Vanessa Diaz

Vanessa is Rico's wife, raising their young sons while he works long, thankless hours at the funeral home. She's practical and often tired, keeping the household running on modest means and growing impatient with how little recognition or money her husband's skill actually brings them.

Justina Machado plays the frustration of a marriage under quiet financial strain without ever tipping into caricature — Vanessa's complaints land as legitimate rather than nagging. The show uses her to ask what Rico's talent is actually worth, and Machado makes that question feel lived-in rather than argued.