Horatio Sanz was born on June 4, 1969, in Santiago, Chile, where he spent his early years before relocating to Chicago, Illinois, where he would spend the majority of his childhood and adolescence. He was one of the founding members of the Upright Citizen Brigade, a renowned improvisational comedy troupe, and honed his craft by performing with the esteemed Second City comedy troupe in Chicago.
As the long-running sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live (1975) entered its 24th season in September 1998, Horatio Sanz joined the cast as a featured player, making him the first Latinx cast member in the show's history. He was joined by fellow featured players Jimmy Fallon and Chris Parnell, and after just one season, the trio was promoted to cast members. During his time on the show, Horatio Sanz brought to life a range of memorable characters, including Frankie Hilbert on the popular sketch "Boston Teens", pothead Gobi on the recurring sketch "Jarret's Room", and A/V teacher Mr. Banglian on "Wake Up, Wakefield".
Outside of his work on Saturday Night Live (1975),Horatio Sanz has appeared in numerous minor but memorable roles in films since 1994. However, it was his starring role in the 2002 film Boat Trip that marked a significant turning point in his career, as he shared the screen with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Vivica A. Fox. He continued to star on Saturday Night Live (1975) until 2007.