Carlos Alvarez was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, but left to attend various boarding schools in the United States at the age of nine, living by himself in Florida, Connecticut and California before going to college in Massachusetts. The nephew of famed fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, he began acting during his freshman year of college, taking classes both at school and in New York. He is a trained Method actor, with a particular love for Shakespeare.In 2001, he began his professional career by leaving college to move to Los Angeles. After a year, he decided to return to school and graduate. He received his degree in Political Science in 2002. He returned to L.A. in January 2003.
