Mauricio Sanchez-Hernandez was born and raised in Merida, Venezuela, a charming town nestled in the Andes mountain range. He is the youngest of three brothers, with his eldest brother, Marlon, running a popular bar in Merida, and his middle brother, Julio, pursuing a PhD in history in the United States.
Growing up in a busy household, Mauricio developed a passion for entertaining family and friends with his quick wit and antics, always striving to draw a crowd and elicit laughter or a response from his audience. Despite his family's encouragement to pursue a career in the hotel industry or a more conventional profession, Mauricio's true desire was to become an actor.
His big break came when he arrived in Des Moines, Iowa as a 17-year-old exchange student, where he was warmly welcomed by the Muelhaupt family and encouraged to pursue his dream. From there, he went on to attend Western Kentucky University, where he enrolled in the Performing Arts Program and studied theatre, dance, music, and acting.
Mauricio's hard work paid off, and he graduated in under four years. He then moved to New York City, where he landed his first show as a dancer in Cowboys La Cage. He spent several years performing in various productions and national tours, including the national and international tours of West Side Story.
In 2000, he made his film debut as a salsa dancer in Center Stage. However, he was eager to move beyond musical theatre and relocate to Boston, Massachusetts to study performing for film and TV. After 18 months of studies and independent film work, he moved to Los Angeles, California, where he enrolled in advanced acting classes and was accepted into The Groundings, a renowned comedy school.
Over the summer of 2005, Mauricio regularly auditioned for opportunities, which ultimately led to his being cast in the comedy, Date Movie.
