# Daniela Melchior
**Daniela Melchior** (full name Daniela Melchior dos Reis Lopes Pereira) is a Portuguese actress and model, born in 1996 in Almada, Portugal, who moved from Portuguese telenovelas to Hollywood blockbusters, beginning with the role of Cleo Cazo, or [Ratcatcher](https://www.edgepedia.org/ratcatcher-comics) 2, in [James Gunn](https://www.edgepedia.org/james-gunn)'s *The Suicide Squad* (2021).[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6403016/bio/?mode=desktop) She is the first Portuguese actress to appear in a film of the [Marvel Cinematic Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/marvel-cinematic-universe), playing Ura in *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3* (2023).[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniela-melchior/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1996 in Almada, Portugal; full name Daniela Melchior dos Reis Lopes Pereira[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6403016/bio/?mode=desktop) |
| Television start | Debut as Viviana Gomes in the telenovela *Mulheres* (2014) at age 17, while still a drama student[3](https://www.buscabiografias.com/biografia/verDetalle/11368/Daniela%20Melchior) |
| Breakthrough | Cleo Cazo / Ratcatcher 2 in *The Suicide Squad* (2021), her first English-language role, chosen from an audition field of more than 300 actresses[4](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/falamos-daniela-melchior-portuguesa-do-novo-esquadrao-suicida) |
| Franchise work | Ura in *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3* (2023) and Isabel Neves in *Fast X* (2023)[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniela-melchior/) • [5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior) |
| Voice work | Portuguese dubbing voice of Gwen Stacy in *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* (2018)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6403016/bio/?mode=desktop) |
| Recent films | *Anaconda* (2025) as Ana Almeida, *American Sweatshop* (2025) as Ava Lopez, *Balls Up* (2026) as Isabella Costa[6](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Daniela%2BMelchior-2608183/filmography) |
| Height | 1.68 m[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6403016/bio/?mode=desktop) |
## Early life and Portuguese career
*Ouro Verde*, which ran for 221 episodes in 2017, was her first leading role.[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior)
Her film debut came in *O Caderno Negro* (2018), followed by her first leading film role as Deolinda in António-Pedro Vasconcelos's musical film *Parque Mayer* (2018).[3](https://www.buscabiografias.com/biografia/verDetalle/11368/Daniela%20Melchior) She recorded the song *O que é ser normal? She also dubbed [Gwen Stacy](https://www.edgepedia.org/gwen-stacy) in the Portuguese version of the Oscar-winning animated film *Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse* (2018).[7](https://www.comingsoon.it/personaggi/daniela-melchior/280489/biografia/)
## The Suicide Squad and international career
**The Hollywood break.** While finishing her last telenovela, Melchior's agent received an email from an American manager who had seen the trailer of *Parque Mayer* and, without understanding Portuguese, wanted to work with her.[4](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/falamos-daniela-melchior-portuguesa-do-novo-esquadrao-suicida) Her third-ever self-tape was for *The Suicide Squad*; after an in-person audition and screen test in Atlanta, James Gunn cast her as Cleo Cazo, or Ratcatcher 2, a character he created for the film.[4](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/falamos-daniela-melchior-portuguesa-do-novo-esquadrao-suicida) • [8](https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/cultura/como-daniela-melchior-se-tornou-estrela-do-esquadrao-suicida-do-cineasta-genio_n1338714) Gunn said her audition had a naturalism he needed for the film's outrageous material, and the role became the emotional center of the movie.[9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meet-daniela-melchior-heart-james-021455210.html) The film, released in August 2021, was her first English-language project and first major studio role.[9](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meet-daniela-melchior-heart-james-021455210.html) The casting led to a contract with the American agency [Creative Artists Agency](https://www.edgepedia.org/creative-artists-agency) (CAA).