Mark Wahlberg’s Netflix Hit Reveals Hidden Transformers Connection!

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2018’s movie titled “Instant Family” showcases Mark Wahlberg, starring as the main character, pairing up with Isabela Merced, an actress who previously worked with him in “Transformers: The Last Knight”. In “Instant Family”, we follow a married couple (Wahlberg and Rose Byrne) as they adopt a teenager named Lizzy (Merced) along with her two younger siblings. This heartfelt family comedy was successful upon release and has since become popular on Netflix.

It’s quite fitting that “Instant Family” is trending on Netflix now, as Merced is making a big impact in “The Last of Us” season 2. Yet, even fans of the comedy film, the popular HBO show, and the Transformers series might not know that Merced and Wahlberg have acted together before, as her role in the Transformers franchise is somewhat understated.

Instant Family’s Mark Wahlberg & Isabela Merced Previously Appeared Together In Transformers: The Last Knight

It’s Understandable If You Missed It

In the movie “Transformers: The Last Knight,” there’s a character named Izabella, who was portrayed by Isabela Merced, even though her significant role in Hollywood didn’t come until later. Interestingly, Mark Wahlberg, who played Cade Yeager in the fourth and fifth episodes of Michael Bay’s “Transformers” series, was the main star of that film. However, many people might not realize the connection between Merced and Wahlberg because she uses a different name in the films.

In this 2017 movie, Isabela Moner is recognized as Merced. Similarly, she goes by Merced in “Sicario: Day of the Soldado”, “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”, and “Instant Family”. It’s possible that viewers may have encountered “Instant Family” on Netflix and recognized Merced from her more recent works, but might be surprised to see a different name. She decided to adopt the stage name Merced as a tribute to her grandmother and a nod to her Peruvian heritage (as reported by Billboard)).

Isabela Merced’s Career Has Grown Massively Since Her Transformers Appearance

Merced Is Now Part Of Some Iconic Franchises

After achieving success with “Instant Family” and her starring role in “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”, Isabela Merced really came into her own as an actor. She secured a part alongside Jason Momoa in Netflix’s “Sweet Girl”, appeared in the 2022 remake of “Father of the Bride”, and had a role in the critically panned “Madame Web” film. However, Merced is getting another opportunity to play a superhero, as she will be seen as Hawkgirl in the upcoming Superman movie and in season 2 of “Peacemaker”.

Over the last several years, Merced has experienced significant growth, starting with securing a pivotal role in the film “Alien: Romulus,” which catapulted her into an established film franchise. While the upcoming “Superman” project is undoubtedly promising for her, it’s probably Merced who is best known as Dina from season 2 of “The Last of Us.” Her performance has been consistently praised as a standout feature of the critically acclaimed HBO series. Additionally, she had the opportunity to collaborate with Kaitlyn Dever again in this project, having previously worked together on the film “Rosaline” in 2022.

Mark Wahlberg has been a prominent figure in Hollywood for quite some time now, while Isabela Merced is steadily climbing her way to significant success, having collaborated with him in two films. She’s an emerging talent, which makes it intriguing to revisit their previous works such as “Instant Family” and “Transformers: The Last Knight.

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2025-05-22 22:18