Beautiful Hispanic Ladies
This list will include female celebrities who have full, half, and partial Hispanic/Spanish roots in them. Some of the ladies who are on the list may surprise you. I hope you enjoy reading the list.
List activity
6.1K views
• 0 this weekCreate a new list
List your movie, TV & celebrity picks.
125 people
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Sarah Shahi was born Aahoo Jahansouzshahi in Euless, Texas, to an Iranian father and Spanish-Iranian mother. She is a former NFL cheerleader and a descendant of a 19th-century Persian Shah. She attended Trinity High School and Southern Methodist University, studied opera and majored in English. As a teenager, she won several beauty contests and took first place in the Miss Fort Worth USA pageant in 1997. She joined the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders and was part of the 1999-2000 squad. She also appeared on the cover of their 2000 calendar.
While working as an extra on the set of Dr. T & the Women (2000), she met director Robert Altman, who encouraged her to move to Hollywood to pursue a career as an actress. Shahi was the first ghost in Supernatural (2005), the CW paranormal drama series. She had recurring roles in several TV series, such as Alias (2001), in which she played "Jenny"; and Dawson's Creek (1998), where she was "Sadia Shaw". She became a fan favorite in her role as the Mexican-American DJ "Carmen de la Pica Morales" in the Showtime series, The L Word (2004), which she joined in its second season. Sarah did not renew her contract with the show for a fourth season and, consequently, her character was written out.
However, she is best-known for her main role as "Sameen Shaw" on the CBS show Person of Interest (2011) playing a CIA agent turned-vigilante with a heart of gold.
She also appeared on HBO's The Sopranos (1999), in the episode Kennedy and Heidi (2007) as "Sonya Aragon", a stripper and a college student who spends a weekend with Tony after a death in his family. Although uncredited by most sources, Sarah also appeared in the Jackie Chan film, Rush Hour 3 (2007), as one of the girls being handcuffed along with Mia Tyler for a traffic offense by Chris Tucker early in the film. She also starred with Damian Lewis in the NBC show, Life (2007).
Sarah speaks English, Farsi, and some Spanish, and has a brown belt in karate.- Actress
- Cinematographer
Actress Bérénice Bejo was born in Buenos Aires, the daughter of Silvia De Paoli, a lawyer, and Miguel Bejo, a filmmaker. When she was three, Bejo's family relocated to Paris, France. She embarked on a successful acting career in the 1990s, with various roles in French television and film productions. She made her American film debut as Christiana in A Knight's Tale (2001), but came to major international recognition with her role as Peppy Miller in the critical and popular hit, The Artist (2011), which was written and directed by her husband, Michel Hazanavicius. The film garnered many major awards and nominations. Bejo herself was nominated as Best Supporting Actress of the year at the Golden Globes, the Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Oscars. She was also nominated as Best Leading Actress at the BAFTA Awards.- Actress
- Music Department
- Soundtrack
Anahi was born in Mexico. She's had roles in Tu y Yo, in which she played a 17 year old girl while she was 13, and Vivo Por Elena, in which she played Talita, a naive and innocent teenager. Anahi lives with her mother and sister name Marychelo. She hopes to become a fashion designer one day, and is currently pursuing a career in singing.very pretty Mexican singer- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Salma Hayek was born on September 2, 1966 in Coatzacoalcos, Mexico. Her father is of Lebanese descent and her mother is of Mexican/Spanish ancestry. After having seen Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971) in a local movie theater, she decided she wanted to become an actress. At age 12, she was sent to the Academy of the Sacred Heart in New Orleans, Louisiana. After attending Mexico City's prestigious university Universidad Iberoamericana, she felt ready to pursue acting seriously.
She soon landed the title role in Teresa (1989), a hugely successful soap opera which earned her the star status in her native Mexico. However, anxious to make films and to explore her talent as well as passion, she left both Teresa (1989) and Mexico in 1991. Heartbroken fans spread rumors that she was having a secret affair with Mexico's president and left to escape his wife's wrath. She made her way to Los Angeles. She approached Hollywood with naive enthusiasm and quickly learned that Latina actresses were typecast as the mistress maid or local prostitute. By late 1992, she had landed only small roles. She appeared on Street Justice (1991), The Sinbad Show (1993), Nurses (1991), and as a sexy maid on Dream On (1990). She also had only one line in My Crazy Life (1993). Feeling under-appreciated by Anglo filmmakers, she vented her frustrations on Paul Rodriguez's late-night Spanish-language talk show.
Robert Rodriguez and his wife Elizabeth Avellan happened to be watching and were immediately smitten with her. He soon gave her big break -- to star opposite Antonio Banderas in the cult classic Desperado (1995), bringing her into Hollywood prominence. The moviegoers were as dazzled with her as he had been. Afterwards, she was cast again by Rodriguez to star in the cult classic From Dusk Till Dawn (1996). Her first star billing came later that year with Fools Rush In (1997) opposite Matthew Perry. It was a modest hit and her star continued to rise in both commercial and films such as Breaking Up (1997) with an unknown Russell Crowe, 54 (1998), Dogma (1999) and In the Time of the Butterflies (2001), the small artistic film which won her an ALMA award as best actress and the summer blockbuster Wild Wild West (1999). Her production company Ventanarosa produced the Mexican feature film El coronel no tiene quien le escriba (1999), which was shown at the Cannes Film Festival and selected as Mexico's official Oscar entry for best foreign film.
The new millennium started out quietly as she prepared to produce and star in her dream role of Frida Kahlo, the legendary Mexican painter whom she had been admiring her entire life and whose story she wanted to bring to the big screen ever since she arrived in Hollywood. Frida (2002) was full of passion and enthusiasm, with performances from her and Alfred Molina as Kahlo's cheating husband Diego Rivera. It also featured an entourage of stars such as Antonio Banderas, Ashley Judd, Geoffrey Rush, Edward Norton and Valeria Golino.
It was a box office hit and was nominated for six Academy Awards, including best actress for Hayek. It won awards for make-up and score by Elliot Goldenthal. Later that year, she expanded her horizons, directing The Maldonado Miracle (2003), which was shown at the Sundance Film Festival. In 2003, she starred in the finale of Rodriguez's Desperado trilogy Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003), again opposite Banderas. She also starred in After the Sunset (2004) opposite Pierce Brosnan, and Ask the Dust (2006) opposite Colin Farrell. She then starred in Bandidas (2006), which also featured Penélope Cruz, and Lonely Hearts (2006) opposite Jared Leto.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Known outside her native country as the "Spanish enchantress," Penélope Cruz Sánchez was born in Madrid to Eduardo Cruz, a retailer, and Encarna Sánchez, a hairdresser. As a toddler, she was already a compulsive performer, re-enacting TV commercials for her family's amusement, but she decided to focus her energies on dance. After studying classical ballet for nine years at Spain's National Conservatory, she continued her training under a series of prominent dancers. At 15, however, she heeded her true calling when she bested more than 300 other girls at a talent agency audition. The resulting contract landed her several roles in Spanish TV shows and music videos, which in turn paved the way for a career on the big screen. Cruz made her movie debut in El laberinto griego (1993) (The Greek Labyrinth), then appeared briefly in the Timothy Dalton thriller Framed (1992). Her third film was the Oscar-winning Belle Epoque (1992), in which she played one of four sisters vying for the love of a handsome army deserter. The film also garnered several Goyas, the Spanish equivalent of the Academy Awards. Her resume continued to grow by three or four films each year, and soon Cruz was a leading lady of Spanish cinema. Live Flesh (1997) (Live Flesh) offered her the chance to work with renowned Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar (who would later be her ticket to international fame), and the same year she was the lead actress in the thriller/drama/mystery/sci-fi film Open Your Eyes (1997), a huge hit in Spain that earned eight Goyas (though none for Cruz). Her luck finally changed in 1998, when the movie-industry comedy The Girl of Your Dreams (1998) won her a Best Actress Goya. Cruz made a few more forays into English-language film, but her first big international hit was Almodóvar's All About My Mother (1999), in which she played an unchaste but well-meaning nun. As the film was showered with awards and accolades, Cruz suddenly found herself in demand on both sides of the Atlantic. Her next big project was Woman on Top (2000), an American comedy about a chef with bewitching culinary skills and a severe case of motion sickness. While in the US, she also signed up to star opposite Johnny Depp in the drug-trafficking drama Blow (2001) and opposite Matt Damon in Billy Bob Thornton's All the Pretty Horses (2000). Cruz says she's wary of being typecast as a beautiful young damsel, but it's hard to imagine disguising her wide-eyed charms and generous nature. Fortunately, with Cameron Crowe's Vanilla Sky (2001) (a remake of Open Your Eyes (1997)) and a John Madden collaboration looming in her future, Damsel Penelope isn't likely to disappear just yet.- Music Artist
- Producer
- Actress
Jennifer Lynn Lopez was born on July 24, 1969 in The Bronx, New York City, New York to teacher Lupe López and computer specialist David López. The two Puerto Ricans were brought to the continental United States during their childhoods and eventually met while living in New York City. Their daughters would have a stable, middle-class upbringing.
Jennifer always dreamed of being a multi-tasking superstar. As a child, she enjoyed a variety of musical genres, mainly Afro-Caribbean rhythms like salsa, merengue, and bachata, and mainstream music like pop, hip-hop, and R&B. Although she loved music, the film industry also intrigued her. Her biggest influence was the Rita Moreno musical, West Side Story (1961). At 5, Jennifer began taking singing and dancing lessons. Aside from being a budding entertainer, Jennifer was also a Catholic schoolgirl, attending eight years at a Catholic elementary school named Holy Family, located in The Bronx, before graduating from all-girls prep school Preston High School after a four-year stay. At school, Jennifer was an amazing athlete and participated in track and field and tennis. She spent most of her upbringing in a two-story house in the Castle Hill neighborhood.
At 18, Jennifer moved out of her parents' home. After high school, she briefly worked in a law office and took dance classes at night. During this time, she continued dance classes at night. Her big break came when she was offered a job as a fly girl on Fox's hit comedy In Living Color (1990). After a two-year stay at In Living Color (1990) where actress Rosie Perez served as choreographer, Lopez then went on to dance for famed singer-actress Janet Jackson. Her first major film was Gregory Nava's My Family/Mi familia (1995), and her career went into overdrive when she portrayed late Tejana singer Selena in Selena (1997).She was a sight to see at 2013 Grammies.- Actress
- Director
- Writer
Eva Mendes is an American actress, model and businesswoman. She began acting in the late 1990s. After a series of roles in B movies such as Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998) and Urban Legends: Final Cut (2000), she made a career-changing appearance in Training Day (2001). Since then, Mendes has co-starred in films such as All About the Benjamins (2002), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Ghost Rider (2007), We Own the Night (2007), Stuck on You (2003), Hitch (2005), opposite Will Smith. and The Other Guys (2010). She has appeared in several music videos for artists like Will Smith. Mendes has been a model and ambassador for Cocio chocolate milk, Magnum ice cream, Calvin Klein, Cartier, Thierry Mugler perfume, Reebok, Campari apéritif, Pantene shampoo, Morgan, and Peek & Cloppenburg. She designs a fashion collection for New York & Company and is also the creative director of CIRCA Beauty, a makeup line sold at Walgreens.
Eva de la Caridad Méndez was born in Miami, Florida, to Cuban parents Eva Pérez Suárez and Juan Carlos Méndez, and was raised by her mother in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Silver Lake after her parents' divorce. Mendes grew up a Roman Catholic and at one time even considered becoming a Catholic nun. Her mother worked at Mann's Chinese Theatre and later for an aerospace company, and her father ran a meat distribution business. Mendes had one older brother, Juan Carlos Méndez, Jr. (1963-2016), who died from throat cancer. She has an older sister, Janet, and a younger paternal half-brother, Carlos Alberto "Carlo" Méndez. She attended Hoover High School in Glendale, and later studied marketing at California State University, Northridge, but left college to pursue acting under coach Ivana Chubbuck. Mendes began her acting career after a talent manager saw her photo in a friend's portfolio. Her first film appearance was in the direct-to-video Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror (1998). Mendes was disappointed in her performance and she hired an acting coach. She then appeared in the films A Night at the Roxbury, My Brother the Pig, Urban Legends: Final Cut, and Exit Wounds. Mendes' breakthrough role came when she appeared in Antoine Fuqua's crime thriller Training Day (2001), playing the girlfriend of Denzel Washington's character. This then led to roles in All About the Benjamins (2002), 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003), Once Upon a Time in Mexico (2003) (which earned her a nomination at the Teen Choice Awards), Out of Time (2003), and Stuck on You (2003).
She was the female lead in the 2005 film Hitch, making her one of the first minority actors to play the lead in a hit romantic comedy. Mendes subsequently starred in The Wendell Baker Story (2005) with Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and Will Ferrell, with Luke Wilson directing, as well as Guilty Hearts (2002), Trust the Man (2005), Ghost Rider (2007), We Own the Night (2007), Live! (2007), and Cleaner (2007). In 2008, she was nominated for the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actress for her performance in the all-female comedy film The Women. Mendes then appeared in The Spirit, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, The Other Guys (2010), Last Night (2010), Fast Five (2011), and a spoof short film for Funny or Die. In 2012, Mendes visited Sierra Leone and was featured in the PBS documentary Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide. In 2012, she starred in the crime drama film The Place Beyond the Pines, with Entertainment Weekly describing her performance as "quietly heartbreaking". The following year, she appeared in the HBO comedy film Clear History (2013). Mendes appeared in the Pet Shop Boys' music video for "Se a vida é (That's the Way Life Is)" in 1996, Aerosmith's music video for "Hole in My Soul" in 1997, and Will Smith's music video for "Miami" in 1998.
She also appeared in the music video for The Strokes' "The End Has No End" in 2004, and appeared nude in a print advertisement for Calvin Klein's Secret Obsession perfume, an ad which was banned in the United States. In December 2007, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) used a nude photo of Mendes for their anti-fur campaign. She also modeled in a Morgan campaign. Mendes was a spokesmodel for the 2008 Campari calendar. In July 2008, she was announced as the international face of Australia's 30 Days of Fashion & Beauty event. She made guest appearances in that country at the month-long festival in September. Mendes has been a spokesperson for Calvin Klein, Magnum, and the chocolate milk brand Cocio. She also promoted Thierry Mugler's Angel fragrance, Reebok shoes, and Pantene shampoo. In 2011, Mendes appeared in a Peek & Cloppenburg clothing catalog. Mendes has a line of bed linens and dinnerware that is sold at Macy's. In 2010, Mendes sang on "Pimps Don't Cry," a song featured in The Other Guys, and performed a duet with CeeLo Green on "Pimps Don't Cry." In 2011, she recorded a version of "The Windmills of Your Mind."