[10](https://www.vogue.pt/daniela-melchior-entrevista-suicide-squad) In the film, the character's origin was changed to Portuguese, with references to Porto, and Melchior used her natural accent.[11](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/personagem-de-daniela-melchior-em-o-esquadrao-suicida-tem-uma-grande-ligacao-portugal)
**Franchise roles.** In March 2022 she joined the cast of *Fast X* (2023) as Isabel Neves, the street-racing sister of Elena Neves; [Vin Diesel](https://www.edgepedia.org/vin-diesel) offered her the part after watching her work in *The Suicide Squad*.[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior) Her second collaboration with Gunn was announced in June 2022, when she joined *Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3* (2023) as Ura, making her the first Portuguese actress in an MCU film.[2](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniela-melchior/) • [5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior) Between these she appeared in the [Neil Jordan](https://www.edgepedia.org/neil-jordan) detective film *Marlowe* (2022) as Lynn Peterson and in *Assassin Club* (2023) as Sophie.[5](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior)
**Road House and after.** In the 2024 remake of *Road House*, Melchior played Ellie, the love interest of [Jake Gyllenhaal](https://www.edgepedia.org/jake-gyllenhaal)'s Dalton, a role [Kelly Lynch](https://www.edgepedia.org/kelly-lynch) played in the 1989 original.[12](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/dom-falta-foto-daniela-melchior-entrei-no-filme-admirar-imenso-o-jake-e-sai-admira-lo-ainda-mais) Preparation included fight training with coordinator Steve Brown, scuba diving lessons, and boat driving lessons.[13](https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20240329357956/exclusive-daniela-melchiors-path-to-hollywood-stardom-road-house/) The film premiered on Prime Video on 21 March 2024.[12](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/dom-falta-foto-daniela-melchior-entrei-no-filme-admirar-imenso-o-jake-e-sai-admira-lo-ainda-mais) Her later slate includes the thriller *American Sweatshop* (2025) with [Lili Reinhart](https://www.edgepedia.org/lili-reinhart), the *Anaconda* comedy (2025) alongside Jack Black and Paul Rudd, in which she plays Ana, a boat captain, and the Peter Farrelly action comedy *Balls Up* (2026) with Mark Wahlberg and Sacha Baron Cohen, in which she plays Isabella Costa.[14](https://www.comicbasics.com/violent-night-2-star-daniela-melchior-offers-a-peek-into-her-home-workout-routine-as-her-holiday-action-sequel-nears/) • [15](https://rfm.pt/atualidade/21976/jack-black-paul-rudd-e-a-portuguesa-daniela-melchior-juntos-num-novo-filme-rfm) • [16](https://www.timeout.pt/lisboa/pt/noticias/doidos-por-daniela-melchior-actriz-sera-protagonista-de-filme-de-peter-farrelly-080624) She is also in *Violent Night 2* (2026).[6](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Daniela%2BMelchior-2608183/filmography)
## Return to Portuguese production
Melchior voices Ana, the protagonist, in the Portuguese version of *Viana – A Lenda dos Corações de Ouro*, described as the first Portuguese 3D animated feature, with a reported investment of 15 million euros and release planned for the end of 2026; she also sings in the role.[17](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/daniela-melchior-da-voz-a-uma-das-protagonistas-do-filme-viana) In 2026 she finished filming the romantic comedy *Uma noite no Porto* in Porto, opposite the English actor Corey Mylchreest, directed by António Sequeira and Anastasiia Vorotniuk.[18](https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/fama/2986966/daniela-melchior-termina-gravacoes-de-filme-no-porto-fotos)
## Public profile
Melchior has spoken publicly about anxiety and ADHD, sharing reflections on mental health on social media.[19](https://mileniostadium.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1715-10-18-2024-download.pdf) In a 2024 interview on RTP3's *Grande Entrevista* she compared working conditions in Portugal and abroad, noting that actors outside Portugal are each given a private space to rest and concentrate, something difficult to guarantee in Portugal.[20](https://www.tvguia.pt/estrelas/amp/fala-quem-sabe-daniela-melchior-compara-ficcao-de-portugal-e-estados-unidos) She has said she would like to return to the role of Ratcatcher in the new [DC Universe](https://www.edgepedia.org/dc-universe), telling ScreenRant in 2025, "I'd love to go back. I've grown so much as a person and an artist."[21](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/could-the-suicide-squad-ratcatcher-return-dcu-daniela-melchior-shares-her-thoughts) She bought a house on the Margem Sul, south of Lisbon, and has described Portugal as home despite her international schedule.[22](https://www.vogue.pt/portugal-entrevista-video-daniela-melchior)
