Christopher Rivas
Christopher Rivas is an American actor, storyteller, author, podcaster, and playwright of Dominican and Colombian heritage, recognized for his work examining cultural identity and personal narrative through performance and media.[1][2] Born in Queens, New York, to immigrant parents, Rivas began acting in the fifth grade and made his professional theater debut at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street in Manhattan.[3][4] He studied acting at the California Institute of the Arts before gaining screen credits, including a recurring role in the Fox television series Call Me Kat.[5][6] Rivas has authored the book Brown Enough, hosted podcasts such as Brown Enough and Rubirosa, and earned acclaim as an international storyteller, including a win at The Moth competition; he also holds a Rothschild Social Impact Fellowship and pursues a Ph.D. focusing on related themes.[7][8][2]Early Life and Background
Family Origins and Childhood
Christopher Rivas was born to immigrant parents, with his father originating from the Dominican Republic and his mother from Colombia.[9] He was raised in Queens, New York City, in a household shaped by his Dominican-Colombian heritage.[10][11] Details on Rivas's early childhood remain limited in public records, but his upbringing in a multicultural immigrant family in urban New York influenced his later explorations of identity as a brown-skinned Dominican-American.[11] No specific dates or additional family members, such as siblings, are documented in verified biographical sources.[10]Initial Interests in Performing Arts
Christopher Rivas first engaged with acting during elementary school, beginning performances in the fifth grade while growing up in New York City.[3] This early involvement marked the onset of his sustained interest in the performing arts, reflecting a childhood inclination toward stage expression amid his Queens upbringing.[4] His initial professional exposure came with a debut at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street, a notable venue in Manhattan's theater district, where he performed as part of youth or early productions.[3] [12] This milestone, achieved in his pre-teen years, demonstrated precocious commitment, as Rivas pursued acting consistently from that point onward.[5] Rivas's formative interests extended beyond school plays, influenced by immersion in cinematic archetypes like James Bond, over which he obsessed during early childhood; this fascination with charismatic, globe-trotting figures likely fueled his draw to performative storytelling and character embodiment.[4] By high school, he enrolled in a performing arts program, solidifying acting as a core pursuit amid his Dominican-Colombian heritage and urban environment.[9] These experiences laid the groundwork for his later formal training, emphasizing narrative-driven performance over casual hobbyism.[10]Education
Formal Training and Academic Pursuits
Rivas pursued formal training in acting at the California Institute of the Arts (CalArts), earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in performing arts with a focus on acting in 2011.[13][14] This program, housed within CalArts' School of Theater, emphasized practical performance skills and artistic development, aligning with his early interests in theater and storytelling.[15] Following his undergraduate studies, Rivas advanced his academic pursuits through doctoral-level research at The European Graduate School in Switzerland, where he became a candidate for a Ph.D. in Expressive Arts for Global Health and Peace Building, beginning in 2016.[7] The program's interdisciplinary approach integrates arts-based methodologies with social impact, reflecting Rivas's interest in using expressive practices for broader societal applications such as health and conflict resolution.[16] As of 2024, he remains in candidacy status, without evidence of degree completion.[7] Prior to higher education, Rivas attended a performing arts high school in New York City, where he began developing his skills through early theatrical performances, including a debut at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street.[9][10] This foundational exposure supplemented his later professional training at CalArts.Career Beginnings
Entry into Acting and Theater
Rivas began pursuing acting in elementary school, participating in stage performances as early as first grade.[17] By fifth grade, he had developed a sustained interest in the craft, leading to his stage debut at the Duke Theater on 42nd Street in New York City.[3] To advance his skills, he auditioned successfully into Talent Unlimited High School, a performing arts institution in Manhattan, where he starred in productions including The Crucible, The Exonerated, and Anna in the Tropics.[17][9] Following high school graduation around 2005, Rivas briefly paused acting pursuits, relocating to Miami at age 18 to work as a personal trainer after an unsuccessful audition for Juilliard.[17] He later recommitted to the field, transitioning into professional theater circuits by building experience through independent stage work and short films after completing his acting training.[18] This foundational period marked his shift from educational and amateur performances to seeking paid opportunities in New York and Los Angeles theater scenes.[4]Early Professional Roles
