Mario Carlo Yanes was born in Chico, California. His ancestry includes English, German, Irish, Scottish, Puerto Rican, Mexican, Italian, and Yaqui & Apache Native. Yanes was raised in Chico, attending Pleasant Valley High School, where he appeared in plays, but mostly marching and concert band. After graduating, he enlisted in the Marines, serving all four years of his enlistment and received an Honorable Discharge.

Yanes graduated from University of California Santa Barbara, earning a Bachelor's of Fine Arts in Acting. He began acting in plays at 12 years old, and now with his degree plans on making acting, music composition, writing, and directing his life-long passions.