Isabela Yolanda Moner (born July 10, 2001), known professionally as Isabela Merced since 2019, is an American actress and singer. She played the lead role in the Nickelodeon television series 100 Things to Do Before High School (2014–2016), and went on to feature in the films Transformers: The Last Knight (2017), Instant Family (2018), and Sicario: Day of the Soldado (2018). She starred as the titular character in the adventure film Dora and the Lost City of Gold (2019) and played main roles in the films Madame Web, Turtles All the Way Down, and Alien: Romulus (all in 2024). In 2025, she had a starring role in the second season of the HBO series The Last of Us and played Hawkgirl in the DCU film Superman and series Peacemaker.
Early life Merced was born in Cleveland, Ohio. She is the daughter of Katerine, a nurse, who was born in Lima, Peru, and Patrick Moner, a firefighter, who was born in Louisiana.
Merced has stated that Spanish was her first language, and she struggled with English when she first started grade school, adding that she considers herself "half Peruvian and half from Ohio. I wish I could say I'm 100% Peruvian; I've always felt that way." She has two brothers. At age 15, she was accepted into college.
Merced began acting after her family's Cleveland home was destroyed by a fire. Her father was one of the firefighters on call that night. She was a Judy Garland fan, so her parents, in an attempt to distract her from the loss, encouraged Merced to audition for a local production of The Wizard of Oz. She agreed and was cast as a Munchkin. She attended the Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory, led by Broadway producer Fred Sternfeld, who tried to persuade Merced's mother into taking her to New York to pursue auditions. After some reluctance, her mother agreed, and the family moved to New York City for a month to help Merced pursue a career on Broadway.
Career Merced has said that she wanted to be an actress from a young age, inspired by movies featuring Shirley Temple and Judy Garland and starting in local community theatre at age six. Merced booked her first job, a Claritin commercial, on what was supposed to be her last day in New York City during the summer she spent auditioning there. She made her Broadway debut at age ten in a production of Evita, in which she sang in Spanish with Ricky Martin.
Merced's first starring performance was as CJ Martin, the lead role on the Nickelodeon television series 100 Things to Do Before High School, from 2014 to 2016. That same year, she began providing the voice of Kate, one of the main characters in the Dora the Explorer spin-off, Dora and Friends: Into the City!, a role she performed from 2014 to 2017. In 2015, she appeared as Lori Collins in the Nickelodeon Original Movie Splitting Adam, and was cast as Sadie, one of the leading roles, in the 2016 Nickelodeon Original Movie Legends of the Hidden Temple. Merced's debut album Stopping Time (2015) was produced by Broadway Records.
In May 2016, Merced was cast in the film Transformers: The Last Knight, which was released in June 2017. She voiced Heather in the animated film The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature, which was theatrically released on August 11, 2017.
In 2018, Merced had a major role in Sicario: Day of the Soldado, playing the daughter of a drug cartel head, in a performance acclaimed by critics. The New Yorkers Anthony Lane wrote "[Merced] is terrific, and her character's fortunes can be read in her eyes—blazing to begin with, as she scraps with another girl in a schoolyard, but dark and blank by the end, their youthful fire doused by the violence that she has seen."
In the same year, she played the adopted daughter of the characters played by Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne in the comedy film Instant Family, for which she also wrote and sang the song "I'll Stay".Instant Family (2018) , Soundtrack.net In 2019, Merced starred as the title character in Dora and the Lost City of Gold, a live action film adaptation of the animated series, and was cast in the Christmas romantic comedy ensemble film Let It Snow. The same year, she was cast opposite Jason Momoa in the film Sweet Girl for Netflix.
On October 14, 2019, she announced that she had decided to use the stage name Isabela Merced in memory of her deceased grandmother. Her first single, "Papi", was released in 2019, followed by her first music video released on November 6, 2019. Merced released her debut EP The Better Half of Me in 2020 through Republic Records and was named one of Billboard'''s top 15 new Peruvian artists to listen to in July 2020.
In 2024, she starred in Turtles All the Way Down, a film adaptation of the 2017 novel by John Green, and Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus. In April 2025, Merced appeared as Dina in season 2 of The Last of Us. In July 2025, Merced appeared as Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl in the DC Universe (DCU) film Superman (2025).
