Zión Moreno (born February 23, 1995) is an American actress and model. She is known for her television roles in the Netflix series Control Z and the 2021 HBO Max reboot of Gossip Girl as well as her role in the film K-12, written and directed by Melanie Martinez.
Early life
Moreno was born in El Paso, Texas to Mexican parents; her mother is from Chihuahua and her father from Monterrey. She grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and spoke Spanish at home. Moreno has two siblings: a sister and a brother.
Moreno is a trans woman and transitioned at the age of 13. During her time in school, she faced bullying from her peers.
Moreno briefly attended the University of New Mexico with a full-ride scholarship, and studied in a creative writing and journalism program. She originally planned to become a writer and do investigative reporting.
Career
Moreno moved to New York City at 19 to pursue a career in modeling. She was scouted by Wilhelmina, Elite, and Slay modeling agencies. She initially found modeling challenging, but grew to appreciate modeling more since shifting her focus towards acting.
She presented the Diversify TV Awards at the 2017 MIPCOM in Cannes.
Moreno made her on screen debut as Fleur in the 2019 surrealist jukebox musical film K-12, written and directed by singer Melanie Martinez. In 2020, she began starring as Isabela de la Fuente in the Mexican Netflix teen drama Control Z. In March 2020, it was announced she had been cast as Luna La in the HBO Max series Gossip Girl, a soft reboot of the original series that premiered on July 8, 2021.
Personal life
Moreno is divorced; she was previously married to a musician.