Marlene Forte is a Cuban actress and producer. She is perhaps best known for her role as Carmen Ramos on the television soap opera Dallas (2012–2014). Forte also had recurring roles in Fear the Walking Dead, The Fosters and Altered Carbon. Her notable film credits including A Haunted House (2013), El Chicano (2018), Knives Out (2019), and The Way Back (2020).

Career On television, Forte appeared in recurring roles on Tyler Perry's House of Payne, Crossing Jordan, and The Secret Life of the American Teenager. Her film appearances include the transporter chief in the 2009 Star Trek reboot and Mrs. Glass in Real Women Have Curves.

In 2012, Forte was cast on TNT's revamped Dallas, playing Carmen Ramos, longtime Ewing family housekeeper and mother to Elena (played by Jordana Brewster). She played another housekeeper in the 2013 comedy film, A Haunted House, and co-starred in the Tyler Perry's The Single Moms Club (2014). After Dallas, Forte had recurring role as Elena Gutierrez in the ABC Family drama series, The Fosters from 2015 to 2017.

In 2016, Forte played Celia Flores, the main antagonist during the first half of season 2 of the AMC horror drama series, Fear the Walking Dead. In 2018, she was cast as Alazne Ortega for the first season of the Netflix science fiction drama series, Altered Carbon. Her other television credits include Claws, Mayans M.C., Runaways, Superstore and The Conners. Forte also played supporting roles in the 2018 superhero film El Chicano as Raúl Castillo's character' mother, 2019 mystery crime comedy Knives Out as Ana de Armas' mother, and 2020 drama film The Way Back. In 2021, she appeared in the Netflix vampire film Night Teeth.

In 2022, Forte starred and produced horror thriller film Hypochondriac that premiered at the South by Southwest festival.

Personal life Forte married screenwriter Oliver Mayer in 2006. They live in Los Angeles, California. They have no children together, but Forte has daughter Giselle Rodriguez, who works as a producer, from a previous relationship. Forte is the sister of HSN host Lesley Ann Machado.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes19911997Lena's DreamsLenaAlso producer1998Mob QueenChicaBury the EvidenceThe Naked Woman2000Our SongPilar BrownBecca CampbellCuspMotherShort2001ReunionMargaret2002Real Women Have CurvesMrs. Glass2003What Really Happened During the Cuban Missile CrisisSocorroShort2004Darkness Minus TwelveMarta GutierrezShortAnyoneShortIndocumentadosMother2005Cuco Gomez-Gomez Is Dead!Cuban LadyShortShooting VegetariansAmber2006Cut OffLydia2007Adrift in ManhattanMarta Colon2008Glow Ropes: The Rise and Fall of a Bar Mitzvah EmceeMrs. Lopefrawitz2009Star TrekTransport Chief2011My Last Day Without YouLuzDeep Blue BreathNurse TalbotShort2013RosaPlushDr. OrtizUnidentifiedTimes Like TheseGladysShort2014Manny's Mother2015I Am GangsterTia2016IrvingVivianShort2018El ChicanoSusanna Hernandez2019Knives OutMrs. Cabrera2020The Way BackGale2021The GuiltyHouse on Fire Caller VoiceNight TeethAbuela2022A Place in the FieldRondiHypochondriacMomAlso associate producer9 BulletsGrandma LucyAristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the UniverseTia Ophelia2023You Can't Stay Here Angela2025Touch Me LauraTBABethesdaMartaPost-production

Television Year Title Role Notes1996New York UndercoverMrs. Flores"Blue Boy"1997Monica SmithTV filmLaw & OrderSandra Pena"Double Down"1999Law & OrderAlicia Bowers"Shield"2000Judging AmyMargaret Lopez"Zero to Sixty"Family LawSilvia Guerrero"The Choice"Mysterious WaysGloria Capistrano"Reason to Cry"2001Walker, Texas RangerElena Guerro"Golden Boy"My Wife and KidsRosa Lopez"Pilot", "A Little Romance"Crossing JordanGloriaRecurring role2002For the PeopleMarisol Martinez"Racing Form", "Nascent"2003Nip/TuckMiss Michaels"Pilot"George LopezSylvia"Dubya, Dad and Dating: Part 1"2004CSI: MiamiJudge Veracruz"Pro Per"2005BonesAmbassador Olivos"A Boy in a Tree"2006SSA Linda"The Last Hurrah"WindfallMrs. Maduro"Crash Into You"Maritza Calderon"Off the Meter"2007Seemore's PlayhouseHerselfDay BreakMrs. Garza"What If They're Connected?", "What If He's Not Alone?", "What If It's Him?"LostDet. Mason"The Man from Tallahassee"CSI: Crime Scene InvestigationMrs. Pamela Gentry"Big Shots"Lincoln HeightsMayor Giselle Amezcua"Flashpoint"ERMrs. Gonzalez"The War Comes Home"2008JerichoTeresa Clemons"Return to Jericho"YlseBiancaTV seriesLittle Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera StoryTatitaTV filmNominated — Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress/TelevisionCold CaseYesenia Ramos"True Calling"2008–09Tyler Perry's House of PayneRosie HernandezRecurring role2010Criminal MindsSheriff Ruiz"Rite of Passage"CommunityDoctora Escodera"English as a Second Language"Past LifeLucinda Morales"Gone Daddy Gone"Eastbound & DownSoledad Sanchez"Chapter 11"Louisa Diaz"Cold Case"2011CastleBlanca"The Final Nail"Isabella Artega"Rhapsody in Red"Law & Order: LAInez Gomez"Westwood"2011–13Caribe RoadCapt. GarciaRecurring roleKathy's Grandmother"Past History", "Girlfriends", "It's a Miracle", "Money for Nothin'"2012–14DallasCarmen RamosRecurring role2013Major CrimesMary Torres"The Deep End"2015Murder in Mexico: The Bruce Beresford-Redman StoryEvelyn ChavezTV filmCode BlackLucia"We Plug Holes"2015–17Elena GutierrezRecurring role2016NCIS: New OrleansRita Ortega"Undocumented"Fear the Walking DeadCelia Flores"Blood in the Streets", "Sicut Cervus", "Shiva"2017SuperstoreConnie Sosa"Integrity Award"APBMita"Hard Reset", "Personal Matters", "Above & Beyond", "Last Train to Europa"2017–18Marvel's RunawaysGraciela Aguirre3 episodes2018Altered CarbonAlazne Ortega6 episodesMayans M.C.2 episodes2017-2021SuperstoreConnie Sosa3 episodes2019Snowfall I.A. Detective VasquezEpisode: "The Bottoms"Ghostwriter GrandmaEpisode2020All RiseJosephine CalderonEpisode: "Bye Bye Bernie"Curb Your EnthusiasmNurse MarleneEpisode: "The Spite Store"The ConnersTia ElsieEpisode: "Tats and Tias"2021GhostwriterGrandmaEpisode: "Ghost Castaways, Part 2"Good GirlsRio's GrandmotherEpisodes: "Grandma Loves Grisham" and "Broken Toys"Grey's AnatomyCarmen DelgadoEpisodes: "I'm Still Standing" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight"The ResidentCherry SandovalEpisode: "The Long and Winding Road"2022The Lincoln Lawyer Judge MedinaEpisode: "Momentum"2023The Rookie Carla Juarez3 episodes2025Matlock Sister Louiseseason 2 episode 6 "Harm Reduction"2026Tracker Leanne CorbettEpisode: “Reclamation”

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