# Mauricio Ochmann
**Mauricio Ochmann** (born 1977) is a Mexican and American actor and producer known for telenovela leading roles and for portraying the drug trafficker José María "Chema" Venegas in the [Telemundo](https://www.edgepedia.org/telemundo) series *El Señor de los Cielos* and its spin-off *[El Chema](https://www.edgepedia.org/el-chema)*.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1977; sources give Washington, D.C. as his birthplace, while the Mexican Ministry of Culture's cultural information system records Celaya, Guanajuato[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) • [2](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723) |
| Signature role | José María "Chema" Venegas in *El Señor de los Cielos* (2013–2017) and the spin-off *El Chema* (2016–2017, 85 episodes)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) |
| Telemundo record | IMDb describes *El Chema* as the highest rated show in Telemundo's history, often receiving the highest rating among 18–34 year olds in the United States regardless of language[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) |
| Box office | Starred in *A la Mala* (2015), Mexico's highest grossing film of that year; *Hazlo Como Hombre* (2017) and *Ya Veremos* (2018) were each the highest grossing Mexican film of their year[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) |
| Production company | Co-owns A Toda Madre Entertainment, based in Los Angeles, with actress Aislinn Derbez[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) |
| Theater honors | Twice received the award of the Mexican Theater Critics Association, for *Equus* (2001) and *El Graduado* (2003)[2](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723) |
| Music | Released his first single, "En Defensa Propia", and the EP *Origen* in January 2023[3](https://rotativo.com.mx/espectaculos/mauricio-ochmann-lanza-su-primer-sencillo-divide-opiniones-sus-seguidores_1502098_102.html) |
## Early life and training
Ochmann was born in 1977. His official website and IMDb place his birth in Washington, D.C., and he grew up in Mexico[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). The Sistema de Información Cultural of Mexico's Secretariat of Culture, however, records his birth in [Celaya](https://www.edgepedia.org/celaya), Guanajuato[2](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723). He decided to pursue acting professionally at 16, moved to Mexico City, and joined the comedy program *La Otra Cosa* (also cited as *La cosa*) alongside the comedian Héctor Suárez[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) • [4](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-117788/biografia/).
He then moved to Los Angeles, where he studied at the Joanne Baron Acting Studio while working as a waiter and seeking an agent[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). After about three years he won a small part in the feature *[Message in a Bottle](https://www.edgepedia.org/message-in-a-bottle-film)* (1999), acting alongside [Kevin Costner](https://www.edgepedia.org/kevin-costner), Paul Newman, and [Robin Wright](https://www.edgepedia.org/robin-wright)[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/).
## Television career
Back in Mexico, producer [Humberto Zurita](https://www.edgepedia.org/humberto-zurita) and his wife [Christian Bach](https://www.edgepedia.org/christian-bach) cast him in the telenovela *Azul Tequila* (1998) opposite [Bárbara Mori](https://www.edgepedia.org/barbara-mori)[5](https://ochmannweb.wixsite.com/mauricioochmann/page2). He followed with *Háblame de Amor* (2000), the CBS series *That's Life* (2000–2002), and the youth telenovela *Como en el Cine* (2001–2002), which TV Azteca extended for a year because of its ratings[2](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723) • [5](https://ochmannweb.wixsite.com/mauricioochmann/page2).
Signing with Telemundo in late 2004, he filmed *Amarte Así* in Buenos Aires, playing the doctor Ignacio "Nacho" Reyes, and later appeared in *Dame Chocolate*, *Victoria* (with [Victoria Ruffo](https://www.edgepedia.org/victoria-ruffo)), *Victorinos*, and *El Clon*, in which he played three characters[5](https://ochmannweb.wixsite.com/mauricioochmann/page2) • [6](https://www.lasestrellas.tv/espectaculos-1/famosos-1/mauricio-ochmann-recuerda-su-novela-con-victoria-ruffo-y-habla-de-su-amistad-con-sandra-echeverria//).
**Chema Venegas.** Ochmann joined *El Señor de los Cielos* as the trafficker José María "Chema" Venegas, a character he built gradually and that became popular enough for Telemundo to commission a dedicated spin-off, *El Chema*, developed with Joshua Mintz[7](https://www.diariolasamericas.com/cultura/mauricio-ochmann-si-juzgara-cada-personaje-me-limitaria-como-actor-n4109800). The series, which recounts the character's life from childhood and aired weekdays at 10 p.m., drew more than two million viewers in the United States at its premiere[7](https://www.diariolasamericas.com/cultura/mauricio-ochmann-si-juzgara-cada-personaje-me-limitaria-como-actor-n4109800). IMDb describes *El Chema* as the highest rated show in Telemundo's history, often receiving the highest rating among 18–34 year olds in the United States regardless of language[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). Ochmann has said he approaches such parts without judging them: "If I judged every character I play by what it will generate in society, I would limit myself too much as an actor"[7](https://www.diariolasamericas.com/cultura/mauricio-ochmann-si-juzgara-cada-personaje-me-limitaria-como-actor-n4109800).
