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Mauricio Merino, Jr.

Mauricio Merino Jr.
Born Mauricio Merino Jr.
(1991-08-03) 3 August 1991 (age 26)
Melbourne, Australia.
Occupation Actor
Years active Since 2007

Mauricio Merino Jr. (born in Melbourne on 3 August 1991) is a Professional Actor and Model best known for his role as Simon Freedman on the soap opera Neighbours and his re-curring role as Freddy on FOX's 12 part series Conspiracy 365.

Mauricio is a black belt in Karate, and also plays basketball and soccer. He is not only an actor, but also a model, singer and dancer who can play the guitar and piano

Merino speaks fluent Spanish, he is of Spanish and Salvadoran descent and was born to Salvadoran parents and he lives in Melbourne. Merino is close friends with ex co-star, Margot Robbie, who played his on screen older sister, Donna on Neighbours.

Merino has been acting professionally since 2007. Merino began as an extra on the TV show Neighbours, but then later on gained featured roles on As the Bell Rings and as school bully Jake, in Jonathan M. Schiff's The Elephant Princess. Merino also had a lead role in a VEA educational film. In 2008 Merino also starred in his first feature film My Year Without Sex as the role of Tyson, which premiered in 2009. In late 2008 Merino scored a recurring role in Steven Spielberg's and Tom Hanks' mini series The Pacific. However, Neighbours remains as his first major debut on television as Simon Freedman.

In early 2010, Merino was cast as Daniel Watts in the Australian supernatural thriller feature film, Redback being shot in the Australian outbacks of Western Australia . Merino will next be seen in the multimillion-dollar TV series Conspiracy 365.

Merino is currently studying the Professional (Full Time) Acting for Television Program at Film & Television Studio International- the same program that launched Conspiracy 365 star Taylor Glockner.

Merino has been said to be, one to keep an eye on, a rising star in an issue of TV Week in 2009.

Merino, won the role of 15-year-old Simon after auditioning for a nationwide competition, Dolly's Search for Neighbours Next Big Stars. Merino won the competition alongside Chelsea Jones form Perth two be cast in the popular long time running soap. It is the second time Neighbours hosts this competition, after the success of Sam Clark and Adelaide Kane previous winners. Merino signed a six-month contract on the show, then later was extended for another six months. Mauricio played a character 2 years younger than his real age.


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