Along with acting, Eva is employed by Revlon Cosmetics as an international spokeswoman. She joins such elite actresses and models as Julianne Moore, Halle Berry and Cindy Crawford, who appear in Revlon's television and print ads. She is also a passionate supporter and active participant in Revlon's fight against breast cancer. Eva's goals are to improve her acting skills by working with such contemporary directors as Steven Soderbergh, Spike Jonze, Pedro Almodóvar, Robert Rodriguez, Carl Franklin, John Singleton, and Antoine Fuqua and learning from such renowned directors as Federico Fellini and Michelangelo Antonioni.
She was the creative director of the makeup brand CIRCA Beauty, which launched exclusively at Walgreens in 2015.
Eva has two children with her partner Ryan Gosling.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Zoe Saldana was born on June 19, 1978 in Passaic, New Jersey, to Asalia Nazario and Aridio Saldaña. Her father was Dominican and her mother is Puerto Rican. She was raised in Queens, New York. When she was 10 years old, she and her family moved to the Dominican Republic, where they would live for the next seven years. While living there, Zoe discovered a keen interest in performance dance and began her training at the prestigious ECOS Espacio de Danza Dance Academy where she learned ballet as well as other dance forms. Not only did her training provide an excellent outlet for the enthusiastic and energetic youngster, it would also prove to be a fortunate precursor for the start of her professional acting career. At age 17, Zoe and her family moved back to the United States where her love for dance followed and an interest in theater performance became stronger.
She began performing with the Faces theater troupe which put on plays geared to provide positive messages for teens with themes dealing with issues such as substance abuse and sex. These performances not only gave her valuable experience but also a source of great pride knowing that she was making a difference in the lives of young people like herself. While performing with the Faces troupe and also the New York Youth Theater, Zoe was recruited for a talent agency and her dance training years before coupled with her acting experience greatly helped her land her first big screen role as Eva Rodriguez, the talented and headstrong ballet dancer in the film Center Stage (2000). Since her professional career began several years ago, Zoe's talent and determination have allowed her to be involved in blockbuster films and act with major actors, actresses and industry insiders at a pace that very few young professionals have experienced.
Zoe has not only held her own in major motion picture productions but gained the respect and praise from industry insiders such as Jerry Bruckheimer and Steven Spielberg and actors/actresses such as Tom Hanks, Bernie Mac, Keira Knightley, Ashton Kutcher, Kirsten Dunst and Orlando Bloom. According to many of her co-stars, producers and directors, the sky is no limit for this young star who has incredible range, intense concentration, and a steely determination to be involved with projects that challenge her professionally with wide-ranging subject matters and characters. Just to ask practically anyone who she has worked for or with about her, glowing comments abound and earned friendships and respect are readily revealed. A star has been born, and growing every day.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Sofía Margarita Vergara Vergara was born and raised in Barranquilla, Colombia. Her mother, Margarita Vergara Dávila de Vergara, is a housewife. Her father, Julio Enrique Vergara Robayo, provides cattle to the meat industry. She has five siblings. She was educated at a private bilingual Spanish/English school. She then went on to study pre-dentistry. However, Sofía was discovered by a photographer, whilst at the beach, and this led to various jobs in modeling and television. At age 23, she was a runway model. From 1995 to 1998, she co-hosted a travel show, Fuera de serie (1995), which gave her exposure in the United States. Her first film role was the criminal comedy Big Trouble (2002). Her breakthrough role was as Gloria Delgado-Pritchett on the American television series Modern Family (2009). In 2010-2013, she received four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for this role. Sofía resides in Los Angeles, California with her son, Manolo.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977 in Barranquilla, Colombia to Nidia del Carmen Mebarak (née Ripoll Torrado) & William Alberto Mebarak Chadid. She is of Lebanese, Spanish & Italian descent. Shakira began her musical career at the age of 12 and quickly captured fans around the world. She won the 2001 Best Latin pop Grammy for her MTV Unplugged album.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Mayte Michelle Rodríguez was born on July 12, 1978 in San Antonio, Texas to Carmen Milady Pared Espinal, a housewife, and Rafael Rodríguez Santiago, a U.S. Army solider. Known for tough-chick roles, Michelle is proof that there is a cross between beauty and brawn. Michelle always knew she was destined to become a star, she just didn't know how to get there. Michelle lived in San Antonio until the age of 8 when her parents divorced & moved to the Dominican Republic where she lived for two years before moving to Puerto Rico. At 11, Michelle's family relocated for the last time to Jersey City, New Jersey. Although she has been working since 1999 as an extra in such films as Summer of Sam (1999) and Cradle Will Rock (1999), it only took a magazine ad announcing an open casting call in New York for Michelle to decide to finally step into the spotlight. The role was the female lead, the movie was Girlfight (2000). Despite the lack of experience in film and boxing, Michelle auditioned, along with another 350 girls. After various trials inside an actual boxing ring and five arduous months of training in Brooklyn's Gleason's Gym, she was finally chosen to portray the role of Diana Guzman. As soon as the independent film began making the rounds at various film festivals, Michelle began gaining critical acclaim for her performance earning her awards like the Deauville Festival of American Cinema award for Best Actress and the Las Vegas Film Critics Society for Female Breakthrough performance. As Girlfight (2000) continued to gain notoriety with its September 2000 release, Michelle was already hard at work with films like 3 A.M. (2001), the blockbuster hit The Fast and the Furious (2001), and Resident Evil (2002). With Hollywood calling her name, the future for this feisty Jersey girl is as strong as the punches she throws.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
This stunning and resourceful actress has been primarily a film player thus far. Only recently has she been opening herself up more to doing television (the series Gemini Division (2008), which she executive-produced), and animated voice-overs. Dawson's powerhouse talent stands out the most in edgy, urban filming that dates back to 1995 when she was only sixteen.
A rags-to-riches article entitled "Rosario Dawson: From Tenement to Tinseltown" probably says it all. Rosario was born on May 9, 1979 in New York City. Her mother, Isabel Celeste, of Puerto Rican and Afro-Cuban descent, is a singer, and her stepfather, who raised her, Greg Dawson, of Irish descent, is a construction laborer. Her parents, who married when both were teenagers, eventually divorced. Rosario and her younger brother, Clay Dawson, had it hard while growing up, and were cared for by family members, most of whom were poverty-stricken, and some of whom were HIV-positive.
Her career actually started as a child when she made a minor showing on the children's show, Sesame Street (1969). As the story goes, she was "discovered" as an adolescent on her front porch step by two photographers. One of them, Harmony Korine, was an aspiring screenwriter who thought the inexperienced sixteen-year-old was ideal for the controversial cult film Kids (1995), in which she would portray a sexually active adolescent. It took time for Rosario's film career to kick in after that, but by the late 1990s, she had nabbed several independent films. Since then, she has moved into main-stream hits (and misses) and has surprised viewers with her earthy, provocative, uninhibited approach to her roles.
Reflecting New York's tougher, tawdrier side as assorted streetwalkers, homeless mothers, drug addicts, etc., her film highlights have included Light It Up (1999), Edward Burns' Sidewalks of New York (2001), Spike Lee's 25th Hour (2002) and Shattered Glass (2003). For Oliver Stone, she portrayed the duped bride of Colin Farrell's famed B.C. Macedonian warrior, Alexander (2004) (as in "...the Great"), which featured a notoriously violent-tinged nude/sex scene.
Expanding her horizons beyond film, she has always expressed interest in singing. She hooked up with Prince for the re-release of his 1980s hit "1999" and appeared in The Chemical Brothers' video for the song "Out of Control" from the album "Surrender". She is also featured on the Outkast track, "She Lives in My Lap". On stage, she co-starred as Julia in a revival of "Two Gentlemen of Verona" at the Public Theater's "Shakespeare in the Park" and appeared in "The Vagina Monologues".
She lucked into and got to show off her singing chops in the film adaptation of the hit New York musical Rent (2005), when Daphne Rubin-Vega, the original Mimi, became pregnant and was unable to reprise her exotic dancer role. Rosario also appeared as a prostitute in the adaptation of the graphic novel Sin City (2005). Of late, she has turned to producing. One of those, Descent (2007), had her playing a college coed who is brutally attacked and raped by a fellow student. Her more popular ventures have thus far included the role of Valerie Brown in the live-action version of the comic strip Josie and the Pussycats (2001), the Will Smith starrer Men in Black II (2002), Eagle Eye (2008) with Shia LaBeouf and Seven Pounds (2008), again with Smith, in which she offered one of her more tender-hearted performances as a woman with a potentially fatal heart condition.
More recent millennium films opposite some of Hollywood's top leading movie men include the tense actioneer Unstoppable (2010) with Denzel Washington and Chris Pine; the comedy/fantasy Zookeeper (2011) opposite Dalekmania (1995); romantic dramedy 10 Years (2011) with Channing Tatum; crime drama Fire with Fire (2012) with Bruce Willis; romantic comedy Top Five (2014) with Chris Rock; and action adventure Zombieland: Double Tap (2019) with Woody Harrelson. She has also top-lined independent films with her own feisty characters such as the thriller Unforgettable (2017) and the title role in the dramedy Krystal (2017).
Focusing also on TV projects, Rosario has graced such action series/mini-series as Daredevil (2015), Iron Fist (2017) and The Defenders (2017), as well as the comedy Jane the Virgin (2014) and animated cartoon series The Last Kids on Earth (2019).
Off-camera, the still-single Dawson is highly active in political, social and environmental causes and has been involved with such organizations/charities/campaigns as the Lower East Side Girls Club, Global Cool, the O.N.E. Campaign, Oxfam, Amnesty International, Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Control Arms, International Rescue Committee, Voto Latino (which she founded), Conservation International, Doctors Without Borders, National Geographic Society, The Nature Conservancy and Save the Children. In October 2008, she lent her voice to the RESPECT! Campaign, a movement aimed at preventing domestic violence.of Cuban and Puerto Rican Descent- Actress
- Producer
- Cinematographer
Jessica Marie Alba was born on April 28, 1981, in Pomona, CA, to Catherine (Jensen) and Mark David Alba, who served in the US Air Force. Her father is of Mexican descent (including Spanish and Indigenous Mexican roots), and her mother has Danish, Welsh, English, and French ancestry. Her family moved to Biloxi, MS, when she was an infant. Three years later her father's career brought the family back to California, then to Del Rio, TX, before finally settling in Southern California when Jessica was nine. In love with the idea of becoming an actress from the age of five, she was 12 before she took her first acting class. Nine months later she was signed by an agent. She studied at the Atlantic Theatre Company with founders William H. Macy and David Mamet.
A gifted young actress, Jessica has played a variety of roles ranging from light comedy to gritty drama since beginning her career. She made her feature film debut in 1993 in Hollywood Pictures' comedy Camp Nowhere (1994). Originally hired for two weeks, she got her break when an actress in a principal role suddenly dropped out. Jessica cheerfully admits it wasn't her prodigious talent or charm that inspired the director to tap her to take over the part--it was her hair, which matched the original performer's. The two-week job stretched to two months, and Jessica ended the film with an impressive first credit. Two national TV commercials for Nintendo and J.C. Penney quickly followed before Jessica was featured in several independent films. She branched out into TV in 1994 with a recurring role in Nickelodeon's popular comedy series The Secret World of Alex Mack (1994). She played an insufferable young snob, devoted to making life miserable for the the title character, played by Larisa Oleynik. That same year, she won the role of "Maya" in Flipper (1995) and filmed the pilot for the series. She spent 1995 shooting the first season's episodes in Australia. An avid swimmer and PADI-certified SCUBA diver, Jessica was delighted to be doing a show that allowed her to play with dolphins. The show's success guaranteed it a second season, which she also starred in. Her involvement in the show lasted from 1995 to 1997.
In 1996 she appeared in Venus Rising (1995) as "Young Eve." The next year she appeared on The Dini Petty Show (1989), a Canadian talk show, and spoke about her role in "Flipper" and her general acting career. She began working on P.U.N.K.S. (1999), featuring Randy Quaid, in 1998. In early 1998 she appeared in Brooklyn South (1997) as "Melissa." That same year she was in two episodes of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as "Leanne" and in two episodes of Love Boat: The Next Wave (1998).
She appeared in "Teen Magazine" in 1995 and various European magazines over the following years. More importantly, she was featured in the February 1999 issue of "Vanity Fair" magazine. She also had major roles in two movies that year: Never Been Kissed (1999) and Idle Hands (1999). In 2000 she had roles in Paranoid (2000) and starred in the sci-fi TV series Dark Angel (2000), gaining worldwide recognition.
Her first starring role in a major studio film was the Honey (2003), Universal Pictures' contemporary urban drama that grossed over $60 million worldwide. She has since made over 25 feature films that have earned a combined box-office total of over $800 million, including comedies and dramas, from gritty independents to major studio blockbusters. In 2005 she starred opposite Bruce Willis and an all-star cast in the provocative and critically acclaimed Sin City (2005), directed by Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller. She next starred as Sue Storm--"The Invisible Girl"--in Marvel's action-franchise blockbuster Fantastic Four (2005), which was released by 20th Century-Fox in July 2005 and became a worldwide box-office success with over $300 million in revenue.
Jessica was part of Garry Marshall's all-star ensemble romantic comedy, Valentine's Day (2010), which broke box-office records with the largest opening on a four-day President's Day weekend in history. She starred opposite Casey Affleck and Kate Hudson in director Michael Winterbottom's controversial screen adaptation of The Killer Inside Me (2010), based on Jim Thompson's novel, as well as Robert Rodriquez's Machete (2010). She co-starred in the third installment of the hit "Meet the Parents" franchise Little Fockers (2010), as well as the 4D family adventure Spy Kids 4: All the Time in the World (2011), marking her third of five collaborations with Robert Rodriguez. Jessica was part of an all-star voice cast for The Weinstein Company's animated adventure, Escape from Planet Earth (2012), also featuring Sarah Jessica Parker, Brendan Fraser and James Gandolfini.
