Rios was born in Los Angeles, California, to Mexican parents. She was raised as a Jehovah's Witness in El Monte, California.
Rios was professionally discovered during a day out at a shopping mall. She appeared in the 2005 short film For Them and the 2006 film Quinceañera. In 2008, she appeared in the independent film Vicious Circle. She has also had recurring roles in the television series Friday Night Lights, Men of a Certain Age, Breaking Bad, The Bridge and From Dusk till Dawn: The Series. She portrays Lucia Villanueva, the daughter of a Mexican crime boss, on the drama Snowfall, which debuted on FX on July 5, 2017.
Rios came out as a lesbian in 2014.

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