealing with anxiety.\u00a0 She\u2019s not afraid to get real about the tough stuff\u2014and that honesty is part of what makes her so relatable.<\/p>\n

Her Body Measurements<\/h2>\n

Isabela stands 5 feet, 1 inch and she rocks a 36-27-35\u00a0figure.<\/p>\n

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Isabela Merced Photos<\/h2>\n

Join her over 4 million followers on Instagram<\/a> for her latest personal content.
\nAnd do visit our Isabela Merced page<\/a> for more of her stunning pictures.<\/p>\n

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