She appeared in the comedy A.C.O.D. (2013), which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and starred Adam Scott, Jane Lynch and Amy Poehler. She made a cameo appearance in Machete Kills (2013) and co-starred in Robert Rodriquez's highly-anticipated, star-studded sequel Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014). That year she had a full slate of acting projects, including the period drama Dear Eleanor (2016), The Englishman opposite Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek; the IFC parody mini-series The Spoils of Babylon (2014), produced by Funny or Die, with a stellar cast including Will Ferrell, Kristen Wiig, Tobey Maguire, Michael Sheen and Tim Robbins; and Stretch (2014), co-starring Patrick Wilson, Chris Pine, Ray Liotta, Ed Helms and Brooklyn Decker.
Jessica has received Golden Globe and People's Choice Award nominations, was voted TV Guide readers' Breakout Star of the Year, and won Favorite TV Actress at the 2001 Teen Choice Awards for "Dark Angel." She won the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Female Actress for her performance in "Fantastic Four" and an MTV Movie Award for Sexiest Performance in "Sin City." She received another Teen Choice Award for Choice Movie Actress in a Horror/Thriller for The Eye (2008) and was honored by the Young Hollywood Awards as Superstar of Tomorrow in 2005. She has received ALMA Awards for her performances in "Dark Angel" and "Machete," as well as a Fashion Icon in 2009.- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actress
Fergie was born Stacy Ann Ferguson on March 27, 1975 in Hacienda Heights, California, to Theresa Ann "Terri" (Gore) and John Patrick Ferguson, both schoolteachers. Her ancestry includes German, English, Irish, Scottish, Swedish, and Luxembourgish. When she was a teenager, her parents divorced, which was a big challenge for a girl who wanted to be a star. As a child actress, she appeared on the television program Kids Incorporated (1984) for several years with Renee Sandstrom. Later, Ferguson was a member of the female trio Wild Orchid, which she fronted with fellow Kids Incorporated (1984) star Renee Sandstrom and Stefanie Ridel. Wild Orchid released two albums, but after completing a third album, their record label declined to release it. This prompted an emotional crisis, and Ferguson sought therapy. She left the group shortly thereafter. In 2003, she was invited for a part in The Black Eyed Peas' song "Hey Mama." The members of the group were so impressed by her performance that she became the fourth member of the band. Since then, she's mostly known as "Fergie." In September 2004, Fergie met an American actor, Josh Duhamel, who she married in 2009. She took part in a Hollywood blockbuster, Poseidon (2006). Fergie is a favorite singer of Quentin Tarantino, who invited her to co-star in his movie Grindhouse (2007).Stacy Ferguson is of Mexican heritage.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Christina Maria Aguilera was born on December 18, 1980 in Staten Island, New York City, New York to musician Shelly Loraine Fidler Kearns and U.S. Army sergeant Fausto Wagner Xavier Aguilera Monge. Her father is Ecuadorian and her mother, who is American-born, has Welsh, Dutch and German ancestry. Her parents divorced when she was young and she lived with her mother, although they moved around a lot. Her goal almost since birth was to be a singer, and at age 12 she was invited to audition for The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989). She won the part and stayed until the show ended. In 1999 she had her breakthrough hit, "Genie in a Bottle." Since then she's made millions of fans, sold millions of records, and won many awards, including a Grammy for Best New Female Artist. She has even made a Latin album and released a Christmas album.
Aguilera is a bilingual singer. She has received many honors including Grammy Nominations and a win for Best New Artist. 2 MTV Video Music Awards, a Radio Music Awards, 2 VH1 Awards, and a Teen Choice Award with 'Lil' Kim', Mya and Pink and the smash hit "Lady Maramalade". She was on The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989) with *NSYNC's Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez, Britney Spears, Ryan Gosling, and Keri Russell. Her musical influences include Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, and Janet Jackson.Christina Aguilera is also part Ecuadorian.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Cameron Diaz, an American actress, was born in 1972 in San Diego, the daughter of a Cuban-American father and a German mother. Self described as "adventurous, independent and a tough kid," Cameron left home at 16 and for the next 5 years lived in such varied locales as Japan, Australia, Mexico, Morocco, and Paris. Returning to California at the age of 21, she was working as a model when she auditioned for a big part in The Mask (1994). To her amazement and despite having no previous acting experience, she was cast as the female lead in the film opposite Jim Carrey. Over the next 3 years, she honed her acting skills in such low budget independent films as The Last Supper (1995); Feeling Minnesota (1996); and Head Above Water (1996). She returned to main stream films in My Best Friend's Wedding (1997), in which she held her own against veteran actress Julia Roberts. She earned full fledged star status in 1998 for her performance in the box office smash There's Something About Mary (1998). Cameron Diaz appears to possess everything necessary to become one of the super stars of the new century.Cameron Diaz is also of Cuban descent.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Roselyn Milagros Sánchez Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, producer, and writer. On television, she is best known for her roles as Elena Delgado on the CBS police procedural Without a Trace (2005-09), as Carmen Luna on the Lifetime comedy-drama Devious Maids (2013-16), and as Elena Roarke on the new Fantasy Island (2021-present). In film, Sánchez has appeared in Rush Hour 2 (2001), Boat Trip (2002), The Game Plan (2007), and Act of Valor (2012).- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Christina Milian was born Christine Flores on September 26, 1981 in Jersey City, New Jersey & raised in Waldorf, Maryland. At the age of 19, Milian signed a contract with Def Jam. In 2001, Milian released her self-titled debut album, which featured the singles "AM to PM" and "When You Look at Me"; "AM to PM" charted within the Top 40 of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and both peaked in the top three on the UK Singles Chart. In 2004, Milian released her second studio album It's About Time, which provided her first major U.S. hit, "Dip It Low", which reached number five on the U.S. Billboard chart. "Whatever U Want" was released as the album's second single. Both singles charted within the Top 10 of the UK chart.Christina Milian has Cuban blood in her.- Music Artist
- Music Department
- Actress
Gloria Estefan was born on 1 September 1957 in Havana, Cuba. She is a music artist and actress, known for Music of the Heart (1999), Poseidon (2006) and The Specialist (1994). She has been married to Emilio Estefan Jr. since 2 September 1978. They have two children.Very underatting looking latina beauty right here.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
A new reigning 1960s international sex symbol took to the cinematic throne as soon as Raquel Welch emerged from the sea in her purposely depleted, furry prehistoric bikini. Tantalizingly wet with her garb clinging to all the right amazonian places, One Million Years B.C. (1966), if nothing else, captured the hearts and libidos of modern men (not to mention their teenage sons) while producing THE most definitive and best-selling pin-up poster of that time.
She was born Jo Raquel Tejada on September 5, 1940 in Chicago, Illinois, the first of three children of Bolivian-born Armando Carlos Tejada, an aerospace engineer, and his wife, Josephine Sarah (Hall). The family moved to San Diego, California (her father was transferred) when Raquel was only two. Taking dance lessons as a youngster, she grew up to be quite a knockout and nailed a number of teen beauty titles ("Miss Photogenic," "Miss La Jolla," "Miss Contour," "Miss Fairest of the Fair" and "Miss San Diego").
With her sights set on theater arts, she studied at San Diego State College on a scholarship starting in 1958 and married her first husband, high school sweetheart James Welch, the following year. They had two children: Damon Welch (born 1959), who later became an actor/production assistant, and actress Tahnee Welch (born 1961). Tahnee went on to take advantage of her own stunning looks as an actress, most notably with her prime role in Cocoon (1985).
Off campus, she became a local TV weather girl in San Diego and eventually quit college. Following the end of her marriage in 1962 (although Raquel and James Welch didn't divorce until 1964), she packed up her two children and moved to Dallas, Texas, where she modeled for Neiman-Marcus and worked as a barmaid for a time.
Regrouping, she returned to California and made the rounds of film/TV auditions. She found work providing minor but sexy set decoration on the small screen (Bewitched (1964), McHale's Navy (1962) and The Virginian (1962)) as well as the large screen (Elvis Presley's Roustabout (1964) and Doris Day's Do Not Disturb (1965)). Caught in the midst of the "beach party" craze, it's not surprising to find out that her first major film role was A Swingin' Summer (1965), which concentrated more on musical guests The Righteous Brothers and Gary Lewis & The Playboys than on Welch's outstanding assets. But 20th Century-Fox certainly took notice and signed her up.
With her very first film under contract (actually, she was on loan out to Britain's Hammer Studios at the time), she took on One Million Years B.C. (1966) (the remake of One Million B.C. (1940), in the role originated by Carole Landis), and the rest is history. Welch remained an international celebrity in her first few years of stardom. In England, she was quite revealing as the deadly sin representing "lust" for the comedy team of Peter Cook and Dudley Moore in their vehicle Bedazzled (1967), and as the title secret agent in the spy spoof Fathom (1967). In Italy, she gained some exposure in primarily mediocre vehicles opposite such heartthrobs as Marcello Mastroianni.
Back in the U.S., however, she caused quite a stir in her groundbreaking sex scenes with black athlete Jim Brown in the "spaghetti western" 100 Rifles (1969), and as the transgender title role in the unfathomable Myra Breckinridge (1970). Adapted from Gore Vidal's novel, she created some unwelcome notoriety by locking horns with septuagenarian diva Mae West on the set. The instant cult movie certainly didn't help Welch's attempt at being taking seriously as an actress.
Box office bombs abounded. Try as she might in such films as Kansas City Bomber (1972) and The Wild Party (1975), which drew some good reviews for her, her sexy typecast gave her little room to breathe. With determination, however, she partly offset this with modest supporting roles in larger ensemble pieces. She showed definite spark and won a Golden Globe for the swashbuckler The Three Musketeers (1973), and appeared in the mystery thriller The Last of Sheila (1973). She planned on making a comeback in Cannery Row (1982), even agreeing to appear topless (which she had never done before), but was suddenly fired during production without notice. She sued MGM for breach of contract and ultimately won a $15 million settlement, but it didn't help her film career and only helped to label her as trouble on a set.
TV movies became a positive milieu for Welch as she developed sound vehicles for herself such as The Legend of Walks Far Woman (1980) and Right to Die (1987), earning a Golden Globe nomination for the latter project. She also found a lucrative avenue pitching beauty products in infomercials and developing exercise videos (such as Jane Fonda).
Welch took advantage of her modest singing and dancing abilities by performing in splashy Las Vegas showroom acts and starring in such plausible stage vehicles as "Woman of the Year" and "Victor/Victoria". She spoofed her own image on occasion, most memorably on Seinfeld (1989). Into the millennium, she co-starred in the Hispanic-oriented TV series American Family (2002) and the short-lived comedies Welcome to the Captain (2008) and Date My Dad (2017), along with the movies Tortilla Soup (2001), Legally Blonde (2001), Forget About It (2006) and How to Be a Latin Lover (2017).
Her three subsequent marriages were to producer/agent Patrick Curtis (who produced her TV special, Raquel (1970)), director André Weinfeld (who directed her in several fitness videos), and pizza parlor owner Richie Palmer, who was 14 years her junior. All these unions ended in divorce.
She died at 2:25 a.m. on February 15, 2023, aged 82, at her Los Angeles home after suffering a cardiac arrest. She had been suffering from Alzheimer's disease.- Actress
- Writer
- Composer
Raquel's path in the entertainment world was nurtured and encouraged from an early age. By age 4 she was regularly appearing on "Sesame Street" and "Nick Jr." Then at age 7 she became a breakout star when she played the lead role in the feature film "Jersey Girl" alongside megastars Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck.
Raquel charmed the talk-show circuit appearing as a guest on "Ellen" and "The Tonight Show" with Jay Leno. She co-hosted with Ryan Seacrest on "On Air with Ryan Seacrest." At age 10, Raquel was appointed the youngest correspondent ever for Entertainment Tonight's Kid's Choice Awards, where she had the opportunity to interview high-profile celebrities including Jim Carrey, Cameron Diaz, Queen Latifah, and Adam Sandler. Her acting career continued to flourish as she guest-starred in "Law & Order SVU" and appeared in the world premiere of Broadway's "White Christmas" as Susan Waverly. She also made her music-video debut as "Little Nicole" in Ludacris/Mary J. Blige's video "Runaway Love."
Her first grown-up role was the love interest in Rosie O'Donnell's Lifetime movie "America." She co-starred in the Canadian TV show "Winging It," in which she debuted one of her original songs.
After she competed on "The Voice," Raquel's YouTube channel "raquelcx3" garnered over a million views, and a contribution to that popularity is her cover of Christina Aguilera's "Ain't No Other Man" as well as Selena's "Amor Prohibido," which shows her versatility as a bilingual/Spanish singer.
Raquel had a recurring role on Fox's hit show "Empire" as Marisol, a member of Hakeem and Cookie's girl group Mirage' A Trois, a role that cemented her as an acting/singing/dancing triple threat. With three songs on Sony's "Empire" soundtrack and a collaboration with Becky G on the single "Do It," she is definitely making strides on her musical journey.
Having just landed the theme song for the new Netflix animated series "Carmen Sandiego," a hit song on BPM Radio, and another #1 on Billboard's dance chart with the Zack Martino/Disco Fries remix of "U Make Me", Raquel is headed in the right direction.
Whether it be acting, singing, dancing or songwriting, Raquel has had many moments of great success. Although her first professional platform into the music industry was at age 16 as a finalist on Christina Aguilera's team on Season 1 of "The Voice," she had a full-circle moment when she recently returned to NBC on Season 2 of "Songland" and had the incredible opportunity to pitch a song she wrote in front of Grammy-winning producers Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally, and Ester Dean, as well as R&B artist "H.E.R." Raquel worked one-on-one with Ryan Tedder, and her song "Wrong Places" was chosen by "H.E.R.," which landed Raquel her first placement with a major artist. "Wrong Places" currently has 5.2 million streams and counting.
In 2020, Raquel signed with Jason Boyarski, a top entertainment music attorney at Boyarski Fritz.Look like Jersey Girl is all grown up. No longer Jersey Girl, Jersey Woman.- Music Artist
- Actress
- Music Department
Actress and singer Selena Gomez was born on July 22, 1992 in Grand Prairie, Texas. She is the daughter of Mandy Teefey and Ricardo Gomez. Her mother is of part Italian ancestry, and her father is of Mexican descent. She was named after Tejano singer Selena, who died in 1995.
