Melissa Barrera Martinez was born in Monterrey, Nuevo León México. The first of four daughters of Rosana Maria Martinez García and Tomás Gerardo Barrera Tames. She attended the American School Foundation of Monterrey from the ages of 4 to 18 when she graduated high school. It was during her middle school years that she began getting involved in theater. She participated in school plays and musicals such as 'The Wizard of Oz,' 'Footloose,' 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat' and 'Aida.' She began her professional career during her last year of high school when she led the Mexican production of 'Romeo y Julieta'.
