Martin Martinez

Martin Mequelhin Martinez (born August 12, 2000) is an American model and actor. He is best known for his lead role in the major motion picture Saving Flora (2018) and as supporting cast in The Wedding Year (2019). He has also appeared in various television series such as Netflix’s Never Have I Ever (TV series), Hulu’s Runaways (TV series), and Showtime (TV network) Shameless (American TV series).
Martin Mequelhin Martinez was born on August 12, 2000 in Sacramento, California. Martinez did not have an easy childhood, living in and out of group homes and the foster care system. Martinez has kept other details of his family life private. He is reported to be of Filipino, Hispanic, German and Latin American ancestry.
Martinez was a member of a traveling choir group in high school, which sparked his interest in the entertainment industry. The group performed with Foreigner in 2014. 
He began his career at the age of 15, working as a model in print and runway. Martinez was later recruited by a manager through Instagram, and began auditioning for projects such as Spider-Man: Homecoming and Riverdale (2017 TV series). He eventually moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting full time.
He auditioned for various film and television roles under the name Martin Mequelhin. However, due to the fact that casting directors could not pronounce his name, he changed it to Lion and then eventually Martinez.
Martinez booked his first role on the ABC Network (United States) The Real O'Neals within the first year of his move to Los Angeles. In 2017, he was cast as Jaime on Shameless (American TV series), a troubled teen navigating his family's disapproval of his sexuality. Since then, Martinez has appeared in numerous TV shows such as Kevin (Probably) Saves the World, Station 19, Runaways (TV series) and Never Have I Ever (TV series).
Martinez at the premiere for Saving Flora with David Arquette and Massi Furlan in 2018
In 2018, he starred in the major motion picture Saving Flora alongside Jenna Ortega, Rhea Perlman and David Arquette, portraying a teenage boy helping a girl save her circus elephant from euthanasia. Martinez also appears in The Wedding Year, starring Sarah Hyland and Tyler James Williams.
Martinez was also the lead in the plays Jesse and Unearthed at the Blank Theatre Company’s 26th Annual Young Playright’s Festival in Los Angeles, California.
Martinez will guest star in the upcoming Apple TV+ series Pachinko (novel), a drama series based on Min Jin Lee’s bestselling novel of the same name. 
In 2023, Martinez starred in the critically acclaimed coming-of-age comedy series Primo on Amazon Freevee, where he plays the character Miguel. He is also advancing Filipino representation in Hollywood with his role in the upcoming film And One, a coming-of-age musical basketball drama featuring a predominantly Filipino cast and crew. In addition to these projects, Martinez is known for his portrayal of Cade Jensen in the NBC series Magnum P.I. (2021-2023), in the 2022 drama Pachinko as Angelo, and in The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon in 2023.
Martinez resides in Los Angeles, California with his puppy named Shiloh. He is the spokesperson for various charity organizations such as ON A MISSION, a non-profit organization enabling businesses and individuals to invest in carefully selected sustainable reforestation projects to offset their carbon emissions.
=== Television ===
Year 	Title 	Role 	Notes
2016 	The Real O'Neils 	Partygoer 	Episode "The Real Halloween" (Season 2, Episode 3)
2017 	The Fosters 	Boy #3 	Episode "The Long Haul" (Season 4, Episode 16)
2017 	Shameless 	Jamie 	2 episodes
2017 	Kevin (Probably) Saves the World 	Adam Hargrove 	Episode "Solo" (Season 1, Episode 11)
2018 	Light as a Feather 	Stanley 	Episode "...Mad as a Hatter" (Season 1, Episode 5)
2018 	Station 19 	Sean 	Episode "Lost and Found" (Season 2, Episode 4)
2019 	Runaways 	Bodhi 	2 episodes
2020 	Never Have I Ever 	Oliver Martinez	4 episodes
2021 	NCIS: Hawai'i 	Brad Pacheco 	TV Series, 1 episode
2022 	Pachinko 	Angelo 	TV Series, 1 episode
2023 	Primo 	Miguel 	TV Series, 8 episodes
2023 	The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon 	TJ 	TV Series, 1 episode
2021–2023	Magnum P.I. 	Cade Jensen 	TV Series, 12 episodes
2024 	Law & Order: Special Victims Unit	Javi Lopez 	TV Series, 1 episode
2024 	Criminal Minds 	Philip Leo 	TV Series, 1 episode
=== Film ===
Year	Title 	Role 	Notes
2018	Saving Flora 	Sebastian 	
2019	Tenderfoot 	James Carpenter 	
2019	The Wedding Year 	Kid 	
2020	Vera Os 	Kristian Castillo	Short
 	Big America 	Gabriel 	Post-Production
2024	Do You Want to Die in Indio?	Gabriel 	Feature film
Category:2000 births
Category:American male models
Category:American actors
Category:People from Sacramento, California