Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Aurora Cossio moved to Italy without speaking a single word of Italian. No contacts. No plan. Her father cut off her support the moment she chose Italy over Spain. She figured it out anyway, learned the language, booked leading roles, built an entire career, then packed up everything again and moved to Hollywood where she had to start completely from zero once more.
She went on to play Estella in the Netflix global hit Griselda alongside Sofía Vergara, directed by Andrés Baiz, creator of Narcos. The show became the number one series on Netflix worldwide in 2024. She also appeared as cartel leader Alicia Ortega in CBS's FBI, and starred alongside Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser in The Ritual Killer.
But none of that is what this conversation is really about.
This is about what it actually costs to build a career like this. The years of silence. The rejection with no feedback. The depression that hit in 2022 when she was ready to leave LA for good. The dark characters that followed her home for weeks after the cameras stopped rolling. And the moment she realized that training as an actor is only half the work because the real challenge is what happens inside your head when everything is out of your control.
Aurora holds a degree in Psychology from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia and has trained as an actor across Italy, Spain, Colombia, and the United States. She built a mental health program specifically for people in the entertainment industry who are quietly losing themselves while chasing the work. In this conversation she breaks down exactly how that program works and why she believes emotional tools are more important than acting technique.
If you are building something that feels impossible right now, this one is for you.
Chapters
0:00 — Intro
0:33 — Leaving Colombia With Nothing
6:10 — Starting Over in Hollywood
9:06 — Why She Never Quit Acting
11:07 — The Mental Health Cost Nobody Talks About
17:31 — Depression, Packing Her Bags, and the Griselda Dream
20:49 — How She Gets Inside a Character
32:08 — Her Father Watching Her on Netflix
35:33 — How to Deal With Rejection and Keep Going
41:37 — Directors, Difficult People, and Meeting Sofía Vergara
Connect with Aurora Cossio
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm3042919
Instagram: instagram.com/auroracossio
Facebook: facebook.com/AuroraCossio21
Twitter: twitter.com/CossioAurora
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aurora-cossiob
Connect with Axel Axe
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm5399415
Instagram: instagram.com/axelaxeofficial
Twitter: twitter.com/heyaxelarzola
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/axelaxeofficial
Sponsored by
Red Axe Media: redaxemedia.com/services
Alphagvrd: alphagvrd.com/?aff=34
More info:
Aurora Cossio is a Colombian Italian actress, producer, and psychologist whose work is defined by emotional depth, authority, and a strong international presence across Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
She gained global recognition for her guest recurring role as Estella in the Netflix hit series Griselda, starring Sofía Vergara and directed by Andrés Baiz, creator of Narcos. In the series, Estella evolves from a street level drug dealer into one of Griselda’s most trusted confidantes and right hand, a transformation that reflects ambition, survival, and the psychology of power within a criminal empire. The character’s layered arc and quiet intensity resonated with audiences worldwide, contributing to the show becoming the number one series on Netflix globally in 2024.
Expanding her presence in the U.S. market, Aurora appeared in a guest star role as Alicia Ortega in the CBS series FBI (Wolf Entertainment), available on Paramount Plus. Ortega is portrayed as a commanding cartel leader, further positioning Aurora in a trajectory of portraying high stakes female characters who lead, make decisive moves, and operate without seeking permission.
She also starred in the feature film The Ritual Killer alongside Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser, released theatrically in March 2023, where she portrayed Sergeant Melissa Downs. Her performance added emotional depth to the film’s dark psychological tone.
Her television work includes acclaimed productions such as La Reina del Sur (The Queen of South Season 2), winner of the International Emmy Award 2020, and Verdad Oculta, directed by renowned Colombian filmmaker Jorge Alí Triana, both reinforcing her ability to portray complex, emotionally charged roles.
Aurora’s film career began in Italy, where she made her feature debut as the lead in Faccio un salto a L’Avana, a successful comedy that became her breakout role. Her portrayal of Almadedios, a charismatic and resilient young Cuban woman, earned critical acclaim and established her as a rising talent in Italian cinema. She also appeared in the box office success Immaturi Il Viaggio, further solidifying her international presence.