Rivas's entry into professional acting occurred after completing his studies at the California Institute of the Arts, where he majored in acting. His earliest credited role was as Mookie in the 2011 episode "And the Rich People Problems" of the CBS sitcom 2 Broke Girls, marking his television debut.[19] In 2017, he appeared as an X-Ray Technician in the Netflix series GLOW, contributing to the show's portrayal of 1980s women's wrestling. This guest role followed a period of building experience in smaller productions. Rivas also starred as himself in the 2018 short film Calm Your Curls, a project that highlighted personal themes amid his emerging screen work. These initial television and short-form appearances established his presence in ensemble casts, paving the way for more prominent recurring roles.Acting Career
Theater Productions
Rivas began his professional theater career with roles in ensemble productions, including portraying a character in Seven Spots on the Sun at Boston Court Performing Arts Center in Pasadena, California, from September 25 to November 1, 2015.[20] He followed with appearances in Pang!, performing at venues such as Studio 501 at UCLA Little Theater in Los Angeles, Legion Arts in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and Miami Light Project's Light Box Theatre in Florida, across 2017 and 2018.[20] In 2021, Rivas wrote and solo-performed The Real James Bond… Was Dominican, a play exploring identity through the life of Porfirio Rubirosa, streamed from The Ron & Donna Fielding Nextstage at Geva Theatre Center in Rochester, New York, from May 14 to 29.[20] The production, developed with DNAWORKS and directed by Daniel Banks, has since toured, including runs at City Theatre Company in Pittsburgh from January 18 to February 16, 2025, and Chautauqua Theater Company opening July 2, 2025.[21][22] Rivas took on the role of Cyrano in an adaptation of Cyrano de Bergerac at Kansas City Repertory Theatre's Spencer Theatre from September 5 to 24, 2023.[20] He co-wrote and co-starred in Rough Magic, a two-hander examining romantic dynamics, with Annie Gonzalez at ArtsEmerson's Jackie Liebergott Black Box Theatre in Boston on July 12 and 13, 2024.[23] In November 2024, he appeared in the world premiere of Arms Around America at The Nimoy at UCLA in Los Angeles on November 15 and 16.[20] Rivas has also developed HOW TO GET FREE, an immersive three-part performance ritual addressing the human condition through contemporary parallels to ancient myths, presented as a work-in-progress in 2025.[24]Television and Film Appearances
Rivas began accumulating television credits in the mid-2010s, featuring predominantly in guest roles across procedural dramas and comedies. His early appearances include a role in Chicago P.D. (2014) and Mookie in the episode "And the Escape Room" of 2 Broke Girls (2015).[10] He continued with parts in SEAL Team (2017), Two Sentence Horror Stories (2017), 9-1-1 (2018), GLOW (2018) as an X-ray technician, NCIS: Los Angeles (2018), New Amsterdam (2018) as Ivan Velez, and For the People (2018).[10] Additional guest spots encompass Grey's Anatomy, Shameless, and Rizzoli & Isles.[25] His most prominent television role to date is as Oscar in the Fox sitcom Call Me Kat (2021).[10] In film, Rivas's work has centered on short films and independent projects. Notable credits include the messenger in Hollywood Girl: The Peg Entwistle Story (2017 short), a lead role in Calm Your Curls (2018 short), and more recent features such as Infinite Dreamers (2024) and Chimera (2024).[10] These roles reflect his involvement in smaller-scale productions alongside his television guest work.[10]| Year | Title | Role | Medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Chicago P.D. | Unspecified guest | TV Series |
| 2015 | 2 Broke Girls | Mookie | TV Series (Episode: "And the Escape Room") |
| 2017 | SEAL Team | Unspecified guest | TV Series |
| 2017 | Hollywood Girl: The Peg Entwistle Story | Messenger | Short Film |
| 2018 | GLOW | X-Ray Technician | TV Series |
| 2018 | 9-1-1 | Unspecified guest | TV Series |
| 2018 | New Amsterdam | Ivan Velez | TV Series |
| 2018 | Calm Your Curls | Christopher Rivas (lead) | Short Film |
| 2021 | Call Me Kat | Oscar | TV Series |
| 2024 | Infinite Dreamers | Unspecified | Feature Film |
| 2024 | Chimera | Unspecified | Feature Film |