# Ariel Waller
**Ariel Waller** (born 1998) is a Canadian former child actress best known for playing Marti Venturi on the Canadian family sitcom *Life with Derek* and for her film debut as Rosemarie Braddock in *Cinderella Man* (2005).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) She began acting at age three, worked in film, television, and voice roles until 2010, and retired from acting after filming *Vacation with Derek*.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1998, Toronto, Ontario, Canada[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) |
| Best-known role | Marti Venturi, *Life with Derek*, 2005–2009, appearing in 70 episodes[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/153701/ariel-waller) |
| Film debut | Rosemarie Braddock, daughter of James J. Braddock (Russell Crowe), in *Cinderella Man* (2005)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cinderella_man/cast-and-crew) |
| Screen credits | 8 film and television credits spanning 2004–2010[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ariel-waller) |
| Awards | Young Artist Award nominations in 2006 (young ensemble, TV series) and 2007 (young actress age ten or younger, TV series)[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ariel-waller/bio/3000467968/) |
| Languages | Fluent in English and French[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) |
| Retirement | Left acting after *Vacation with Derek* (2010)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) |
## Career
**Start in film.** Waller started acting at age three and landed her first role as Rosemarie Braddock in [Ron Howard](https://www.edgepedia.org/ron-howard)'s *Cinderella Man* (2005), the boxing drama starring [Russell Crowe](https://www.edgepedia.org/russell-crowe) as [James J. Braddock](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-j-braddock); she played one of the Braddock children alongside Patrick Louis as Howard and Connor Price as Jay.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) • [3](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cinderella_man/cast-and-crew) A profile assembled from TMDB data places her first credit slightly earlier, as Ruby McGhee in the series *ReGenesis* (2004).[6](https://www.archytele.com/person/ariel-waller)
**Marti Venturi.** Her most recognized part came as Martina "Marti" Venturi, the youngest child in the blended family at the center of *Life with Derek*, a half-hour comedy produced for Canadian audiences that also aired on [Disney Channel](https://www.edgepedia.org/disney-channel) and Family Channel.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) • [7](https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/life-with-derek/cast/1030261314/) She appeared in all 70 episodes of the show's 2005–2009 run, alongside [Michael Seater](https://www.edgepedia.org/michael-seater), Ashley Leggat, and [Jordan Todosey](https://www.edgepedia.org/jordan-todosey).[2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/153701/ariel-waller) She reprised the role in the television film *Vacation with Derek* (2010).[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ariel-waller)
**Other roles.** Between and around those series, her filmography includes Kardia (2006) as the young Hope, the comedy horror film *Jack Brooks: Monster Slayer* (2007) as Cindy Brooks, the television film *Booky's Crush* (2009) as Rosie, and guest voice work as Additional Voices on the animated series *Super WHY!*.[4](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ariel-waller) • [2](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/153701/ariel-waller)
## Recognition
Waller received two [Young Artist Award](https://www.edgepedia.org/young-artist-award) nominations for her television work: in 2006 for Best Young Ensemble Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or [Drama](https://www.edgepedia.org/drama-film-and-television)) as part of the *Life with Derek* cast, and in 2007 for Best Performance in a TV Series (Comedy or Drama) by a Young Actress Age Ten or Younger.[5](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ariel-waller/bio/3000467968/)
## After acting
IMDb's trivia states that after filming *Vacation with Derek*, Waller retired from acting.[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/) A 2019 cast retrospective confirmed that she stopped acting after that film.[8](https://www.ibtimes.com/disney-channels-life-derek-cast-then-now-2019-update-2779405) She has kept a private public profile since then. A Vietnamese-language biography reports that she has turned to writing and uses the Instagram handle @ariel_waller_writes, presenting herself there as a "former actress, queer scifi+fantasy author"; it also attributes to her a role as Coop in the series *Overruled!* around 2010–2011, a credit not shown in the major film databases.[9](https://www.thbt.vn/dien-vien-nu-ariel-waller/) Her documented screen income came from child-acting roles in film, television, and voice productions, and no reliable public financial records establish her current wealth.[10](https://www.thecityceleb.com/biography/celebrity/actress/ariel-waller-biography-instagram-age-height-boyfriend-movies-parents-awards-ethnicity/)
## References
1. [Ariel Waller – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1659650/bio/)
2. [Ariel Waller, TVmaze](https://www.tvmaze.com/people/153701/ariel-waller)
3. [Cinderella Man – Cast and Crew, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/cinderella_man/cast-and-crew)
4. [Ariel Waller Movies and TV Shows, Plex](https://watch.plex.tv/en-GB/person/ariel-waller)
5. [Ariel Waller Biography, Celebrity Facts and Awards, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/ariel-waller/bio/3000467968/)
6. [Ariel Waller, Archytele](https://www.archytele.com/person/ariel-waller)
7. [Life with Derek – Full Cast & Crew, TV Guide](https://www.tvguide.com/tvshows/life-with-derek/cast/1030261314/)
8. [Disney Channel's 'Life With Derek' Cast Then And Now: A 2019 Update, IBTimes](https://www.ibtimes.com/disney-channels-life-derek-cast-then-now-2019-update-2779405)
9. [Diễn Viên Nữ Ariel Waller: Tiểu Sử, Sự Nghiệp Và Tình Trạng Hiện Tại, Thbt.vn](https://www.thbt.vn/dien-vien-nu-ariel-waller/)
10. [Ariel Waller Biography, TheCityCeleb](https://www.thecityceleb.com/biography/celebrity/actress/ariel-waller-biography-instagram-age-height-boyfriend-movies-parents-awards-ethnicity/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Child and youth screen performers › Child performers born 1986 to 2000*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license