Mariana di Girólamo Steps Into English With ‘Wild Horse Nine’

Chilean actress Mariana di Girólamo is making the move into English-language performance with Martin McDonagh’s “Wild Horse Nine,” a politically charged film arriving amid awards-season expectations. The Hollywood Reporter’s profile frames the role as a potentially significant next step for the actress, while presenting awards recognition as a possibility rather than a certainty.

Di Girólamo appears alongside John Malkovich, Sam Rockwell and Steve Buscemi in a story set shortly before Chile’s 1973 military coup. Searchlight Pictures lists a November 6, 2026, theatrical release, placing the film’s broader audience debut after its fall festival appearances.

According to Searchlight’s synopsis, Malkovich and Rockwell play CIA agents Chris and Lee, who travel from Santiago to Easter Island on orders from their bureau chief, played by Buscemi. Their assignment becomes entangled with personal histories and conspiracies, while Chris develops a bond with two rebellious students played by di Girólamo and Ailín Salas.

That relationship gives di Girólamo a role in the film’s emotional story as well as its political setting. AFI FEST’s description identifies her character as an idealistic Chilean student whose friendship with Chris helps him confront barriers in his personal and professional life. It places their connection within a wider exploration of memory, guilt and the conduct of the American agents.

For di Girólamo, whom AFI’s program also identifies with “Ema,” the project combines a new performance language with a Chilean setting. The distinction matters: her move into English does not mean this is an exclusively English-language production. AFI lists both English and Spanish among the film’s languages, reflecting the different worlds brought together by its premise.

McDonagh wrote and directed the film, extending a body of work that includes “In Bruges,” “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” and “The Banshees of Inisherin.” AFI describes the new feature as another examination of male friendship, this time under the pressure of political violence and regret. Di Girólamo’s student character enters that relationship from outside the agents’ professional circle.

The awards framing surrounding her performance remains prospective. The Hollywood Reporter’s supplied description suggests that the English-language turn could carry her into awards-season contention, but it does not establish a nomination or win. The distinction is particularly important for a profile centered on an actress’s possible breakthrough rather than a confirmed competitive result.

The next major milestone is the film’s theatrical release, when audiences beyond the festival circuit will encounter the performance. Searchlight’s November date provides the immediate timetable; whether the role translates into individual awards recognition remains an open question. For now, the concrete development is di Girólamo’s place in McDonagh’s ensemble and a new stage in her screen career.