Alison Fernandez is an American actress and singer born on July 20, 2005, in Brooklyn, New York, best known for her roles as Lucy Mills in the ABC fantasy series Once Upon a Time and as Delilah, the young mutant "Ice Girl," in the 2017 superhero film Logan.^[1][2] Fernandez discovered her passion for acting and singing at age four through school plays and participation in the Narrows Community Theater in Brooklyn.^[2] Her father, Manuel Fernandez, later became her manager as her career progressed.^[3] She began her professional acting career in 2011 at age six, landing her first recurring role as Zara Amaro in the NBC procedural drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, appearing across seasons 13 through 18.^[1] Subsequent early credits included portraying young Eva in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black from 2013 to 2017 and young Jane Villanueva in The CW's Jane the Virgin from 2014 to 2018.^[2] Fernandez gained wider recognition with her breakout role as Lucy, the daughter of Henry Mills and Cinderella, in season 7 of Once Upon a Time starting in 2017.^[2] That same year, she appeared in Logan, directed by James Mangold, as one of the young clones pursuing the Wolverine character.^[1] Her filmography expanded into family-oriented projects, including the lead role of Pepper Paloma in Disney Channel's Upside-Down Magic (2020) and Amber Diaz in Netflix's Team Kaylie (2019–2020).^[2] More recent work includes voicing Maisie in Disney Junior's animated series The Chicken Squad (2021–2023), Chloe in Disney Channel's Sydney to the Max (2021), and starring as Becky in the 2022 holiday film Christmas, No Filter.^[4][5] Beyond acting, Fernandez is an accomplished singer who has collaborated on music projects with Disney in 2020 and plans to release her debut album in 2026.^[2] She possesses a diverse skill set, including third-degree black belts in taekwondo and hapkido, proficiency in gymnastics, parkour, martial arts choreography, and NRA-certified target shooting, which she has showcased in various roles.^[2] As of 2025, she resides in Los Angeles and continues to pursue opportunities in both acting and music.^[3]

Early life and education

Birth and family

Alison Fernandez was born on July 20, 2005, in Brooklyn, New York City.^[6][3][1] She is the daughter of Manuel Fernandez, who serves as her manager.^[3][1] Fernandez has an older sister, Sabrina Fernandez, who is also an actress.^[3][7][8]

Early training

Alison Fernandez discovered her passion for performing at the age of four, participating in school plays and local productions at Brooklyn's Narrows Community Theater in New York City. These early experiences in community theater provided her initial exposure to the stage, fostering her interest in acting through non-professional settings before any formal career pursuits.^[2] She later enrolled in specialized classes focused on theater, singing, and choreography at A Class Act N.Y. studio, where she honed her foundational skills in the performing arts under professional instruction. This structured training complemented her community theater involvement, building her confidence and versatility in dramatic and musical performance.^[9][10] As a child actress, Fernandez prioritized formal education alongside her performing arts training, ensuring she maintained her grades to balance auditions and schoolwork. Specific details about her academic schooling are not publicly available.^[11] In addition to her artistic development, Fernandez cultivated a range of physical skills, including taekwondo (achieving a third-degree black belt), gymnastics, hapkido, martial arts choreography, swimming, and ice skating. These activities, pursued during her formative years, enhanced her agility and discipline, later contributing to her ability to portray physically demanding roles on screen.^[2][9][12] Her family provided encouragement for these early interests, supporting her involvement in performing arts and related physical pursuits from a young age.^[2]

Acting career

Debut and early television roles

Alison Fernandez made her professional acting debut in 2011 at the age of six, portraying Zara Amaro, the daughter of Detective Nick Amaro (played by Danny Pino), on the NBC series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.^[6] She appeared in a recurring capacity across seasons 13 through 16, totaling 10 episodes, which provided her with early exposure to a long-running procedural drama and allowed her to develop her skills in ensemble scenes involving family dynamics and emotional intensity.^[13] This role marked her entry into television as a child actor, highlighting her ability to convey vulnerability and resilience in brief but impactful appearances. In 2013, Fernandez secured her first major recurring television role as young Eva in Netflix's Orange Is the New Black, appearing from 2013 to 2017 in scenes that explored the character's backstory within the show's ensemble of inmates and their families. Her portrayal contributed to the series' depiction of intergenerational trauma, with Fernandez embodying the younger version of Eva in flashback sequences that added depth to the narrative.^[14] This opportunity on a critically acclaimed streaming series helped establish her presence in diverse, character-driven storytelling. Fernandez continued building her television resume with the role of young Jane (including as a 13-year-old) in four episodes of The CW's Jane the Virgin from 2016 to 2019, where she appeared in key flashback episodes that illuminated the protagonist's upbringing and cultural heritage. These performances showcased her versatility in comedic and dramatic tones within a telenovela-style format.^[15] Additionally, she made brief guest appearances in other series, including as Ethanney in the Comedy Central historical satire Another Period in 2016 and as Sharlene in two episodes of ABC's Fresh Off the Boat that same year, further diversifying her early portfolio with comedic roles. These early television experiences solidified Fernandez's reputation as a reliable young performer before her transition to more prominent film work post-2014.

