From Street Tickets to the ESPYs: Getting to Know Marcello Hernández and His Girlfriend Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral

Who Is Marcello Hernández?

Imagine starting your dream job by standing on a street corner selling tickets to tiny comedy shows just so you could get a chance to perform. That’s exactly how Marcello Hernández began!

• He spent his early comedy days in New York’s Greenwich Village selling tickets on the street in exchange for stage time (a chance to be on stage).
• Tonight, he is hosting the ESPYs (a big sports awards show) at Lincoln Center — a huge step up!

Important Point: Marcello’s career grew super fast from street performer to hosting major award shows.

Marcello’s Big Breaks

Here is how Marcello’s career took off:

1. He was raised in Miami and joined Saturday Night Live (SNL) in 2022.
   • He was the show’s first Gen Z cast member (Gen Z = people born roughly late 1990s to early 2010s).
2. His first Netflix stand-up special, called American Boy, came out in January 2026.
3. SNL creator Lorne Michaels told The New York Times: “He was brought up well, he has real values, and he’s solid… I don’t want to gush, but he’s gotten better every year.”

Meet Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral

Marcello is more private about his personal life, but he’s been seen more on red carpets with his girlfriend, Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral. He told E! News: “She’s unreal. She’s a good person… She loves her family. She’s obviously well educated. Has manners, ‘please and thank you.’”

Below, let’s get to know Ana a bit better.

Batlle Cabral Grew Up in the Dominican Republic

• Ana was born and raised in the Dominican Republic (a country in the Caribbean).
• After high school, she moved to the United States.
• According to her LinkedIn (a work resume website), she studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
  • She earned a bachelor’s degree in architecture (designing buildings) in 2018.
  • Her minor subjects included business, architectural history, and electronic design.

She Earned a Master’s Degree from Yale

• In 2023, Ana finished a master’s degree in architecture from Yale University (a famous school).
• While at Yale, she curated (organized) an exhibition called SobreMesas y Sobres at the Yale North Gallery.
  • It gave a voice to Latinx people, migration stories, and Latin culture.
• She also helped with a Yale exhibit called Time Space Existence at the Venice Biennale in 2021 (a big art/design event in Italy).

On the Armchair Expert podcast, Marcello said with pride: “I’m in a relationship with a Dominican girl… She’s an architect. She’s unreal. She went to Yale.”

She Has Built an Impressive Resumé

Since Yale, Ana has done a lot:

• Works as an architect at Frida Escobedo Studio in New York (since August 2023).
• Takes freelance (side) projects, like:
  • Designing furniture for a women’s publishing company in 2024.
  • Being set designer and project manager for fashion brand Zepherina.
• Earlier experience:
  • Worked at Brandon Haw Architects in New York.
  • Interned at architecture firms in the Dominican Republic.
  • Studied abroad in Lacoste, France, learning about European architecture.

The Couple Went Public in 2025

• Marcello and Ana were first spotted together in January 2025 (by gossip account DeuxMoi at a fancy NYC restaurant).
• They made their red carpet debut later that year at the Happy Gilmore 2 movie premiere.
• Since then, they’ve attended big events like the 2026 Met Gala (a famous fashion party).
• In a 2026 GQ profile, Marcello said Ana claimed she “was not a fan of his comedy when they met,” though he doubts that a little!

Important Point: No one knows exactly how or when they met, but Ana doesn’t seem to care about celebrity status.

Summary

Marcello Hernández went from selling comedy show tickets on the street to hosting the ESPYs and joining SNL as its first Gen Z member. His girlfriend, Ana Amelia Batlle Cabral, is a talented architect from the Dominican Republic with a Yale master’s degree and an impressive career. The couple first appeared together in public in 2025 and have since attended major events, showing a grounded and supportive relationship.

FAQ

1. What is Gen Z?
Gen Z is the name for people born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s. Marcello was SNL’s first cast member from this group.

2. What does an architect do?
An architect designs buildings and spaces, making sure they are safe, useful, and nice to look at.

3. What are the ESPYs?
The ESPYs are an annual awards show that celebrates the best in sports, hosted by ESPN.

4. How did Marcello and Ana become public as a couple?
They were first seen together by a gossip account in January 2025 and walked their first red carpet later that year.

5. Did Ana like Marcello’s comedy at first?
According to Marcello in a 2026 GQ interview, Ana said she wasn’t a fan of his comedy when they met, but he has some doubts about that.