Her first acting role was as "Gianna" in the popular '90s children's television show Barney & Friends (1992), alongside Demi Lovato from 2002-2004. Gomez also had roles in Spy Kids 3: Game Over (2003), Walker, Texas Ranger: Trial by Fire (2005), and House Broken (2006).
Gomez moved to Los Angeles, California when she booked the lead role of "Alex Russo" and rose to fame in the Disney Channel series Wizards of Waverly Place (2007). She then starred in Another Cinderella Story (2008) on ABC Family, had her first voice-role in the animated film Horton Hears a Who! (2008), and co-starred with childhood friend, Demi Lovato, in Princess Protection Program (2009).
In 2009, Gomez released her first album with her band called "Selena Gomez & the Scene," which ranked #9 on the Billboard 200 album charts. Gomez later released two other albums with her band and starred in Monte Carlo (2011), Spring Breakers (2012), and Hotel Transylvania (2012).
In 2013, she released her first solo album "Stars Dance" and the lead single "Come & Get It" from the album, became Gomez's first top ten entry on the Billboard Hot 100 list. She starred in Getaway (2013), Rudderless (2014), and Behaving Badly (2014).
In 2015, she released her second solo album "Revival," which debuted #1 on the Billboard 200 list, and starred in Hotel Transylvania 2 (2015), The Fundamentals of Caring (2016), In Dubious Battle (2016), and Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (2016). She made her third solo album "Rare" in 2020.- Actress
- Composer
- Additional Crew
Victoria Justice is an American actress and singer. She was born on February 19, 1993 in Hollywood, Florida, USA. She is the daughter of Serene Reed and Zack Justice. Her mother has Puerto Rican ancestry, while her father is of English, German, and Irish descent. She has a younger half-sister, Madison Reed.
She rose to fame on Nickelodeon, starring as Lola Martinez in the television series, Zoey 101 (2005), and Tori Vega in the sitcom, Victorious (2010).
She starred in the films, The Boy Who Cried Werewolf (2010), The First Time (2012) and Fun Size (2012).
She released her debut single "Gold" on June 18, 2013.
She starred in the film, Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List (2015) in the MTV television series, Eye Candy (2015).- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Vanessa Anne Hudgens was born in Salinas, California. Her family moved to San Diego, California, while she was still a toddler. She has a younger sister, Stella Hudgens, who is also an actress. Her mother, Gina Hudgens (née Guangco), an office worker, is from the Philippines. Her father, Greg Hudgens, a firefighter, was from a family from Missouri and Illinois.
Vanessa was interested in acting and singing at a young age, inspired by her grandparents, who were musicians. At the age of 8, she started appearing in musical theater. She fell deeper in love with the arts and began studying acting, singing, and dance more seriously with Jailyn Osborne. Vanessa very briefly attended Orange County High School of the Arts. After years of auditioning, she began seeing some success. This prompted her family to move to Los Angeles, California. She started homeschooling, so she missed out on the high school experience, and she finally landed her breakthrough role in High School Musical (2006).of Spanish Descent- Julie Banderas was born on 25 September 1973 in Hartford, Connecticut, USA. She has been married to Andrew Sansone since 29 August 2009. They have three children.
- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Tatyana Marisol Ali was born on January 24, 1979, in North Bellmore, New York, to Sonia, a nurse from Panama, and Sheriff Ali, a retired police officer from Trinidad. At the age of four, she started singing and got a taste of fame when she begged her mother to take her to an audition for Sesame Street (1969).
She went on to perform in many productions in her native New York, including the Broadway show "Fences"--with James Earl Jones and, later, Billy Dee Williams--and the off-Broadway show "Orfeo del Campo". When she was seven, she appeared on Star Search (1983) and won twice, receiving a four-star rating when she appeared for a second time. At age 11, Tatyana moved from New York to Los Angeles to establish her career and, not long afterwards, got her breakthrough role:Will Smith's cousin, "Ashley Banks," from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (1990).
While filming "The Fresh Prince," she also had exciting side projects, including guest roles in television shows such as The Cosby Show (1984), The All New Mickey Mouse Club (1989) (aka "The Mickey Mouse Club"), Kyno's Storytime (1992), Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1990) and Foster's Field Trip (1994).
The public saw her grow on "Fresh Prince" from an adorable little girl to a stunning young woman, and she sang in several episodes of the show, most notably her rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Respect" and an original song, "Make Up Your Mind." Smith was so impressed with her singing that he asked if she would consider doing it professionally. Tatyana began preparing for her singing career during the last year of the show as she began training her vocal cords, recording demos and publicly performing on television and in various informal live concerts. Her performances on "The Fresh Prince" actually helped her build a fan base that anxiously waited for her first album launch. On August 25, she released her album "Kiss the Sky" (MJJ Music/Work/SME) and her single "Daydreamin'." The single was certified gold within weeks of its release, and it quickly rose on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles, where it reached #6 and stayed there for two weeks. She also contributed to major movies such as Crocodile Dundee II (1988) and Eddie Murphy: Raw (1987). Since then, she has had significant roles in two films, Fall Into Darkness (1996) and Fakin' Da Funk (1997). She has also guest-starred in several sitcoms, including In the House (1995), and had a cameo role in the film Kiss the Girls (1997). She also went to Harvard and graduated with a degree in Anthropology in June 2002. She is now working on a new album and starring in more movies.Tatyana Ali is half Panamanian.- Actress
- Producer
Rocsi Diaz was born on 17 November 1983 in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She is an actress and producer, known for 106 & Park (2000), Entertainment Tonight (1981) and Cannonball (2020).- Julissa Bermudez was born on 28 September 1983 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She is an actress, known for Royal Pains (2009), Make It Happen (2008) and Danger One (2018).
- Actress
- Director
Johanna Botta was born on 16 April 1983 in Lima, Peru. She is an actress and director, known for Joe Dick (2017), Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) and McMafia (2018).- Actress
- Producer
Ali Landry broke onto the scene and gained instant fame as "the Doritos Girl", when she was featured in a commercial for Frito Lay during the 1998 Super Bowl telecast. The next day, the NY Post hailed in a cover story "A star was born during Superbowl XXXII". Later that year, she was named one of People Magazine's "50 Most Beautiful".
Following the success of the commercial campaign, Ali, who was crowned Miss USA 1996, made the transition from modeling to acting with a variety of film and television roles. Most recently, she co-starred in the feature film Bella (2006), which won the Toronto Film Festival Award in 2006, in addition to three seasons on the hit UPN Network series Eve (2003).
Other television appearances included recurring roles on Felicity (1998), Two Guys, a Girl and a Pizza Place (1998), Sunset Beach (1997) and Popular (1999). Her hosting credits have included the weekly music-talk show Farmclub.com (2001), Cooking with Mom (2003) and Full Frontal Fashion (2002) on WE: Women's Entertainment, and NBC's Spy TV (2001). Plus, Ali was an MTV staple in the summer of 1999, appearing in the popular video for 98 Degrees' single, "I Do". In feature films, she co-starred in Beautiful (2000), directed by Sally Field, in 2000.
A trained dancer in jazz, tap and ballet for 15 years, Landry hails from Beaux Bridge, Louisiana. She also enjoys kickboxing and gymnastics. Ali currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, director Alejandro Monteverde, and their daughter, Estela.- Raven-haired beauty Jordana Brewster was born on April 26, 1980 in Panama City, Panama. Her mother, Maria João Leal de Sousa, is a Brazilian-born model who appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1978. Her father, Alden Brewster, is an American-born investment banker, who has English, Scottish, and Irish ancestry. Her paternal grandfather, Mayflower descendant Kingman Brewster, Jr., was president of Yale University from 1963 to 1977. Jordana was raised in London, England up until the age of six. At this time, her family decided to move back to her mother's native Rio de Janeiro. Here, they would stay for the next 4 years. Jordana learned to speak fluent Portuguese during her 4 year stay in Rio de Janeiro. At the age of ten, Jordana's family decided to move again, only this time they would relocate to Manhattan. It was here where Jordana studied at Sacred Heart, an all-girl Catholic school before moving on to the New York Professional Children's School. It was in her teens that Jordana began to make a name for herself by appearing in two of daytime television's longest-running soap operas, All My Children (1970) and in 1996 As the World Turns (1956), where she played the role of "Nikki Munson" for three years. Jordana also went on to co-star in the NBC mini-series The '60s (1999). The year 1998 marked her big-screen debut as "Delilah Profitt" in the teen-driven film, The Faculty (1998). However, it was her role as "Mia Toretto" in the blockbuster hit The Fast and the Furious (2001) that led her to reach Hollywood stardom. Despite her success, Jordana continued to attend Yale University, in the class of 2003. She played the lead in the prequel The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006), and reprised her role, Mia, in the sequels Fast & Furious (2009), Fast Five (2011), Fast & Furious 6 (2013), and Furious 7 (2015).
Brewster was married to producer Andrew Form in 2007, and they have two sons. - Actress
- Writer
Eva LaRue grew up in California. At the age of 6 she began her show-business career. She starred in television commercials and sang many "jingles" for them. She still often sings at sports events and any other opportunities that arise. Eva likes to ride horses and has shown horses for over a decade. She also enjoys Tae Kwon Do. She's the oldest of three children. She loves acting and is well into her craft.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Cote de Pablo was born in Santiago, Chile, but was raised in Miami, Florida. She attended Arvida Middle School in Miami and then Carnegie Mellon University. She graduated in 2000 after studying music theater. Whilst at Carnegie Mellon she appeared in several theater productions, including "Indiscretions," "The Fantasticks," "The House of Bernarda Alba," "And The World Goes 'Round," "A Little Night Music," and "Cloud Techtonics." Her first television job was co-hosting the 1994 show Control (2000), alongside Entertainment Tonight (1981) host Carlos Ponce.
In 2001, Cote appeared on the New York City Public Theater stage in the Shakespearean play "Measure for Measure," then moved on to roles on the small screen such as Gina in the ABC series The Education of Max Bickford (2001), acting alongside Academy Award-winners Richard Dreyfuss and Marcia Gay Harden, Golden Globe winner Regina Taylor, veteran actress Helen Shaver, and Katee Sackhoff. She also had roles in The $treet (2000) and When I Grow Up (1990). In 2004, she starred in the short-lived Fox series The Jury (2004), playing Marguerite Cisneros.
In 2005, she played Dolores Fuentes in the stage musical "The Mambo Kings" and later was cast as Mossad officer Ziva David in the hit series NCIS (2003), alongside Mark Harmon, Michael Weatherly, Pauley Perrette, David McCallum, Sean Murray, Lauren Holly, Rocky Carroll, and Brian Dietzen.
As of 2008, she was living in Los Angeles.- Alana De La Garza was born in Columbus, Ohio and later relocated to Texas, ultimately attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). After college, she moved to Orlando, Florida, landing roles in a number of independent films as well as commercials. Her work took her to New York, where she studied extensively under renowned acting instructor JoAnna Beckson. After getting her break as "Rosa Santos" on the daytime drama All My Children (1970), Alana moved to Los Angeles. A slew of guest spots followed. One of the most recognizable was her role as a con artist on the hit show Las Vegas (2003), followed by a series lead on the WB's The Mountain (2004). She recently completed the romantic comedy Mr. Fix It (2006) opposite David Boreanaz and has been guesting on CSI: Miami (2002), before joining the cast of Law & Order (1990) in June 2006.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Her youthful ambition and undeniable talent have taken Jasmine into other creative arenas. She has been featured in print advertisements for Target National, Mary Kate and Ashley, American Girl, Levi's, Hilary Duff, Robinsons May, Macys, Mervyns, Girl Scouts, Sparklets Drinking Water, Kohls as well as principal roles in television commercials for Chevrolet, The Dog, Kellogs, Zellers, Marshalls, and McDonald's. Jasmine has also made guest starring appearances on Disney's "That's So Raven," Touchstone Pictures' "My Wife and Kids" starring Damon Wayans, and she has also gone on to become Ms. Hawaiian Tropic and Ms. Royal Essence. She has recently finished shooting a pilot for a Disney sitcom "House Broken", a spin-off of Disney's The Suite Life of Zach and Cody, starring Brian Stepanek. She also has a reoccurring role on the ABC's prime time show "The Nine", and a guest role on the television series "Threat Matrix". She has also been featured in Kanye West's music video "Jesus Walks" and Frankie J.'s "How To Deal".- Music Artist
- Actress
- Music Department
Selena was born in Lake Jackson, Texas, 50 miles southeast of Houston, to Abraham Quintanilla Jr. and Marcella Quintanilla. Abraham opened a Mexican restaurant, Papagayo, in Lake Jackson. Selena was 9 years old when her father discovered her talent for singing. He formed a band consisting of Selena on vocals, her brother A.B. Quintanilla on bass, and her sister Suzette Quintanilla on drums. The group, called Los Dinos after a band Abraham was a member of in the 1950s and 1960s, frequently performed at the restaurant. In 1981, the family moved to Corpus Christi where Abraham started booking his band for weddings and parties. This became their way of life. Selena and Los Dinos' big break came in 1987, when 15-year-old Selena won the Tejano Music Award for Female Entertainer of the Year. That award led Selena to a major record-label contract with Capitol Records and six very successful albums. By 1992, Selena had branched out and launched her clothing line and married her guitarist, Chris Pérez. In 1994, she was nominated and won her first Grammy for Best Mexican-American album, "Selena Live!" That year, she opened her first boutique in Corpus Christi, Texas. On March 31, 1995, Selena was murdered by Yolanda Saldivar, her friend and president of her fan club.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Meagan Monique Good was born on 8 August 1981 in Panorama City, California, USA, to Tyra Wardlow-Doyle, who worked as her manager, and Leondis "Leon" Good, an LAPD officer. She began appearing on commercials at the age of four. Then she started guest-starring on series like The Parent 'Hood (1995), Touched by an Angel (1994), Moesha (1996), The Steve Harvey Show (1996) and The Division (2001). She also starred in Raising Dad (2001) with Bob Saget.Meagan Good is of partial Puerto Rican ancestry.- Actress
- Producer
- Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mexican actress Kate del Castillo broke through in America as a result of her award-winning performance in the hit Fox Searchlight/Weinstein movie Under the Same Moon (2007), which is to date the highest-grossing Spanish-language theatrical release in U.S. history.
