If you’re anything like me, then you love a good, soapy drama filled with rich people vying for even more power while trying to hold on to some deep secrets along the way, as the working class folks who work for them attempt to go for their own American Dream. Well, you’re now in luck, because the new ABC series, Promised Land, is hoping to deliver just that as it enters the 2022 TV schedule, with its juicy “epic, generation-spanning drama about two Latinx families vying for wealth and power in California's Sonoma Valley.”
And, if you’re already wondering where you’ve seen the many familiar faces in the Promised Land cast, we’re here to help! We have for you now a run down of the lead cast members and where you may have seen all of the stars of this brand new, sexy, backstabbing drama before. Let’s get to it!
John Ortiz (Joe Sandoval)
As patriarch of the already powerful Sandoval wine family, Joe, we have John Ortiz, who you’re sure to recognize from at least one of his 70 plus credits in film and television over the past 33 years. Ortiz has lent his talents to TV shows such as Netflix’s controversial one-season mystery thriller, Messiah, with Michelle Monaghan, HBO’s family comedy, Togetherness, with Melanie Lynskey and Mark Duplass, Rake, and The Job in recurring or leading roles over the years. You may have also seen Ortiz in series like New York Undercover, Touched by an Angel, Law & Order, CSI: Miami, and the critically adored dystopian drama, The Handmaid’s Tale.
Ortiz has also been in a number of films, with parts in both Fast & Furious and Fast & Furious 6 (as different characters), Silver Linings Playbook, Steve Jobs, Kong: Skull Island, Horse Girl, Bumblebee, Ad Astra, The Cloverfield Paradox, A Dog’s Purpose, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, and American Gangster.
Cecilia Suárez (Lettie Sandoval)
Tough matriarch Lettie Sandoval is played by Cecilia Suárez, who is likely known for her role as Paulina de la Mora on Netflix’s The House of Flowers and as Lito’s Manager on Sense8. She also recently appeared on the Netflix mini series, Someone Has to Die, and has also been seen in Amazon Prime’s 3 Caminos, Medium, For the People, and Boston Legal.
Suárez has been in movies such as Spanglish, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, The Air I Breathe, 2018’s Overboard, the Spanish language comedy, Perfect Strangers, and The House of Flowers: The Movie, which hit Netflix in June 2021.
Augusto Aguilera (Mateo Flores)
Lettie’s son from her first marriage, and Joe’s step-son, Mateo, is portrayed by Augusto Aguilera, who’s been in a number of shows and movies that will make him recognizable to Promised Land viewers. Aguilera played Kieran on the ABC Family series Chasing Life, and Jesus on Amazon Prime’s 2019 mini-series, Too Old to Die Young, from director Nicolas Winding Refn. He’s also been seen in one of HBO Max’s best original shows, Made for Love, the FX drug war drama Snowfall, Grey’s Anatomy, Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders, and Major Crimes. Aguilera also played Nettles in 2018’s The Predator.
Christina Ochoa (Veronica Sandoval)
As the newly appointed CEO of the family’s company, Veronica Sandoval, we have Christina Ochoa, who many will probably know from her role as one of the least ruthless characters on the TNT crime drama, Animal Kingdom, where she’s starred as Renn Randall since Season 1. Ochoa is also known for her work as Ashley Morales in ABC’s A Million Little Things, Grace d'Argento on Syfy’s Blood Drive, and led The CW military drama, Valor, as Nora Madani for one season, starting in 2017. She’s also guest starred on shows like I Hate My Teenage Daughter, Modern Family, and The Neighbors.
Mariel Molino (Carmen Sandoval)
As another member of the rich Sandoval clan, Carmen, we have Mariel Molino, who mostly worked on Spanish language TV shows since getting her first credit as a Cheerio on Glee in 2015. Molino played Kika on the Mexican telenovela, Muy Padres, for its one and only season from 2017-2018 (which was 98 episodes), and has also lent her talents to shows like Amazon Prime’s El Juego de las Llaves, the Mexican thriller, La Negociadora, Luis Miguel: The Series, El Candidado, and Narcos: Mexico, among others. Molino also appeared in the Amazon original film Locas por el Cambio, and the short, Lux Noctis.
Tonatiuh (Antonio Sandoval)
Recently returned prodigal Sandoval son, Antonio, is portrayed by Tonatiuh. The performer is probably best known for his role on the well-reviewed drama, Vida, where he recurred as Marcos throughout all three seasons of the Starz series. But, his voice might also be recognizable to those who enjoy animated fare, as he’s voiced Miguel on Nickelodeon’s The Loud House since 2018.