## Film career
Ochmann's film work centers on Mexican commercial comedy. *A la Mala* (2015), directed by Pitipol Ybarra, was Mexico's highest grossing film of 2015[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). He starred in and executive produced *Hazlo Como Hombre* (2017) with his then wife Aislinn Derbez, the highest grossing Mexican film of 2017, and repeated the combination with *Ya Veremos* (2018), the highest grossing Mexican film of 2018[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). His agent profile reports that *Non Negotiable* (2024) was the second most watched film worldwide on Netflix and reached number one across Latin America, France, and Kenya[8](https://www.avatarent.com/mauricio-ochmann). Later credits include *¿Y cómo es él?* (2020), which he also executive produced, and the 2026 comedy *Un mal partido*, in which he plays Guillermo, a father struggling to accept his nineteen-year-old daughter's boyfriend[9](https://www.escribiendocine.com/noticias/2026/10/08/25809-critica-de-un-mal-partido-la-comedia-con-mauricio-ochmann-que-confunde-cuidado-con-control).
## Theater, production, and other work
On stage, Ochmann played the lead in Peter Shaffer's *[Equus](https://www.edgepedia.org/equus-play)* (2001) and appeared in *El Graduado* (2003–2004); the Sistema de Información Cultural credits him with the Theater Critics Association prize on both occasions[2](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723). He has described theater as the discipline he would keep if he could choose only one, because it is "alive" and changes with each audience[10](https://ec2-18-190-112-161.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/noticia/falta-mas-cine-sobre-el-valor-familiar-mauricio-ochmann/).
He debuted as a film producer with the short *Lluvia adentro* (2013)[11](https://www.excelsior.com.mx/Periodico/flip-funcion/18-05-2013/portada.pdf) and co-owns the Los Angeles production company A Toda Madre Entertainment with Aislinn Derbez[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/). In 2014 he opened his own acting school in Los Angeles[12](https://peopleenespanol.com/article/mauricio-ochmann-actor-es-alumno-en-su-escuela-de-actuacion-los-angeles-california/). In January 2023 he released his first single, "En Defensa Propia", with a video on YouTube, followed by the EP *Origen* on digital platforms; the release divided his followers, some of whom told him they preferred him as an actor[3](https://rotativo.com.mx/espectaculos/mauricio-ochmann-lanza-su-primer-sencillo-divide-opiniones-sus-seguidores_1502098_102.html).
## Personal life
Ochmann married the architect María José del Valle in 2002, with whom he had his first daughter, Lorenza[13](https://www.univision.com/famosos/mauricio-ochmann-pasado-carrera-exitosa). He later married the actress Aislinn Derbez, with whom he has a second daughter[1](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/) • [4](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-117788/biografia/). In interviews he has described overcoming alcoholism in his youth and entering rehabilitation before his career took off[13](https://www.univision.com/famosos/mauricio-ochmann-pasado-carrera-exitosa).
## References
1. [Mauricio Ochmann, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0643706/)
2. [Mauricio Ochmann, Sistema de Información Cultural, Secretaría de Cultura de México](https://sic.cultura.gob.mx/ficha.php?table=cineasta&table_id=723)
3. [Mauricio Ochmann lanza su primer sencillo, Rotativo de Querétaro](https://rotativo.com.mx/espectaculos/mauricio-ochmann-lanza-su-primer-sencillo-divide-opiniones-sus-seguidores_1502098_102.html)
4. [Mauricio Ochmann: Su biografía, SensaCine México](https://www.sensacine.com.mx/actores/actor-117788/biografia/)
5. [Bio, Mauricio Ochmann official website](https://ochmannweb.wixsite.com/mauricioochmann/page2)
6. [Mauricio Ochmann recuerda su novela con Victoria Ruffo, Las Estrellas](https://www.lasestrellas.tv/espectaculos-1/famosos-1/mauricio-ochmann-recuerda-su-novela-con-victoria-ruffo-y-habla-de-su-amistad-con-sandra-echeverria//)
7. [Mauricio Ochmann: "Si juzgara cada personaje, me limitaría como actor", Diario Las Américas](https://www.diariolasamericas.com/cultura/mauricio-ochmann-si-juzgara-cada-personaje-me-limitaria-como-actor-n4109800)
8. [Mauricio Ochmann, Avatar Entertainment](https://www.avatarent.com/mauricio-ochmann)
9. [Crítica de "Un mal partido", EscribiendoCine](https://www.escribiendocine.com/noticias/2026/10/08/25809-critica-de-un-mal-partido-la-comedia-con-mauricio-ochmann-que-confunde-cuidado-con-control)
10. ["Falta más cine sobre el valor familiar": Mauricio Ochmann, Videocine](https://ec2-18-190-112-161.us-east-2.compute.amazonaws.com/noticia/falta-mas-cine-sobre-el-valor-familiar-mauricio-ochmann/)
11. [Excélsior, Función, 18 de mayo de 2013](https://www.excelsior.com.mx/Periodico/flip-funcion/18-05-2013/portada.pdf)
12. [Mauricio Ochmann es alumno en su propia escuela de actuación, People en Español](https://peopleenespanol.com/article/mauricio-ochmann-actor-es-alumno-en-su-escuela-de-actuacion-los-angeles-california/)
13. [Mauricio Ochmann: de un complicado pasado a una carrera exitosa, Univision](https://www.univision.com/famosos/mauricio-ochmann-pasado-carrera-exitosa)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › Telenovelas and Latin American/Iberian serials › Mexican telenovelas*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 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