Kate starred as "Queen of the South" in La Reina del Sur (2011) a short form prime-time telenovela for Telemundo (NBC/Universal) and Antena 3 (Spain.) This adaptation of the bestseller by Spanish novelist Arturo Perez-Reverte drew more than 8.1 million viewers in its debut week, making it the most successful telenovela premiere week in the web's history. It continues to break records attracting male viewers and non-Spanish speaking viewers.
Del Castillo appeared as a guest star in six episodes of the fifth season of the Showtime hit comedy series _Weeds_. She starred as 'Pilar Zuazo,' a powerful Mexican crime boss who threatened Nancy (Mary-Louise Parker) and Esteban's romance and was then hit with a mallet by Nancy's son.
Del Castillo recently starred in Univision.com's first-ever webnovela (which she co-produced), "Vidas Cruzadas" (Crossed Lives). The series was a huge success and generated more than two million video streams through September 15, 2009 making it one of the three most-watched online properties ever according to the network.
L'Oréal Paris signed del Castillo to an exclusive U.S. contract as a spokesperson for the company and its beauty brands. The advertising was shot in Los Angeles and Paris and appeared in the U.S. and Mexico. The California Ford dealers tapped her as its spokesperson to star in their television and radio ads. The History Channel named her Network Spokesperson for Hispanic Heritage Month in 2007.
Kate del Castillo, was appointed Ambassador for the Mexican Commission on Human Rights to combat human trafficking in 2009, and launched the Blue Heart campaign in Mexico City with U.N. Goodwill Ambassador Mira Sorvino in 2010..
She began her acting career as a child, but it wasn't until the enormously successful telenovela "Muchachitas" that she became a full-fledged star in Mexico. She went on to become the leading ingénue of nine telenovelas, including "Ramona" and "La Mentira" taking them to the top of the Nielsen charts every time. Her telenovelas have aired multiple times in more than 100 countries worldwide. Kate received various accolades for her critically acclaimed performance as a Bolivian dancer in American Visa (2005) including "Best Actress" awards in film festivals in Spain and Brazil, and a "Best Actress" nomination at the Ariel Awards, Mexico's equivalent to the Oscars. In the United States, the movie premiered at the AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles, to a sold-out crowd. She also did a cameo in Bordertown (2007) as Antonio Banderas's long-suffering wife.
Kate returned to her theater roots in Mexico for a sold-out eight week theatre run in the two character David Harrower play "Blackbird" ("Pájaro Negro.) She won the "Best Actress" award from the Theatre Critics Association in Mexico.
Among her many awards, Kate received the "Outstanding Performance in a Motion Picture" award for her performances in Trade (2007) and Under the Same Moon (2007) by the National Hispanic Media under the umbrella of the National Latino Media Council. In August 2008, she won the Imagen "Best Actress" award for "Under the Same Moon."
Kate has graced the covers of the top Spanish-language magazines, and was People en Español's 2007 cover Actress of the Year, as well as one of their "Most Beautiful People." On September 13, 2009, Kate served as Grand Marshall in Los Angeles' Mexican Independence Day Parade.
Kate was the voice of Sally Carrera in the Spanish version of Pixar/Disney's Cars (2006) and will soon appear in the animated Rio (2011)_ as a bird/wife to George Lopez. She made her crossover debut on television in the U.S. in the Golden Globe-nominated PBS series American Family (2002) alongside Edward James Olmos.
She is developing a project for television, which she hopes will showcase her love of extreme sports. She published her first novel "Tuya," which is based on her screenplay, and it is now in its third printing.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Eva Jacqueline Longoria was born on March 15, 1975 in Corpus Christi, Texas to Ella Eva Longoria (née Mireles), a special education teacher & Enrique Longoria Jr., a rancher. The youngest of four sisters who grew up in a Mexican-American family on a ranch near Corpus Christi, Longoria attended Texas A&M University-Kingsville, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Kinesiology. After graduating from college, she entered a talent contest that brought her to Los Angeles, where she was spotted and subsequently signed by a theatrical agent. After landing roles on The Bold and the Beautiful (1987), General Hospital (1963) and co-starring on Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990), she auditioned for and won the role of Isabella Braña on the popular series, The Young and the Restless (1973). After Y&R, Eva became well known worldwide thanks to Desperate Housewives (2004), where she played a main character, Gabrielle Solis. She also has a contract with L'Oreal and has been named one of the most beautiful people. A passionate advocate of education, she founded The Eva Longoria Foundation which helps Latinas build better futures for themselves and their families through education and entrepreneurship and earned a Masters in Chicano Studies presenting her thesis on "Success STEMS From Diversity: The Value of Latinas in STEM Careers." Eva has also contributed writing to publications on the subject of education.- Jacqueline Bracamontes was born on 23 December 1979 in Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico. She is an actress, known for Rubí (2004), Entrenando a mi papá (2015) and Alegrijes y rebujos (2003). She has been married to Martin Fuentes since 1 October 2011. They have six children.
- Actress
- Soundtrack
Actress Jacqueline Obradors is currently enjoying the success of her latest feature, 'Palm Springs,' in which she appears with Andy Samberg and Oscar-winner JK Simmons. Just like the record-breaking summer temperatures of the titular city, the film broke records after a bidding war ensued dating back to Sundance where Hulu won out. No stranger to coveted roles on a streaming service, Obradors has also starred opposite Titus Welliver in the last three seasons of Amazon's acclaimed 'Bosch' drama series.
Bad-ass detective roles seem to be one of her fortes, as Obradors previously starred for Steven Bochco on four seasons of his acclaimed, 'NYPD Blue' which garnered her a prestigious ALMA Award nomination, and paved the way for her role opposite Freddie Prinze, Jr. in his 'Freddie' comedy series. She's also enjoyed memorable recurring arcs beginning with 'Jesse' opposite Christina Applegate, 'Battery Park' with Frank Grillo, 'NCIS,' 'Franklin & Bash 'alongside Kumal Nanjiani, and finally 'Lopez' opposite the show's namesake, George Lopez.
Obradors has also made her mark on the big screen since her debut in the action film, 'Red Sun Rising'. She since transitioned into Ivan Reitman's romantic comedy 'Six Days Seven Nights' opposite Harrison Ford which garnered her a Blockbuster Entertainment Award nomination. She more recently reunited with Ford in 'Crossing Over' which co-starred Ray Liotta. Other notable film roles include 'Deuce Bigelow' with Adam Sandler and Amy Poehler, 'A Man Apart' in which she starred opposite Vin Diesel, 'Unstoppable' with Wesley Snipes, and the drama 'Windows on the World' with Oscar nominee Edward James Olmos. She earned her second ALMA Award nomination for her turn as Hector Elizondo's daughter in the acclaimed, 'Tortilla Soup.'
When not paving her own way, Obradors helps guide her sons' careers as they too quickly accumulate a worthy list of credits. The family currently resides in Los Angeles where she was also born and raised.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Nadine Velazquez stars in History Channel's new drama, Six (2017), as "Jackie Ortiz", a strong wife of a Navy SEAL who holds the Ortiz family together. Known for her role as "Sophia" on FXX's The League (2009)--which ended its successful seven year run in 2015--and as "Catalina", the sexy hotel maid/stripper/illegal immigrant with a heart of gold, on the People's Choice-winning NBC comedy series My Name Is Earl (2005), for which she received four Alma Award nominations in the Best Supporting Actress category, She also plays "Deputy DA Emma Rios" on TNT's Major Crimes (2012).
Moviegoers know her well from seeing her dramatic side starring opposite Denzel Washington in the Robert Zemeckis-directed Flight (2012), as well as in the action thriller Snitch (2013), where she starred as "'Analisa". Dwayne Johnson's wife. In 2016 moviegoers got a chance to see her in Universal's box-office hit [tt2869728 opposite Ice Cube and Kevin Hart, as well as in her first romantic comedy, The Bounce Back (2016) opposite Shemar Moore.
"Daily Variety" singled her out as one of "Ten Actors to Watch" and "USA Today" named her "One of Five Rising Stars to Watch Closely". She was additionally picked by "Entertainment Weekly" for its "Summer 'Must' List" and was included in "People En Espanol" for its "50 Most Beautiful People".
A Chicago native of Puerto Rican descent, Nadine resides in Los Angeles. She is a supporter of charities that provide education and shelter to disenfranchised women. Her dedication to these charities come from her personal experience.- Vanessa Marcil was born Vanessa Sally Ortiz on October 15, 1968 in Indio, California to Patricia Irene Marcil-Ortiz (née Marcil), an herbalist and Pete Ortiz, a contractor. She grew up in Indio with her parents, big brother: Pete Samuel "Sam" Ortiz Jr. (November 16, 1958 - November 7, 2019) and big sisters: Tina (b. October 20, 1959) and Sherry (b. September 7, 1962). When Vanessa was 8, she started acting in plays and even performed her own song at a sixth-grade talent show, which she won. Soon afterward she began pursuing an acting career and starred in several theatre productions before landing the role of Brenda Barrett on the ABC daytime soap opera General Hospital (1963) in 1992.
She made her feature film debut in The Rock (1996) opposite Nicolas Cage and starred in a made-for-television movie, To Love, Honor and Deceive (1996), in 1996. She stayed with General Hospital (1963) until 1998 and then left to join the cast of Beverly Hills, 90210 (1990) as Gina Kincaid, a former ice skater replacing Tiffani Thiessen as the show's vixen. She met Brian Austin Green on the show and the two had a son named Kassius Lijah Marcil-Green on March 15, 2002.
In the fall of 2002 she made her long-awaited return to General Hospital (1963) reprising her role as Brenda Barrett, garnering her a Daytime Emmy Award for "Outstanding Supporting Actress" in 2003. Vanessa later joined the cast of the NBC drama Las Vegas (2003) as Sam Marquez, a casino host where she remained on the show for five seasons until 2008. That same year she became the host of Lifetime's reality show Blush: The Search for America's Greatest Makeup Artist (2008) as well as making a three episode guest appearance on the NBC show Lipstick Jungle (2008).
In 2009, she starred in the Hallmark channel movie The Nanny Express (2008) as well as in the Lifetime movie One Hot Summer (2009). In 2010, she was in the web series The Bannen Way (2010) and in August 2010 after a seven year absence, she made her return to General Hospital (1963) remaining on the show for a year before her departure from the show in July 2011. Although she did make a guest appearance in April 2013 to commemorate the show's 50th anniversary.
Then in 2014, she starred in the Hallmark channel movie, Stranded in Paradise (2014) alongside James Denton. She is writing a book about her life which will be released in the near future. She resides in Los Angeles with her son, Kassius Marcil-Green. - Daisy Fuentes was born on 17 November 1966 in Havana, Cuba. She is an actress, known for Baywatch (1989), Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child (1995) and Curdled (1996). She has been married to Richard Marx since 23 December 2015. She was previously married to Timothy Adams.of Cuban and Spanish Descent
- Music Artist
- Actress
- Composer
Mariah Carey was born in Long Island, New York on March 27, 1969. Her parents are Patricia Hickey (Irish-American) and Alfred Roy Carey (African-American/Venezuelan). Mariah attended Greenlawn's Harborfields High School. In June 1990, Mariah made her debut with her self-titled album, Mariah Carey which entered at #73, but on August 4, 1990 it reached #1. Her 1990 self-titled debut album went multi-platinum and spawned an extraordinary four consecutive #1 singles: "Vision of Love," "Love Takes Time," "Someday" and "I Don't Wanna Cry," and led to Grammy Awards for Best New Artist and Best Female Vocalist. Her 1993 album titled Music Box went ten-times platinum. On September 30, 1995, she made music history. Her single "Fantasy" from her 1995 Daydream album debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, making her the first female artist to accomplish a number one debut in the U.S. Her other Daydream's single "One Sweet Day" remained for 16 weeks at the top of the charts. She is the only artist since The Beatles to have so many #1 singles and albums. With "Heartbreaker", the first single from her 1999 album Rainbow and also her 14 #1 single, she became the only artist to top the charts in each year of the 1990s, and with "Heartbreaker" at its 60th week atop the Billboard's charts, she pushed ahead of The Beatles's 59-week record as the only artist with the most cumulative weeks spent atop Billboard's Hot 100 Singles chart.
Following "Heartbreaker," her second single "Thank God I Found You" also from her Rainbow album became her 15th #1. "We Belong Together" from her 2005 album The Emancipation of Mimi became her 16th #1 single and was also her first #1 without any guest artists since her song "My All" (also a #1 single) captured the top spot in May 1998. The single "Don't Forget About Us" also from her 2005 album Emancipation of Mimi became her 17th #1 single, tying her with Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Three more Grammy Awards were gained from The Emancipation of Mimi album. She is the most successful selling female artist in music history and is the only female artist to have the most #1 singles and albums and also holds the record for straight #1 singles and albums each year. Along with numerous awards and incredible vocal range, she also composes all of her own material, with the exception of song covers.
In April 2008, the single "Touch My Body" became her 18th #1 single, pushing her ahead of Elvis Presley's 17 #1 singles. Now she is the only artist since The Beatles to have as many number one singles and the only singer alive likely to succeed them.- Actress
- Producer
Creativity goes beyond canvas, photos, film, and media. It also catalyzes charity, philanthropy, and activism.
Award-winning actress, history-making supermodel, staunch philanthropist, conscientious activist, author, and loving mom Patricia Velásquez applies an eternal creative spirit to everything she does-whether it be starring in blockbusters a la The Curse of La Llorona or launching the Wayúu Tayá Foundation and participating on the UNESCO Board. Regardless, she makes major strides by drawing on instinct and deliberately paving her own path.
"I look at my career as a long staircase," she says. "I took every single step up. It was amazing to do so, because there has been longevity. I just put my head down, moved one step at a time, and never stopped."
The metaphor directly resembles a formative experience. Born in Venezuela but raised in France and Mexico, she relocated to Venezuela after a handful of years. In South America, her parents worked in education and moved the family into a crowded apartment building with no water and inoperable elevators. In order to supply water for the unit, Patricia often carried heavy buckets up fifteen flights of stairs.
In between studying engineering and intense dance training, she endeavored to help the family however possible. Scouted to model in Milan, the multi talented artist's ascent to the top of the fashion world hinged on a promise to those she loved. She recalls, "When they asked me to go to Italy, I said, 'If can send thirty dollars a month back to Venezuela, it's worth it, because that will pay for the whole building's water'."
