Rafael Pereyra Márquez's life began at the Einstein Hospital in New York City's Bronx borough, where his father, Dr. Bolívar Pereyra M.D., had completed his medical residency and biochemistry degree, earning his second doctorate. Meanwhile, his mother, Dr. Edith Márquez, was rushed to the hospital in the middle of her Law of the Sea class, a branch of International Law, after her water broke, and just three days later, she returned to class, earning the nickname "Popeye" from her professor and peers. She went on to graduate from New York University, receiving her doctorate degree, and began a distinguished diplomatic career, working at the United Nations and as an ambassador, tirelessly promoting, defending, and fighting for human rights, justice, and geopolitical decency.
Rafael's early life was marked by frequent travel, beginning at the age of four, as he grew up between New York, Washington D.C., Caracas, Bethesda, and Los Angeles. He later attended the University of Maryland, where he studied anthropology, political science, social geography, and romance language literature, earning a double major and minor. He then pursued his passion for acting at the National Conservatory for the Dramatic Arts, the Studio Theatre Acting Conservatory in Washington D.C., and Casa del Teatro in Mexico City.
Rafael's acting career began on the DC stages in the late 1990s and has since spanned numerous theater productions, films, and TV series. His boundless creativity has allowed him to maintain parallel careers, producing, arranging, and composing music for various artists, films, and TV shows, including hundreds of advertising campaigns. He has also produced and directed documentaries and fiction films, while developing projects that promote curiosity, interest in learning, and system thinking.