## References
1. [Daniela Melchior – Biography, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm6403016/bio/?mode=desktop)
2. [Daniela Melchior – Actress, Model, TV Insider](https://www.tvinsider.com/people/daniela-melchior/)
3. [Biografía de Daniela Melchior, Busca Biografías](https://www.buscabiografias.com/biografia/verDetalle/11368/Daniela%20Melchior)
4. [Falámos com Daniela Melchior, a atriz portuguesa do novo "Esquadrão Suicida", NiT](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/falamos-daniela-melchior-portuguesa-do-novo-esquadrao-suicida)
5. [Daniela Melchior Movies on Netflix, NetflixMovies.com](https://www.netflixmovies.com/s/actor/daniela-melchior)
6. [Daniela Melchior – Filmografia, Filmweb](https://www.filmweb.pl/person/Daniela%2BMelchior-2608183/filmography)
7. [Daniela Melchior biografia, Comingsoon.it](https://www.comingsoon.it/personaggi/daniela-melchior/280489/biografia/)
8. [Como Daniela Melchior se tornou estrela d'"O Esquadrão Suicida", RTP](https://www.rtp.pt/noticias/cultura/como-daniela-melchior-se-tornou-estrela-do-esquadrao-suicida-do-cineasta-genio_n1338714)
9. [Meet Daniela Melchior, the heart of James Gunn's 'The Suicide Squad', Yahoo Entertainment](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/meet-daniela-melchior-heart-james-021455210.html)
10. [Daniela Melchior: "Duvidava muito de mim e das minhas capacidades enquanto atriz", Vogue Portugal](https://www.vogue.pt/daniela-melchior-entrevista-suicide-squad)
11. [Sabia que a personagem de Daniela Melchior em "O Esquadrão Suicida" tem uma ligação a Portugal?, NiT](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/personagem-de-daniela-melchior-em-o-esquadrao-suicida-tem-uma-grande-ligacao-portugal)
12. [Treino de combate e lutas no alto-mar. Como Daniela Melchior preparou o seu novo blockbuster, NiT](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/dom-falta-foto-daniela-melchior-entrei-no-filme-admirar-imenso-o-jake-e-sai-admira-lo-ainda-mais)
13. [EXCLUSIVE: Daniela Melchior's path to Hollywood stardom with 'Road House', ¡Hola! USA](https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20240329357956/exclusive-daniela-melchiors-path-to-hollywood-stardom-road-house/)
14. ['Violent Night 2' Star Daniela Melchior Offers a Peek Into Her Home Workout Routine, Comic Basics](https://www.comicbasics.com/violent-night-2-star-daniela-melchior-offers-a-peek-into-her-home-workout-routine-as-her-holiday-action-sequel-nears/)
15. [Jack Black, Paul Rudd e a portuguesa Daniela Melchior, juntos num novo filme, RFM](https://rfm.pt/atualidade/21976/jack-black-paul-rudd-e-a-portuguesa-daniela-melchior-juntos-num-novo-filme-rfm)
16. [Em 'Balls Up', de Peter Farrelly, o papel principal é de Daniela Melchior, Time Out Lisboa](https://www.timeout.pt/lisboa/pt/noticias/doidos-por-daniela-melchior-actriz-sera-protagonista-de-filme-de-peter-farrelly-080624)
17. [Daniela Melchior: "Temos finalmente uma princesa portuguesa", NiT](https://www.nit.pt/cultura/cinema/daniela-melchior-da-voz-a-uma-das-protagonistas-do-filme-viana)
18. [Daniela Melchior termina gravações de filme no Porto, Notícias ao Minuto](https://www.noticiasaominuto.com/fama/2986966/daniela-melchior-termina-gravacoes-de-filme-no-porto-fotos)
19. [MILÉNIO Entretenimento 45, 18–24 October 2024](https://mileniostadium.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/1715-10-18-2024-download.pdf)
20. [Daniela Melchior compara ficção de Portugal e Estados Unidos, TV Guia](https://www.tvguia.pt/estrelas/amp/fala-quem-sabe-daniela-melchior-compara-ficcao-de-portugal-e-estados-unidos)
21. [Could The Suicide Squad's Ratcatcher Return In The DCU?, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/superheroes/could-the-suicide-squad-ratcatcher-return-dcu-daniela-melchior-shares-her-thoughts)
22. [Portugal With Love | Entrevista: Daniela Melchior, Vogue Portugal](https://www.vogue.pt/portugal-entrevista-video-daniela-melchior)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Screen actors of the Anglosphere and Europe › Surnames L to Y*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 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