Patricia's success represented a turning point in fashion as she drew industry attention to South America for the first time. She experienced a big break upon becoming "the first model Karl Lagerfeld ever photographed" and going on to walk in shows, star in editorial spreads, and front ads for Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, Fendi, Chloe, Cover Girl, and Victoria's Secret, to name a few. Resonating around the globe, she appeared in Oprah and Ford Models' "Supermodel of the World" contest as well. Not to mention, she graced the covers of Vogue, Bazaar, Marie Claire, and many others. She artfully channeled her dance training during shoots.
She goes on, "I knew how to move the energy around the body without letting whoever looked at the photos later on know that I was actually dancing. It became a signature for me."
Simultaneously, she ignited an impressive acting career. Not only did she star in The Mummy and The Mummy Returns, but she also appeared on The L Word, Arrested Development, CSI: Miami, Ugly Betty, and Rescue Me. In 2006, she made her stage debut by starring in School of the Americas-produced by Academy® Award winner Philip Seymour Hoffman and written by José Rivera at New York's famed Public Theater. Patricia not only starred in Cenizas Eternas, but also served as executive producer. Her production experience continued as star and associate producer of Liz in September. In recognition of the latter, she garnered "Best Actress, Women's Feature" at the 2015 North Carolina Film Festival.
However, Patricia kicks off a bold new chapter in 2019 by starring in The Curse of La Llorona.
"The movie is really important to me," she goes on. "It's a timeless independent folk tale, and I was honored to be a part of it. I fell in love with the story and really got into the character."
Throughout her career, she capitalized on every opportunity to give back. In 2002, she founded the Wayúu Tayá Foundation. This non-profit preserves the culture of indigenous groups throughout Latin America by way of support and the drastic improvement of living conditions. UNESCO invited her to be a celebrity advocate, and the United Nations granted her the 2009 Women Together Award. Other honors include the 2010 Solidarity Award, the 2015 La Femme Film Festivals' Humanitarian Award, and the 2018 Visibility Award from The Human Rights Campaign. 2018 saw the Organization for American States (OAS) appoint her as Goodwill Ambassador for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of the Americas in Washington, D.C. An outsider empathy continues to inform this myriad of charitable efforts.
"Going from France to Mexico to Venezuela and moving so much, I always felt like an outsider," she admits. "I could identify with indigenous communities because of this shared sensibility. One thing that kept bringing me back home and made me feel protected was knowing that I was indigenous. It keeps me grounded, so I do whatever I can to help."
As a published author, she penned a powerful and page-turning autobiography entitled, Straight Walk: A Supermodel's Journey to Finding her Truth. Released in 2015, it details her unbelievable career up that point..
In the end, Patricia's creativity always leaves a lasting impression.
"I've realized you can do the work you love, and the results can manifest on many different levels," she concludes. "You can take those things, turn them around, and create something environmentally friendly, sustainable, new, or beneficial to the world. Everything feeds off each other. It all comes from the same creative place."- Producer
- Actress
- Director
Adriana Lima is a Brazilian supermodel, actress and businesswoman. From the young age of fifteen, Adriana's portfolio quickly skyrocketed making her one of the most successful models of all time. A global fashion icon, best known as a Victoria's Secret from 1999 to 2018, the longest-running model and named "the most valuable Victoria's Secret Angel" in 2017, Adriana has also branched into film and television acting. Adriana's 2009 Victoria's Secret Super Bowl commercial reached 103.7 million viewers! It was declared "The Most Watched Commercial in the History of Television" by Nielsen. Her modeling career started after winning Ford's "Supermodel of Brazil" competition and finishing at the second place in the "Supermodel of The world." Thereafter, Elite Model Management signed Adriana Lima as a model. During her time at Victoria's Secret, Adriana opened the show on 5 distinct occasions in 2003, 2007, 2008, 2010 and 2012. Adriana is one of only 2 angels to have worn the Fantasy bra 3 times. She also participated to the "Angels Across America" tour, a nationwide promotion campaign for Victoria's Secret with 4 other Angels in 2004. Her last show was in 2018 after participating in 18 catwalks for Victoria's Secret. She also walked well-known designers runway shows like Versace, Jason Wu, Giorgio Armani, Vera Wang, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Christian Dior, Alexandre Herchcovitch, and Anna Sui. Her status ensured her a spot on the cover some of the most notable international magazines such as Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, ELLE, Grazia, GQ, Numero, Playboy, Cosmopolitan, Esquire across many countries including the USA, Spain, United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Italy, Portugal, Mexico, Korea, Japan, Turkey, Germany, Russia, South Africa, Thailand, Sweden, Czech Republic... Ethnically, Adriana is Afro-Brazilian of Portuguese, Swiss, Native Brazilian, Japanese, and West Indian ancestry.- Actress
- Executive
Marlene Favela was born on 5 August 1976 in Santiago Papasquiaro, Durango, Mexico. She is an actress and executive, known for Rubí (2004), Contra viento y marea (2005) and Gata salvaje (2002). She was previously married to George Seely.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Charo was born on 15 January 1951 in Murcia, Spain. She is an actress, known for Thumbelina (1994), The Concorde... Airport '79 (1979) and Tiger by the Tail (1970). She was previously married to Kjell Rasten and Xavier Cugat.- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Gloria Reuben is an actress, singer and published author whose impressive credentials in television, film, theater and music include portraying the HIV+ physician assistant Jeanie Boulet on the hit NBC series ER (a role that garnered her two Emmy nominations and a Golden Globe nomination) and many other television series including Raising The Bar, Falling Skies, Marvel TV's Cloak & Dagger, City On A Hill and The First Lady.
Gloria completed her role as Krista Gordon (the therapist to Rami Malek's Elliot Alderson) in the hit TV series Mr. Robot. As Rolling Stone wrote in their review of the Mr. Robot series finale: "...what makes the scene so powerful are the performances by Rami Malek and Gloria Reuben (who delivers a masterclass in how to convey so much information while making it feel emotionally resonant)."
In film, Gloria portrayed Elizabeth Keckley alongside Daniel Day-Lewis & Sally Field in the Steven Spielberg film LINCOLN, appeared with Paul Rudd and Tina Fey in Paul Weitz's Admission, and starred opposite Samuel L. Jackson in Reasonable Doubt. Gloria's portrayal of Condoleezza Rice in David Hare's play Stuff Happens at The Public Theater in NYC garnered her a Lucille Lortel Award for Best Actress.
In music, Gloria's career includes being a backup singer for Tina Turner in 2000, which led her to record her solo record Just For You. Gloria released her first jazz album Perchance To Dream in 2015 on the iconic Mcg Jazz label, and her new album For All We Know was released on Valentine's Day 2020, again on the Mcg Jazz label, to rave reviews.
Gloria's non-fiction book My Brothers' Keeper: Two Brothers. Loved. And Lost. (an intimate tribute to her two brothers who have passed away) was published by Post Hill Press in November 2019.- Actress
- Director
As she inherited her love for the arts by her father, well-known playwright, actor, director and novelist Mario Peña, it is not hard to understand that actress Elizabeth Pena already had designs to become an actress by the time she was eight years old.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 23, 1959, the petite (5' 2") actress was raised in New York City. Elizabeth's (and sister Tania's) parents, Cuban immigrants Mario and Estella Margarita Peña, would achieve a strong Latino reputation as the founders of the off-Broadway Latin-American Theatre Ensemble. They also encouraged Elizabeth's talent. In 1975, the young teenager became a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors, and two years later graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts, now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts.
Elizabeth found occasional work in repertory theater and in television commercials. Making her film debut in the independent Spanish-speaking feature El Super (1979), about Cuban refugees, she continued with playing a long line of independent and rebellious characters, which showed plenty of attitude and independence. Playing offbeat roles -- from a knife-threatening waitress to a disco queen -- she appeared in such early films as They All Laughed (1981) and Crossover Dreams (1985). Elizabeth's big break came in the form a support role in the hugely popular and entertaining comedy Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), co-starring Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte, in which she stole several scenes as the sultry, smoky-voiced, politically-minded maid Carmen.
Two consecutive short-lived television series came about around this time. Her first, the ensemble comedy Tough Cookies (1986), had her playing a police officer, and the second was the title housekeeper role in the sitcom I Married Dora (1987). High in demand now, Elizabeth continued to spice up both the big and small screen in such roles as Ritchie Valens' stepsister-in-law in the well-received biopic La Bamba (1987); a drug enforcement agent in the miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story (1990); PTSD-suffering Tim Robbins' live-in girlfriend in the complex drama Jacob's Ladder (1990); and a dedicated legal secretary on the corporate drama series Shannon's Deal (1990) starring Jamey Sheridan.
Honors also came Elizabeth's way when she received the Independent Spirit and Bravo awards for the film Lone Star (1996), and four ALMA Awards for her performances in the television movie Contagious (1997), the films Tortilla Soup (2001) and Rush Hour (1998), and her regular role on the Latino drama series Resurrection Blvd. (2000).
Into the millennium, Elizabeth found steady employment on television with guest roles on Boston Public (2000), CSI: Miami (2002), Without a Trace (2002), Numb3rs (2005), Ghost Whisperer (2005), Charlie's Angels (2011), Prime Suspect (2011), Common Law (2012), and Modern Family (2009). One of her last roles was on the television series Matador (2014). She also found herself further down the credits in films such as On the Borderline (2001), Transamerica (2005), The Lost City (2005), Mother and Child (2009), The Perfect Family (2011), Plush (2013), and Grandma (2015). Three other films -- Girl on the Edge (2015), Ana Maria in Novela Land (2015), and The Song of Sway Lake (2018) -- were released posthumously. She also provided a voice in the popular Disney/Pixar animated film The Incredibles (2004).
A chronic alcohol problem severely hampered Elizabeth's life and she died suddenly from cirrhosis of the liver in Los Angeles, California on October 14, 2014, at age 55. She was survived by her second husband (from 1994), Hans Rolla, and their two children, son Kælan and daughter Fiona.- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Soundtrack
Veteran film and television actress Leslie Bega can now be seen co-starring as Valentina La Paz on the HBO Emmy Award winning television series The Sopranos (1999), Tony Soprano's girlfriend. In addition, Leslie also can be seen as a diametrically opposite character to Valentina named Leah on CBS's Emmy Award winning show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (2000). Leslie recently completed a starring role in the independent feature film Dating Games People Play (2005), a romantic comedy directed by Stefan Marc. The film is scheduled for release in late 2004. A Los Angeles native, Leslie spent a great deal of her childhood in New York. After graduating with honors as her high school class valedictorian from 11 years at the prestigious Los Angeles private French school Le Lycee Francais, she attended college at The University of Southern California majoring in cinema with a minor in drama. Making her acting debut at the age of six in the Broadway play "The Patriots," Leslie went on to star in countless television commercials and then moved into episodic and film. Throughout this time in her childhood, she was sharpening her skills and establishing a solid foundation to her successful career as an actor. In the late 1980s, Leslie landed a starring role in the long running top-ten ABC television sitcom Head of the Class (1986), portraying the brilliant yet socially awkward Maria Borges. Her follow-up television series was ABC's C-16: FBI (1997) alongside Eric Roberts, Angie Harmon, and 'DB Sweeney'. Leslie quickly went on to establish herself in the Motion Picture arena, sharing the screen with such Hollywood stars as John Travolta, Michael Douglas, Annette Bening, and Anthony Quinn. Leslie has been in 15 motion pictures including David Lynch's Lost Highway (1997), Get Shorty (1995), directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, and Rob Reiner's The American President (1995). After 19 years of vocal/singing training, in 2001, Leslie performed a solo singing performance at Lincoln Center. She recently completed producing Public Service Announcements for "Women At Risk" with actors Billy Zane and Phil Buckman; and "Outreach," educational programs designed for inner city kids. In her spare time, Leslie is an accomplished gourmet chef, and was the Master Chef at the restaurant "RAW" in Santa Monica before leaving to work on her own desert and food line.- Actress
- Producer
Claudia Salinas has appeared and starred in a number of independent films and award winning short films and other major Hollywood motion pictures such as "Crossing Over" opposite Harrison Ford and the Mexican action comedy "Salvando al Soldado Perez". She has also been the star of major national TV and print campaigns for brands like Budlight, Calvin Klein, McDonalds and Toyota to name a few and has graced the pages of magazines including Esquire, GQ and Maxim. Although fluent in English, her first language is Spanish. At the age of 4, she began training as a ballet dancer in her hometown Monterrey and continues to perform as a dancer. She graduated from Industrial and Systems Engineering from the Universidad Regiomontana when she was only 19 and subsequently moved to New York City and studied drama at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Institute. Claudia resides in Los Angeles, and regularly travels between Los Angeles, New York and Mexico.- Actress
- Producer
Natalia Cordova-Buckley was born on 25 November 1982 in Mexico City, Distrito Federal, Mexico. She is an actress and producer, known for The Mosquito Coast (2021), Coco (2017) and Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (2022). She has been married to Brian Buckley since 11 November 2011.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Paula Garces was born in Medellin, Colombia. Her father was a fisherman, and her mother was a schoolteacher. At age 7 she relocated with her parents to New York City, where she resided primarily in Harlem. She started acting in commercials hired by agent Diego Santiago, her father's best friend. She made her film debut in Hollywood in Paramount's teen sci-fi adventure Clockstoppers (2002), starring opposite Jesse Bradford. She later was cast in Richard Benjamin's hip-hop comedy Marci X (2003) opposite Lisa Kudrow and Damon Wayans.
Garces was next seen opposite Academy Award-winner Tommy Lee Jones in the Revolution Studios feature Man of the House (2005) and as "Maria" in New Line's hit comedy Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004) and reprised her role as "Maria" in the hit sequel Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008), which has grossed close to $40 million domestically. Garces was also featured on Jerry Bruckheimer's hit show CSI: Miami (2002). She starred in a six-episode arc on NBC's Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as well as doing guest spots on HBO's hit series The Sopranos (1999) and Oz (1997). While filming "Law & Order: SVU", Garces was offered a role she could not refuse: a new cast member on FX's hit television series The Shield (2002). Paula's character, Officer Tina Hallon, brought new story lines and high ratings. Her contract was extended for three more seasons, once again securing her position as a rising Latina star.
