Actor Martín Rodríguez's captivating portrayal of Rivi Ayala, Griselda Blanco's enigmatic hitman, offers a mesmerizing glimpse into the complex world of loyalty and love in Netflix's acclaimed series "Griselda."
Griselda, a Netflix series starring Sofía Vergara, is a true story based on the real life events, and crimes, of Griselda Blanco’s life. Blanco, played by Vergara, is a Colombian drug lord who was prominent in the cocaine-based drug trade, and underworld of Miami, FL in the 1970’s-80’s. Blanco created one of the most profitable cartels in history, and became “The Godmother” of the underworld, with Rodríguez acting as Rivi, the enforcer.
This series introduces Argentinian actor, Martin Rodriguez, to its audience, as well as the film and television scene in Hollywood, CA. Rodriguez plays Rivi Ayala, the only person from Griselda Blanco’s circle who is still alive today. Rivi was a good friend of Griselda, who eventually became her hitman.
“My character was very close to Griselda. When Rivi meets Griselda Blanco, he is completely fascinated by her. He is willing to do anything for her. The character starts helping her until he becomes her right hand man,” said Rodriguez. “[In Griselda], we tell the facts as they happen, but we show that he was more than just a hit man. He had a complex personality and he was also part of a complex social situation in Miami.”
Rodriguez familiarized himself with his character by reading about him and watching Cocaine Cowboys, a documentary that discusses Griselda Blanco and Rivi Ayala. Ayala is believed to be responsible for roughly three dozen murders that took place during the Miami drug war. He is currently 31 years into a life sentence in prison. Rodriguez says it was important to think of Ayala as more than just a drug dealer, and murderer, when he began studying and creating the character.
“I thought about his childhood, and where he started. He has serious emotional wounds, and he is on a search to find a deeper meaning of life,” said Rodriguez. “He had an unconditional love for Griselda. There is nothing that can stop the dramatic evolution.”
According to Rodriguez, Griselda is more than a story about drugs, the Colombian Cartel, violence, and money. It’s a story about friendship, respect, and loyalty. Though Rivi Ayala is best known as a murderer, Rodríguez depicts him as a character who is cool, charming, mesmerizing, sexy, and appealing.
“Rivi had a great sense of loyalty. Loyalty is a fundamental value. Rivi does anything to help Griselda, despite the consequences, because of his unconditional love for her,” said Rodriguez. “His love for Griselda gives meaning to his life full of violence.”
Rodriguez moved to Buenos Aires to study acting, and began acting in theater at the age of 18. His first film role was the lead character in Enrique Buchichiou’s award-winning indie, Leo’s Room. Rodriguez acted in many films in South America, and is now ready to take on the acting scene in Hollywood as he continues to star in more roles.
As an Argentinian actor, Rodriguez has struggled with the English language in the past because his native language is Spanish. However, this role was much different and did not present as many adversities because Griselda was created by a majority Latin American team.
“The actors were mainly Columbian and the director is Columbian,” said Rodriguez. “I worked with an excellent team and group of extraordinary actors. The director allowed us to work creatively with him. We all discovered something new, and the director was open to discovering with us.”
Netflix Limited drama series Griselda was created by the team behind the Golden Globe, Emmy, and Critics Choice Award-nominated series Narcos. Griselda was released on January 25, 2024, and within one day of being released on Netflix, it was #1 on the top 10 list.
Creative Credits
- Written by
- Jessika Ward
- Photography
- Tamara Wassaf