Film roles and breakthroughs

Fernandez made her film debut in the 2014 action-comedy Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, where she portrayed Rosa Mendez, one of the young fans encountered by the protagonists.^[16] This uncredited appearance marked her initial foray into feature films, building on her earlier television experience to handle the production's physical demands.^[17] Her breakthrough came with the role of Delilah, also known as Ice Girl, in the 2017 superhero film Logan, directed by James Mangold. In this critically acclaimed entry in the X-Men franchise, Fernandez played a young mutant with cryokinetic abilities who aids the weary Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) during a tense casino sequence, showcasing her ability to deliver intense action alongside established stars.^[2] The film, which grossed over $619 million worldwide and received widespread praise for its emotional depth, elevated Fernandez's profile in Hollywood.^[18] Fernandez continued her momentum in family-oriented projects with the role of Lex in the 2018 Freeform television movie Life-Size 2, a sequel to the 2000 film, directed by Steven Tsuchida.^[19] Starring opposite Tyra Banks, who reprised her role as the doll Eve, Fernandez portrayed a key supporting character in this fantasy-comedy about a CEO navigating corporate chaos with magical elements, highlighting her versatility in lighthearted, ensemble-driven narratives.^[20] In 2020, she took on the lead ensemble role of Pepper Paloma in the Disney Channel Original Movie Upside-Down Magic, directed by Joe Nussbaum. Fernandez embodied a sassy Flicker with telekinetic powers in this adaptation of the young adult novel series, contributing to the story's exploration of magical misfits at a specialized academy and emphasizing themes of acceptance and friendship.^[2] The film premiered to positive reception among family audiences, further solidifying her presence in magical realism genres.^[21]

Later television work

Fernandez gained prominence in her recurring role as Lucy Vidrio, the optimistic daughter of Henry Mills and Cinderella, in the final two seasons of ABC's fantasy series Once Upon a Time. Introduced in season six as a guest, she became a series regular in season seven (2017–2018), appearing in 24 episodes overall and central to storylines exploring intergenerational family bonds, belief in fairy tales, and Hyperion Heights' cursed reality.^[1][12] In 2019, Fernandez transitioned to a lead role as Amber Diaz in Netflix's family comedy Team Kaylie, which ran for two seasons and 20 episodes through 2020. As the tech-savvy, social media-obsessed member of a wilderness troop led by influencer Kaylie Konrad, her character navigates the challenges of unplugging from online fame to embrace real-world camaraderie and outdoor skills.^[22][6] Fernandez made notable guest appearances in several Disney and ABC series during this period, showcasing her versatility in ensemble casts. She portrayed Chloe, a fencing team member dealing with school pressures, in the 2020 episode "The Lunch Club" of Sydney to the Max. In 2021, she appeared as Olivia, a classmate involved in a music competition subplot, in the Raven's Home episode "Fresh Off the Note." Earlier in 2019, she guest-starred as Emma Collins, a young witness in a high-stakes legal case, in the For the People episode "One Big Happy Family."^[6][23] Following Team Kaylie, Fernandez's television output has been more selective, with voice work as Maisie in the animated The Chicken Squad (2021–2022) and a supporting role as Becky in the 2022 Netflix holiday special Christmas Unfiltered. As of November 2025, she has not starred in any major new series, reflecting a potential shift toward young adult roles amid evolving industry opportunities for teen actors.^[5][6][4]

Filmography

Feature films

• Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014): Uncredited role as young fan Rosa Mendez; directed by Jonathan Liebesman.^[24]
• An American Girl Story: Summer Camp, Friends for Life (2017): Paz; directed by Suzanne Colt.^[25]
• Devil's Whisper (2017): Alicia; directed by Adam Ripp.^[26]
• Logan (2017): Delilah; directed by James Mangold.
• Life-Size 2 (2018): Lex; directed by Steven K. Tsuchida.^[27]
• Upside-Down Magic (2020): Pepper; directed by Joe Nussbaum.
• Christmas, No Filter (2022): Becky; directed by Cheryl Dunye.^[4]

Television series

Fernandez made her acting debut in the television series Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, portraying Zara Amaro across 10 episodes from 2011 to 2017.^[1] She had a recurring role as Young Eva in the Netflix original series Orange Is the New Black from 2013 to 2017.^[6] In Jane the Virgin, Fernandez appeared recurrently as Young Jane and 13-Year-Old Jane from 2014 to 2018.^[1] She guest-starred as Sharlene in two episodes of Fresh Off the Boat in 2016.^[17] Fernandez portrayed Ethanney in a guest appearance on Another Period in 2016.^[28] From 2017 to 2018, she played the main role of Lucy Mills in 24 episodes of Once Upon a Time.^[1] She had a guest role as Olivia in Raven's Home in 2021.^[29] Fernandez had a recurring guest role as Chloe in Sydney to the Max from 2020 to 2021.^[17] In 2019, she appeared as Emma Collins in a guest role on For the People. She starred as Amber Diaz in 20 episodes of the Netflix original series Team Kaylie from 2019 to 2020.^[22] She voiced Maisie in a recurring role across 4 episodes of Disney Junior's The Chicken Squad from 2021 to 2022.^[30]