Cael Orrego was born in Washington, DC, the son of Chilean parents. He returned to Chile in the 1990s and studied to obtain degrees in the performing arts at the University of Chile and in biological sciences at the Catholic University of Chile. Aside from being an actor and biologist, he is also a photographer, primarily of the performing arts. He also works on occasion as a translator, taking advantage of his native bilingualism and putting it to use in the sciences, theater, and literature. He began his career with the renowned theater company El Teatro del Silencio, and since 2004 has been an active member of La Patogallina Artistic Collective.