In one of her first films she nabbed a starring role opposite James Van Der Beek and Mary McCormick, in the 1997 indie drama Harvest (1998) (aka "Cash Crop"). Other film credits include James Redford's directorial debut, Spin (2003), opposite Rubén Blades, Stanley Tucci, Dana Delany and Ryan Merriman; the critically-acclaimed Hangin' with the Homeboys (1991); Michael J. Fox's comedy Life with Mikey (1993); and Jerry Bruckheimer's urban drama Dangerous Minds (1995), starring Michelle Pfeiffer.
Expanding her career further, Paula worked behind the cameras as Executive Producer of the animated film Red Princess Blues Animated: The Book of Violence (2007), which received great reviews at numerous film festivals. She can also be heard voicing the lead character Princess.
Paula premiered her first comic book, called "Aluna", at San Diego's 2010 Comic Con. "Aluna" a period piece set in the 1500's about a mystical tribal princess taken from her native Colombia by conquistadors and raised in Spain, only to return to her homeland to save her people. This is a multi-platform starring vehicle for Garces.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Elizabeth Rodriguez is a Manhattan born and raised native New Yorker and a graduate of Lehman College in the Bronx. After graduation from Lehman, Rodriguez studied for two years under acclaimed acting teacher Maggie Flanigan at William Esper Studios in NYC. While still at the studio she began working professionally with appearances in the feature films Fresh (1994), Dead Presidents (1995) and I Think I Do (1997), as well as in TV shows such as Law & Order (1990), and recurring roles on both Oz (1997) and New York Undercover (1994).
Rodriguez has since appeared in numerous shows, including a recent recurring role as Aleida Diaz on the upcoming Netflix Original Series Orange Is the New Black (2013). Other TV credits include roles as series regulars on both NBC's Prime Suspect (2011), opposite Maria Bello, and ABC's All My Children (1970), in addition to recurring roles on The Shield (2002) and ER (1994). Other credits include Six Feet Under (2001), Flashforward (2009), Cold Case (2003), Just Shoot Me! (1997), NYPD Blue (1993) and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999). Her made-for-TV movies include Inflammable (1995) and P.O.W.E.R.: The Eddie Matos Story (1994). Some of her feature films include Return to Paradise (1998), Four Lane Highway (2005), Acts of Worship (2001), Blow (2001), All Things Fall Apart (2011), Pound of Flesh (2010), Tonight at Noon, A Line in the Sand (2008), Jack Goes Boating (2010), directed by Philip Seymour Hoffman, and Michael Mann's Miami Vice (2006), opposite Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. Other notable films include Tio Papi (2013), Glass Chin (2014) and The Drop (2014), with Tom Hardy and James Gandolfini.
In addition to her work on screen, Rodriguez remains extremely active in the theater. She has starred in "Beauty of the Father" (Manhattan Theatre Club), "The Last Days of Judas Iscariot" (NY's Public Theater), "Roger and Vanessa" (Actors' Gang), "Den of Thieves" (Black Dahlia), "Robbers" (American Place Theater), "A View From 151st Street" (NY's Public Theater) and "Unconditional" (NY's Public Theater). Rodriguez is a longtime member of NY's acclaimed Labyrinth Theater Company.- Actress
- Producer
Morena Baccarin was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to actress Vera Setta and journalist Fernando Baccarin. Her uncle was actor Ivan Setta. She is of Italian as well as Lebanese and Portuguese/Brazilian descent. She moved to New York at the age of 10, when her father was transferred there. She attended the LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts and then the Juilliard School.
Staying in New York she worked in the theater, notably in the Central Park production of Anton Chekhov's "The Seagull" where she was also Natalie Portman's understudy, and also appeared in several movies. After making Roger Dodger (2002), she moved to Los Angeles where she came to the attention of Joss Whedon, who cast her in his short-lived cult sci-fi show Firefly (2002). Since then she has rarely been off our TV screens.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Brooke Hogan was born on 5 May 1988 in Tampa, Florida, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Sand Sharks (2012), School of the Dead and Little Hercules in 3-D (2009). She has been married to Steven Oleksy since 8 June 2022.Brooke Hogan has some Panamanian in her DNA.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Naya Rivera was an Afro-Latina American actress, model and singer known for playing Santana Lopez from Glee and Hillary Winston from The Royal Family. She also was in The Master of Disguise, Baywatch, CSI: Miami, American Dad, Batman: The Long Halloween Parts 1 and 2, Even Stevens and The Bernie Mac Show.of Puerto Rican Descent- Actress
- Soundtrack
Best known for her long-time run on the ABC comedy, "George Lopez," Constance Marie stars next in the upcoming Latinx romantic comedy series, "With Love." Created and written by Gloria Calderon Kellett ("One Day at a Time"), the five hourlong episodes, each of which are set during a different holiday, follows the multi-generational Diaz family over the course of 12 months as they experience the highs and lows of life during some of the most heightened days of the year. Constance plays 'Beatriz Diaz,' wife to 'Jorge Sr' (Benito Martinez) and mother of two who is going through a midlife/identity crisis with her kids getting older and her marriage to 'Jorge Sr' (Benito Martinez) on auto pilot. All five episodes of "With Love" will premiere on Amazon Prime Video on December 17, 2021.
Most recently, Constance appeared in the Amazon rotoscope dramedy, "Undone," opposite Rosa Salazar, and she recurred in the Netflix comedy, "Alexa & Katie." In addition, she starred in the NBC miniseries "Law & Order True Crime: Menendez Murders." She has also guest-starred and recurred on a variety of shows including the CBS comedy "Angel from Hell" and TNT's "Animal Kingdom," as well as voicing a character on Disney's animated series "Elena of Avalor," the first to feature a Latina princess.
Constance starred for five award-winning seasons on the hit Freeform series, "Switched at Birth," for which she won an Imagen Award, an ALMA Award and a Gracie Allen Award for "Best Supporting Television Actress" for her role as 'Regina Vasquez.'
For her beloved portrayal of wife 'Angie Lopez' on "George Lopez," the Imagen Awards honored her with a Best Actress in a TV Series Award, and she received multiple nominations from the Alma Awards for Best Actress in a Comedy Series.
In the debut year of "George Lopez," Constance was also starring in the Golden Globe-nominated PBS series "American Family," alongside Edward James Olmos, Sonia Braga, Esai Morales and Raquel Welch.
Her career began when she was a teenager in the Los Angeles underground break-dancing scene. She was selected out of a group of 500 hopefuls to dance on tour with David Bowie. Upon returning to Los Angeles, she was cast as a dancer in the movie "Salsa." The film's choreographer, Kenny Ortega, introduced her to producer Steve Tisch, who offered Constance her very first acting job, a starring role as 'Penny' on the CBS series "Dirty Dancing."
It wasn't long before she was working in feature films, such as "My Family," directed by Gregory Nava. She won praise from fans for her portrayal of Tejano music legend Selena Quintanilla's mother, 'Marcella,' in the blockbuster film "Selena." Constance was only a year older than her onscreen daughter (Jennifer Lopez), so she had to undergo extensive make-up to portray Selena's mother.
Constance also starred in the celebrated film "Tortilla Soup" as the daughter of Raquel Welch. The film received an Alma Award nomination for Outstanding Motion Picture.
Television producer Gary David Goldberg soon offered Constance a role as Michael J. Fox's antagonist love interest on the hit series "Spin City." She played 'Gabriella Diaz' on "Union Square," for which she received an Alma Award nomination for Outstanding Female in a Comedy Series. She also portrayed 'Detective Toni Brigatti' for two seasons on "Early Edition," opposite Kyle Chandler.
In her personal life, Constance is mother to a daughter, Luna-Marie. Candid about the difficulties she faced trying to get pregnant and eventually turning to IVF, she is determined to reach out to women in similar situations to let them know that they are not alone. In addition to being extremely knowledgeable about pregnancy and wellness, she practices a green lifestyle including composting and recycling, and she is a vegetarian, leaning heavily toward vegan these days. She is also an organic follower who had cloth diapers for her baby and zero Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) in her nursery, and she has organic mattresses in their home.
She is an advocate for PETA, Planned Parenthood and Equal Pay for Women. She is the spokesperson for the East Los Angeles Women's Center that helps women dealing with rape, domestic violence and human trafficking.
Constance has an active lifestyle which includes regular work outs such as walking, yoga, hitting the gym with a personal trainer and nature hikes. Although she isn't currently dancing in an official capacity, she throws a hell of a spontaneous "dancing in the dining room" party! You can also catch her moves on TikTok!- Actress
- Soundtrack
Puerto Rican born singer/actress who became internationally famous due to her well-endowed figure. Always causing a sensation wherever she visited, Chacon's variety show, "The Iris Chacon Show/El Show de Iris Chacon" was a hit in over 15 countries during its height in the 1970's and 1980's. Presently residing in Florida, Chacon does frequent radio and television work in the United States and Puerto Rico.- Lourdes Chacón is an international Latin dancer, singer and actress. Studied modern, ballet and jazz techniques under a popular dance instructor & choreographer in Puerto Rico, the late Junito Betancourt. Legendary television producer, the late Paquito Cordero (Paquito Cordero Productions, Inc.) immediately signed her to an exclusive artist of Telemundo PR. Became famous in the early 80's. Made weekly appearances in a musical comedy sketch/variety show called "Los Kakukomicos". Appeared in the cover of Playboy Signore (1989) an article with photos were published. Made several Spanish soaps (telenovelas) throughout her career, such as: Millie (1984), Karina Montaner, (1989), Señora Tentación (1994), Asesinato en Primer Grado (1998), 1 a.m. Movie. She has a famous phrase that is sang by Latin fans from one of her songs: El Pescaito (The Little Fish) "Yo te le doy...Mañana" (I will give it to you...Tomorrow) .
Also appeared in several theater work in Puerto Rico, Mexico and Venezuela, like: Mujeres en Blanco (1999), Cena de Matrimonios, Baño de Damas, No Te Pases de la Raya, Mujeres Sin Vergüenza, Las Mujeres y los Strippers, El Cuernito, El Musical, La Nena Tiene Tumbao, La Corte del Faraón, Mi Marido está Embarazado (Venezuela).
On January 23rd, 1991 she was awarded two Golden Owls (Búhos de Oro) in Panama (one of them as The Vedette of the Decade). She is considered one of the best dancers of her time.
She had a brief retirement to raise her two children, Chaliana & Alfredo Batista Chacón. She returns to the stage in early 2000. Presently she is an active Vedette; singing, dancing and acting. - Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Rita Moreno is one of the very few performers to win an Oscar, an Emmy, a Tony and a Grammy, thus becoming an EGOT. She was born Rosita Dolores Alverío in the hospital in Humacao, Puerto Rico on December 11, 1931 (but raised in nearby, smaller Juncos, which had no hospital), to seamstress Rosa María (Marcano) and farmer Francisco José "Paco" Alverío. Her mother moved to New York City in 1937, taking Rita with her while leaving her reportedly unfaithful husband and Rita's younger brother behind. Rita's professional career began before she reached adolescence.
From the age of nine, she performed as a professional dancer in New York night clubs. At age 11, she landed her first movie experience, dubbing Spanish-language versions of US films. Less than a month before her 14th birthday on November 22, 1945, she made her Broadway debut in the play "Skydrift" at the Belasco Theatre, costarring with Arthur Keegan and a young Eli Wallach. Although she would not appear again on Broadway for almost two decades, Rita Moreno, as she was billed in the play, had arrived professionally. In 1950, she was signed by MGM, but the studio dropped her option after just one year.
The cover of the March 1, 1954, edition of "Life Magazine" featured a three-quarters, over-the-left-shoulder profile of the young Puerto Rican actress/entertainer with the provocative title "Rita Moreno: An Actresses' Catalog of Sex and Innocence". It was sexpot time, a stereotype that would plague her throughout the decade. If not cast as a Hispanic pepper pot, she could rely on being cast as another "exotic", such as her appearance on Father Knows Best (1954) as an exchange student from India. Because of a dearth of decent material, Moreno had to play roles in movies that she considered degrading. Among the better pictures she earned featured roles in were the classic Singin' in the Rain (1952) and The King and I (1956).
Director Robert Wise, who was chosen to co-direct West Side Story (1961) (the film version of the smash Broadway musical, a retelling of William Shakespeare's "Romeo & Juliet" with the warring Venetian clans the Montagues and Capulets re-envisioned as Irish/Polish and Puerto Rican adolescent street gangs, the Jets and the Sharks), cast Moreno as "Anita", the Puerto Rican girlfriend of Sharks' leader Bernardo, whose sister Maria is the piece's Juliet.
However, despite her talent, roles commensurate with that talent were not forthcoming in the 1960s. The following decade would prove kinder, possibly because the beautiful Moreno had aged gracefully and could now be seen by filmmakers, TV producers and casting directors as something other than the spitfire/sexpot that Hispanic women were supposed to conform to. Ironically, it was in two vastly diverging roles--that of a $100 hooker in director Mike Nichols' brilliant realization of Jules Feiffer's acerbic look at male sexuality, Carnal Knowledge (1971), and Milly the Helper in the children's TV show The Electric Company (1971)--that signaled a career renaissance.
Moreno won a 1972 Grammy Award for her contribution to "The Electric Company"'s soundtrack album, following it up three years later with a Tony Award as Best Featured Actress in a Musical for "The Ritz" (a role she would reprise in the film version, The Ritz (1976)). She then won Emmy Awards for The Muppet Show (1976) and The Rockford Files (1974).