In August 2025, TVLine named Merced the year's Drama Star to Watch, as part of Women to Watch. Additionally, Variety recognized her in their annual Power of Young Hollywood Impact Report; those recognized "rep the future of the entertainment business".
In February 2026, it was announced that Merced would be starring and executive producing in Sega's The House of the Dead'' live-action film adaptation, with Paul W. S. Anderson directing.
Personal life Merced describes herself as having been "queer my whole life", and has been in "queer relationships". She says she aims to "do her part" for the queer community in American pop culture. She attributes her Catholic upbringing to her having been "closeted out of being complicit and somebody who has accepted, maybe suppressing their queerness for their environment, basically, and to adapt."
She has polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome and has attended therapy and openly discussed her struggles with anxiety.
Filmography +Key Denotes productions that have not yet been released
Film Year Title Role Notes 2013 The House That Jack Built Young Nadia 2016 Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life Jeanne Galleta 2017 Transformers: The Last Knight Izabella Yeager The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature Heather (voice) 2018 Sicario: Day of the Soldado Isabel Reyes Instant Family Lizzy 2019 Dora and the Lost City of Gold Dora Márquez Final credit as Isabela Moner Let It Snow Julie First credit as Isabela Merced 2021 Spirit Untamed Lucky Prescott (voice) Sweet Girl Rachel Cooper 2022 Father of the Bride Cora Herrera Rosaline Juliet 2023 Migration Kim (voice)2024 Madame Web Anya Corazon Turtles All the Way Down Aza Holmes Alien: Romulus Kay Harrison 2025 Superman Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl 2027 Post-productionTBA Camila Post-production; also executive producer Post-production
Television Year Title Role Notes 2014 Growing Up Fisher Jenny Recurring role, 7 episodes 2014–2017 Dora and Friends: Into the City! Kate Main voice role 2014–2016 100 Things to Do Before High School CJ Martin Lead role 2015 Splitting Adam Lori Collins Television film 2016 Legends of the Hidden Temple Sadie 2019 The Amazing Race Canada Herself Episode: "Clamageddon Continues" 2020 #KidsTogether: The Nickelodeon Town Hall Television special 2021 Maya and the Three Widow Queen (voice) Miniseries 2024 Rock Paper Scissors The Susan (voice) Episode: "The Susan" 2025–present The Last of Us Dina Main role (seasons 2–3), 7 episodes 2025 Peacemaker Kendra Saunders / Hawkgirl Episode: "The Ties That Grind"
Video games Year Title Role Notes 2017 Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover Ava Short film; voice role2021Spirit: Lucky's Big AdventureLucky Prescott
Discography Studio albums Title Details Stopping Time (as Isabela Moner) Released: September 18, 2015 Label: Broadway Records Formats: CD, Digital download, streaming
Extended plays Title Details The Better Half of Me Released: May 22, 2020 Label: Republic Records Formats: CD, Digital download, streaming
Singles Year Title Album 2019 "PAPI" rowspan="7" 2020 "Don't Go" "Don't Go" (Spanish Version) "Caliente Navidad" 2022 "Agonía"(with Kayfex) 2024 "Cuffing Season" 2025 "Apocalipsis (versión salsa)"with Tony Succar
Featured artist Year TitleArtist 2018 "My Only One (No Hay Nadie Más)" Sebastián Yatra "Lista de Espera" Matt Hunter
Promotional singles Year Title Album 2018 "I'll Stay"(from Instant Family) rowspan="2" 2021 "Fearless (Valiente Duet)"(from Spirit Untamed)
Awards and nominations Year Award Category Work Result 2015 Imagen Awards Best Young Actress – Television 100 Things to Do Before High School 2016 Best Young Actor – Television 2017 Teen Choice Awards Choice Summer Movie Actress Transformers: The Last Knight CinemaCon Award Rising Star of the Year Young Entertainers Award Best Young Ensemble Cast – Feature Film Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life 2019 Best Leading Young Actress Instant Family Imagen Awards Best Actress – Feature Film 2020 Dora and the Lost City of Gold 2024 Best Actress – Drama (Television) Turtles All the Way Down SCAD Savannah Film Festival Rising Star Award rowspan="2" 2025 National Hispanic Media Coalition Next Generation Impact Award Astra TV Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Drama Series The Last of Us Pride Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or Series/Miniseries Imagen Awards Best Supporting Actress – Feature Film Alien: Romulus
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