Aurora Cossio moved to Italy without speaking a single word of Italian. No contacts. No plan. Her father cut off her support the moment she chose Italy over Spain. She figured it out anyway, learned the language, booked leading roles, built an entire career, then packed up everything again and moved to Hollywood where she had to start completely from zero once more.
She went on to play Estella in the Netflix global hit Griselda alongside Sofía Vergara, directed by Andrés Baiz, creator of Narcos. The show became the number one series on Netflix worldwide in 2024. She also appeared as cartel leader Alicia Ortega in CBS's FBI, and starred alongside Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser in The Ritual Killer.
But none of that is what this conversation is really about.
This is about what it actually costs to build a career like this. The years of silence. The rejection with no feedback. The depression that hit in 2022 when she was ready to leave LA for good. The dark characters that followed her home for weeks after the cameras stopped rolling. And the moment she realized that training as an actor is only half the work because the real challenge is what happens inside your head when everything is out of your control.
Aurora holds a degree in Psychology from Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana in Colombia and has trained as an actor across Italy, Spain, Colombia, and the United States. She built a mental health program specifically for people in the entertainment industry who are quietly losing themselves while chasing the work. In this conversation she breaks down exactly how that program works and why she believes emotional tools are more important than acting technique.
If you are building something that feels impossible right now, this one is for you.
Chapters
0:00 — Intro
0:33 — Leaving Colombia With Nothing
6:10 — Starting Over in Hollywood
9:06 — Why She Never Quit Acting
11:07 — The Mental Health Cost Nobody Talks About
17:31 — Depression, Packing Her Bags, and the Griselda Dream
20:49 — How She Gets Inside a Character
32:08 — Her Father Watching Her on Netflix
35:33 — How to Deal With Rejection and Keep Going
41:37 — Directors, Difficult People, and Meeting Sofía Vergara
Connect with Aurora Cossio
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm3042919
Instagram: instagram.com/auroracossio
Facebook: facebook.com/AuroraCossio21
Twitter: twitter.com/CossioAurora
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/aurora-cossiob
Connect with Axel Axe
IMDb: imdb.com/name/nm5399415
Instagram: instagram.com/axelaxeofficial
Twitter: twitter.com/heyaxelarzola
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/axelaxeofficial
Sponsored by
Red Axe Media: redaxemedia.com/services
Alphagvrd: alphagvrd.com/?aff=34
More info:
Aurora Cossio is a Colombian Italian actress, producer, and psychologist whose work is defined by emotional depth, authority, and a strong international presence across Europe, Latin America, and the United States.
She gained global recognition for her guest recurring role as Estella in the Netflix hit series Griselda, starring Sofía Vergara and directed by Andrés Baiz, creator of Narcos. In the series, Estella evolves from a street level drug dealer into one of Griselda’s most trusted confidantes and right hand, a transformation that reflects ambition, survival, and the psychology of power within a criminal empire. The character’s layered arc and quiet intensity resonated with audiences worldwide, contributing to the show becoming the number one series on Netflix globally in 2024.
Expanding her presence in the U.S. market, Aurora appeared in a guest star role as Alicia Ortega in the CBS series FBI (Wolf Entertainment), available on Paramount Plus. Ortega is portrayed as a commanding cartel leader, further positioning Aurora in a trajectory of portraying high stakes female characters who lead, make decisive moves, and operate without seeking permission.
She also starred in the feature film The Ritual Killer alongside Morgan Freeman and Cole Hauser, released theatrically in March 2023, where she portrayed Sergeant Melissa Downs. Her performance added emotional depth to the film’s dark psychological tone.
Her television work includes acclaimed productions such as La Reina del Sur (The Queen of South Season 2), winner of the International Emmy Award 2020, and Verdad Oculta, directed by renowned Colombian filmmaker Jorge Alí Triana, both reinforcing her ability to portray complex, emotionally charged roles.
Aurora’s film career began in Italy, where she made her feature debut as the lead in Faccio un salto a L’Avana, a successful comedy that became her breakout role. Her portrayal of Almadedios, a charismatic and resilient young Cuban woman, earned critical acclaim and established her as a rising talent in Italian cinema. She also appeared in the box office success Immaturi Il Viaggio, further solidifying her international presence.
