Mauricio Merino, Jr.

Mauricio Merino Jr (born in Melbourne on 3 August 1991) is a Professional Actor and Model best known for his role as Simon Freedman on the soap opera Neighbours and his re-curring role as Freddy on FOX's 12 part series Conspiracy 365.

Personal life

Mauricio is a black belt in Karate, and also plays basketball and soccer. He is not only an actor, but also a model, singer and dancer who can play the guitar and piano

Merino speaks fluent Spanish, he is of Spanish and Salvadoran descent and was born to Salvadoran parents and he lives in Melbourne. Merino is close friends with ex co-star, Margot Robbie, who played his on screen older sister, Donna on Neighbours.

Career

Merino has been acting professionally since 2007. Merino began as an extra on the TV show Neighbours, but then later on gained featured roles on As the Bell Rings and as school bully Jake, in Jonathan M. Schiff's The Elephant Princess. Merino also had a lead role in a VEA educational film. In 2008 Merino also starred in his first feature film My Year Without Sex as the role of Tyson, which premiered in 2009. In late 2008 Merino scored a recurring role in Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hanks' mini series The Pacific. However, Neighbours remains as his first major debut on television as Simon Freedman.

In early 2010, Merino was cast as Daniel Watts in the Australian supernatural thriller feature film, Redback being shot in the Australian outbacks of Western Australia . Merino will next be seen in the multi million dollar TV series Conspiracy 365.

Merino is currently studying the Professional (Full Time) Acting for Television Program at Film & Television Studio International- the same program that launched Conspiracy 365 star Taylor Glockner.

Merino has been said to be, one to keep an eye on, a rising star in an issue of TV Week in 2009.

Neighbours

Merino, won the role of 15 year old Simon after auditioning for a nation-wide competition, Dolly's Search for Neighbours Next Big Stars. Merino won the competition alongside Chelsea Jones form Perth two be cast in the popular long time running soap. It is the second time Neighbours hosts this competition, after the success of Sam Clark and Adelaide Kane previous winners. Merino signed a two-month contract on the show, then later was extended for another six weeks. Mauricio played a character 2 years younger than his real age.

Before winning his role on Neighbours, Mauricio was studying his Victorian Certificate of Education and left school and finished his year 12 studies on set whilst filming.

In Novembers 2008 issue of Dolly Magazine, Merino was featured on the front cover which Chelsea Jones which also contained a two-page spread on both actors, and later was featured in various articles in TV Week.

In February's 2009 Dolly Magazine Mauricio was voted as one of the 42 to-die-for dudes, which ranged from movie stars, pop guys and TV hot rods. Having only been on television for a few months, his role clearly establishes him as one of Australia's newest popular faces.

Filmography

Sources and external links

• Mauricio Merino, Jr. at the Internet Movie Database
• http://perfectblend.net/features/interview-merino.htm
• The Official Neighbours Website (Australia)
• Mauricio Merino Jr profile on The Perfect Blend, a Neighbours fansite
• Star Newspaper interview with Mauricio Merino Jr
• Official Redback site