Tonatiuh has also appeared in the LGBTQ Instagram soap opera, Hidden Canyons, shows such as Stargate Origins, Jane the Virgin, and Chicago Med, and several shorts like Undertones, 2 Black Boys, The Dick Appointment, and Gayme On. The actor can also be seen in the movies Shoplifters of the World and Drunk Bus.
Andres Velez (Carlos Rincón)
Playing Carlos Rincón on Promised Land is Andres Velez. The actor has appeared in a number of projects since getting his start in the TNT drama, Southland, back in 2013. He was recently seen as DJ in Netflix’s bloodthirsty vampire movie, Night Teeth, but has also lent his talents to movies like Coast with Melissa Leo, and Coyote Lake with Riverdale’s Camila Mendes. Rincón has also been in short films such as Hellfire, Play Ball, and A Good Life, and will soon be seen in the movie, The Woods, with J.K. Simmons.
Katya Martín (Juana Sánchez)
As undocumented worker Juana Sánchez, we have Katya Martín, who was in the BBC One / PBS Masterpiece political thriller, Roadkill, with Hugh Laurie and Helen McCrory in 2020. Martín also appeared in TV shows like Oxygen’s My Crazy Love, These Three Girls, ID’s Momsters: When Moms Go Bad, and a Season 4 episode of Showtime’s hit drama, The Affair.
She’s been in independent movies such as The Wisdom Tooth, Trailer Park Princess, The Invisible Worm, My First Miracle with Sean Patrick Flannery, and the Lifetime Original Movie, Ten. Martín also wrote, produced, and starred in the 2015 short film, Vandal, among her several other credits, and also has five upcoming films or shorts already completed.
Rolando Chusan (Billy Rincón)
As Sandoval employee, Billy (who’s also Carlos’ brother), we have Rolando Chusan. The actor might be best known for his two-episode stint as Julian on Simon Kinberg’s Apple TV+ sci-fi drama, Invasion, in 2021. Chusan can be seen in a number of additional series, films, and shorts, such as last year’s independent horror film, CRAM, the Amazon Prime series, Modern Love, and shorts like Hinge, Some of Her Parts, and Eighteen.
Bellamy Young (Margaret Honeycroft)
Bellamy Young (who plays Joe Sandoval’s crafty and vengeful ex-wife, Margaret Honeycroft, and is the mother to Veronica, Carmen, and Antonio), should be easily recognizable to anyone who’s paid attention to television in the past decade or so. Young is likely best known for her role as Mellie Grant on ABC’s Scandal from 2012 through 2018. She also recently starred on Fox’s crime drama, Prodigal Son, as Jessica Whitly (and left a wonderful message for fans after it was cancelled).
Among the nearly 80 credits that Young has racked up since making her debut on an episode of the daytime soap, Another World, in 1995, viewers could have also seen her as Monica West on CSI: Miami, Ellen Darling on Dirty, Sexy, Money, Dr. Miller on ABC’s hit medical comedy Scrubs, or Beth Clemmons on Criminal Minds. She’s also been seen on shows like Dolly Parton's Heartstrings, Whiskey Cavalier, United States of Tara, Grey’s Anatomy, Castle, The Mentalist, Drop Dead Diva, Supernatural, and was a member of the new Fantasy Island cast, among her many other TV appearances. Young also appeared in the movie A Wrinkle in Time.
Miguel Angel Garcia (Junior Sandoval)
Last, but not least, we have Miguel Angel Garcia as the youngest of the Sandoval clan, Junior, who is the son of Joe and Lettie. Garcia made his screen debut in the 2017 short film, Milagro, and has gone on to appear in several other shorts, films, and TV series. He was most recently seen in Netflix’s 2021 adventure drama, Blue Miracle, with Dennis Quaid, and the short-lived Fox police drama, Deputy (with Stephen Dorff) in 2020.
The actor also starred in the comedy mini-series, Ensemble, along with the short films Cupcake, In Another Place, Midsummer, and I Want Candy. Garcia has four completed, upcoming projects, including the film Die Like a Man, with Cory Hardrict and his Promised Land co-star, Mariel Molino.
Well, there you have it! As you can see, the stars of Promised Land have already had quite intriguing careers with plenty of television shows and movies you’ve likely watched them in over many years. Hopefully, we’ll be able to see more of all of them in the coming months, and maybe even be able to see several of these fine actors in some of the upcoming 2022 movie releases along with their TV work.
Promised Land airs on ABC, Mondays at 10 p.m. EST.