She has continued to work steadily on screen (both large and small) and on stage, solidifying her reputation as a national treasure, a status that was officially ratified with the award of the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President George W. Bush in June 2004.- Maribel Guardia was born on 29 May 1959 in San Jose, Costa Rica. She is an actress, known for Terror and Black Lace (1986), La Alacrana (1986) and El asesino del zodiaco (1993). She was previously married to Joan Sebastian.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
Lauren Sanchez was born on 19 December 1969 in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. She is an actress, known for Hollywood Homicide (2003), The Day After Tomorrow (2004) and We Bought a Zoo (2011). She was previously married to Patrick Whitesell.- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Mexican music, film and television star Patricia "Patty" Manterola is one of the most recognized names among Latinos in the US and around the world. Most currently, she performed as the co-host of Telemundo's "Siempre Niños" and "La Voz Kids" and is releasing her new single "Alalaleo." At a very young age she demonstrated a strong inclination towards the world of music and entertainment which helped her land a leading role in "Anita la Huerfanita" (Annie) at the age of eight. In 1989, she joined the popular music group Garibaldi. After all their success throughout Latin America, United States and Europe, she went on her own and launched her first solo album "Hambre de Amor." In 1994, she joined the world of telenovelas with the leading role in "Acapulco, Cuerpo, y Alma," which aired in more than 73 countries. She has taken important roles in major TV productions, including "Angeles," the Spanish-language version of the hit TV series "Charlie's Angels" as well as a special guest on "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Patricia starred in several feature films including "The City of Lost Souls," "The Dukes of Hazzard: Hazzard in Hollywood," "Carman: The Champion" and "The Perfect Game," among others. The double queen of Viña del Mar festival has released eight music albums, including "Niña Bonita," "Quiero Más," "Que El Ritmo No Pare," the official song of "The 2002 Cycling Tour of Spain" and the theme song for the "FIFA World Cup Korea - Japan 2002," which also included an English-language version entitled "The Rhythm," theme song for the Formula 1 Race: "Grand Prix of Europe." She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband Forrest Kolb and three kids.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Alessandra Negrini was born on 29 August 1970 in São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil. She is an actress, known for Cleópatra (2007), Tropical Paradise (2007) and Two Rabbits (2012). She was previously married to Otto Maximiliano Pereira de Cordeiro Ferreira and Murilo Benício.- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Lisa Vidal was born on 13 June 1965 in New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Star Trek (2009), Being Mary Jane (2013) and Mighty Aphrodite (1995). She has been married to Jay Cohen since 6 January 1990. They have three children.- Born to a Puerto Rican family in Brooklyn, Talisa was raised there and in Massachusetts. She started modeling at age 15 and has appeared on the covers of "Vogue," "Mademoiselle," "Glamour," and "Self," as well as in a "Sports Illustrated" swimsuit issue. She has been making film appearances since 1988, beginning with Spike of Bensonhurst (1988).
- Tia Texada, is an American actor best known for her role as Cruz on NBC's critically acclaimed series Third Watch, and her recurring role as an undercover agent Ribera on The Unit for CBS. Other roles include, In Plain Sight, Saving Grace, Chuck for NBC, HBO's Mind of the Married Man, Everybody Hates Chris, The Amazing Spiderman feature film, Batman and Beyond, Static Shock, Firebreather, and Handy Manny. She was the voice of Maybelline New York for 15 years, the number one selling cosmetic brand in the world and during her campaign of "Maybe She's Born With it... Maybe Its Maybelline" it was named Brand of the Year and Launch of the Year for Lash Sensational. She was first female live announcer for the Espy Awards where she worked alongside Justin Timberlake, Jamie Foxx, Lebron James, and Samuel Jackson for seven years. She was the voice of the winning Golden Trailer award for the RoboCop feature film. Tia was the voice for launching Super Bowl 50 for The NFL Today on CBS, Flesh and Bone for Starz, Lindt Gold Bunny, Zales, Unstoppable Collection, JC Penney World Cup Soccer IS for Girls, World Series of Poker Lady Luck for ESPN, and Skittles 'Taste the Rainbow'.
new bio Tia Texada is the voice of The Nfl Today on CBS. Live announce credits include The Golden Globe Awards, The ESPY Awards,The Heisman Awards,Pegasus World Cup, The College Football Awards, Nascar Sprint Cup Series Awards ,and the Sports Humanitarian Awards ,the MTV Movie and TV Awards.She was the voice of the winning Golden Trailer award for the RoboCop feature film-other trailers include FutureWorld,Hunter Killer,The Anomaly,Black Swan, and 50 Shades of Grey. You have heard her narrations on US Women's Soccer, The US Open, The Breeders Cup and Preakness for NBC, The Indy 500 for ABC , World Series of Poker Lady Luck for ESPN, US Open and Wimbledon, NHL's Voice of the Future , and The Big Theory Promo Campaign,Texas Rangers Baseball Campaign,Formula One Racing ,MSG New York Knicks ,and the lead promo voice campaign for Batwoman and In the Dark for the CW. She helped make the phrase "Maybe She's Born With it"the most recognized tag line in advertising and was part of Maybelline New York becoming brand of the year and have advertising's launch of the year. Other commercial credits include Lindt Gold Bunny, Zales The Unstoppable Collection, JC Penney World Cup" Soccer IS for Girls," and Skittles 'Taste the Rainbow',Crest, Veet, Lipton, Bacardi, and Diet Dr.Pepper.She was a part of the narration launches for R.Kelly Impact Documentary ,The Jamie Closs Story, Alita Battle Angel for James Cameron, Altered Carbon for Netflix and Mindhunter for Netflix and David Fincher. She has had a double wall professional home studio for ten years, and offers Isdn,Source Connect,Ipdtl,and broadcast quality phone patch. - Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Christina Vidal was born on 18 November 1981 in Whitestone, Queens, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for See No Evil (2006), The Guilty (2021) and Life with Mikey (1993). She has been married to Marcus Mitchell since 25 September 2016. They have two children.- Actress
- Producer
- Additional Crew
Gina was born in New York City and is youngest of three children in a close-knit Cuban American family. Attended New York City's High School of Music and Art She is a gifted mezzo soprano and was trained in opera and jazz and also sang in a gospel choir.of Cuban Descent (Laurence Fishburne is a blessed man indeed).- Actress
- Writer
- Director
Reagan Gomez-Preston was born on 24 April 1980 in Detroit, Michigan, USA. She is an actress and writer, known for Jerry Maguire (1996), Surviving... (2015) and Almost Home (2013). She has been married to DeWayne Turrentine Jr. since 10 November 1999. They have two children.of Puerto Rican descent- Actress
- Producer
- Director
Judy Reyes was born on 5 November 1967 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and producer, known for Scrubs (2001), Smile (2022) and Devious Maids (2013). She was previously married to Edwin M. Figueroa.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Marisol Nichols currently (2023) stars opposite Jenna Ortega in Paramounts Winter Spring Summer Fall. She recently starred opposite Chris Rock and Sam Jackson as Capt. Angie Garza in the Lions Gate film Spiral, and opposite Eugenio Derbez in the Lions Gate comedy The Valet. On the small screen Nichols' currently stars as Hermione Lodge on The CW's highly rated, Riverdale which has won a collective 19 Teen Choice Awards.
Nichols' first appeared in shows including Beverly Hills 90210, Friends, and ER. She made her movie debut in the film Vegas Vacation playing Audrey Griswald opposite Chevy Chase. She's appeared in films Scream 2, Can't Hardly Wait, Bowfinger, Jane Austen's Mafia & Felon opposite Val Kilmer. Marisol also commanded the Counter Terrorist unit in 24 opposite Kiefer Sutherland, appeared as the mysterious and elusive Desert Wolf on Teen Wolf, was Special Agent Zoe Keates in NCIS and starred in Stephen Bochco's Blind justice as well as numerous other roles.
Balancing her work on screen with her humanitarian efforts fighting for the rights of young girls and women, Marisol created her non-profit, Foundation for a Slavery Free World, embracing the global eradication of the most heinous human rights violations-human trafficking. She is a deputized legal informant and has been dubbed, the "Hollywood Vigilantly" as she's taken part in numerous undercover operations leading to the successful arrest of dozens of traffickers and child predators. Sony Pictures recently bought the rights to her life story and is adapting it for a Television Series that Nichols is Executive Producing.
In 2017, Marisol was recognized by President Barack Obama with the President's Distinguished Volunteer Service Award for her work in human rights and for her service to our community.of Spanish and Mexican descent- Actress
- Soundtrack
Francia Raisa is a bilingual first generation Mexican and Honduran actress, born and raised in Los Angeles. Francia began her acting career in 2005 at the fresh-faced age of 17 and has since made quite an impression in Hollywood. Upon making her debut, she's since become a powerhouse and catalyst for change within the LatinX community and strives to raise awareness for organizations whose primary focus is the fight against sex trafficking as well as familial separation at the border. She is also a staunch advocate for women's health and wellness.- Actress
- Additional Crew
One tough cookie who can definitely hold her own next to the boys on film and TV, lovely, dark-haired Rachel Ticotin has stepped up to the plate many times in strong-armed femme roles, playing everything from cops and bodyguards to military corporals.
Born on November 1, 1958, and raised in the Bronx, Rachel is of Puerto Rican, Russian-Jewish descent and learned the fine art of discipline at a young age with ballet training at age 8. She made her first stage appearance at age 10 as a Siamese princess in a production of "The King and I" at NYC's City Center Theatre. At age twelve she joined the Ballet Hispanico of New York and went on to work with such famed choreographers as Alvin Ailey, Geoffrey Holder and Anna Sokolow.
Rachel made her film debut at age 20 in a bit role as a gypsy dancer in the King of the Gypsies (1978) starring Eric Roberts. She gained valuable experience in off-Broadway shows and on the other side of the camera as a production assistant for such films as The Wanderers (1979), Dressed to Kill (1980) and Raging Bull (1980).
Rachel earned her big break after being handed the top female role opposite Paul Newman and Edward Asner in the brutal police film Fort Apache the Bronx (1981). Television became a viable forum with the TV pilot For Love and Honor (1983) as Corporal Grace Pavlik. The pilot introduced her to up-and-coming actor David Caruso. They married later that year. Rachel went on to appear in the short-lived series version of For Love and Honor (1983) without Caruso. Other television projects included assertive roles in Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991), Aftershock: Earthquake in New York (1999) and Warden of Red Rock (2001). On the big screen she played tough in Critical Condition (1987), Where the Day Takes You (1992), and Falling Down (1993).
Her best known role is probably the Arnold Schwarzenegger sci-fi blockbuster Total Recall (1990) in which the athletic Rachel has a memorable fisticuffs scene with Sharon Stone. In 1997, Rachel earned an ALMA award for her role as a prison guard in Con Air (1997). Divorced from Caruso after six years in 1989, she later met actor Peter Strauss on the set of the TV movie Thicker Than Blood: The Larry McLinden Story (1994). They married in 1998. In series drama she joined the cast of Ohara (1987) as a U.S. attorney and played detective in the police drama Crime & Punishment (1993).
A proven talent who is as alluring as she is enduring, Rachel's work has included the popular films Something's Gotta Give (2003) starring Jack Nicholson and Oscar-nominated Diane Keaton, Man on Fire (2004) with Denzel Washington, as well as the recent The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) and its sequel The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 (2008). She also was part of the critically acclaimed bi-cultural series American Family (2002).
Although gracing such recent films as horror opus The Eye (2008), the romantic crimer The Burning Plain (2008) and the dramatic thriller América (2011), Rachel has focused on TV as of late with guest roles on the revamped "The Outer Limits," as well as "Lost," "Law & Order: LA," "NCIS: Los Angeles," "Homeland," "Grey's Anatomy" and "The Act."- Valerie Cruz has appeared in over 100 television episodes, including recurring roles on The CW series "Charmed," starring as the charmed one's mother 'Marisol,' ABC's "The Rookie" and the CW drama "Life Sentence" alongside stars Lucy Hale and Dylan Walsh. She has been a series regular on shows hailing from some of most prolific and critically acclaimed creators, counting among these credits, "Nip Tuck" for Ryan Murphy, "Off The Map" for Shonda Rhimes and "The Following" and "Hidden Palms" for Kevin Williamson. For her portrayal of 'Lt. Connie Murphy' in the SyFy Channel original series, "The Dresden Files," Valerie was honored with an Alma Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. While portraying the recurring role of 'Sylvia Prado' opposite Michael C. Hall during the Golden Globe nominated third season of the Showtime hit series "Dexter," Cruz was honored alongside the cast with a Screen Actors Guild award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble. Other notable recurring roles include 'Major Joy Mendez' on the award-winning Showtime series "Homeland," and fan favorite vampire 'Isabel Beaumont' on HBO's "True Blood." Valerie's extensive guest starring credits include celebrated shows such as "Scandal," "Law & Order: SVU," "Grey's Anatomy," "Bosch," "NCIS," "Criminal Minds," "Quantico" and "The Resident." She also starred opposite Viola Davis in the Lifetime Films original movie "Custody" for writer/director James Lapine. Cruz made her feature film debut in the action thriller "Cellular" opposite Chris Evans for director David Ellis. Subsequent film credits include the notable independents "The Line," opposite Andy Garcia and Ray Liotta, "The Devil's Tomb" opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. and Ron Perlman, "The Loft" with Rachael Taylor and Karl Urban, and the film "Locating Silverlake" with Zelda Williams and Finn Wittrock.
- Actress
- Music Department
- Producer
Alexa Ellesse PenaVega was born Alexa Ellesse Vega on August 27, 1988 in Ocala, Florida and raised in Los Angeles, California to Gina Denise Rue, a former model & Baruch Jairo Vega, a photographer. She is known for her role as Carmen Cortez in the Spy Kids series and Shilo Wallace in the film Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008). In 2009, she starred as the title character Ruby Gallagher in the ABC Family series Ruby & The Rockits.of Colombian descent- Actress
- Producer
- Director
America Georgine Ferrera (born April 18, 1984) is an American actress. She is known for her leading role as Betty Suarez on the American Broadcasting Company's comedy-drama television series Ugly Betty (2006) . Her acting garnered critical acclaim, and she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress - Television Series Musical or Comedy, the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Comedy Series, and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Kimberly Alexis Bledel was born in Houston, Texas, to Nanette (Dozier) and Martin Bledel. Her parents are both Spanish-speakers (her mother was born in Arizona and raised in Mexico, and her father was born in Argentina), and Alexis's ancestry includes Danish, Welsh, English, Scottish, Irish, and French.
Alexis made her television debut in Gilmore Girls (2000), after spending years in front of the camera as a model. Bledel's parents encouraged her to try community theater in Houston when she was 8 years old, hoping it would help their daughter overcome her shyness. She went on to perform in productions of Our Town, The Wizard of Oz and Aladdin, and later was scouted in a local mall to model. She began her modeling career while still in high school, traveling all over to locations like Tokyo, Milan, New York and Los Angeles. After graduating, she enrolled at NYU as a film major. In the Spring of 2000, Bledel landed a manager through her modeling agency and headed to Los Angeles for her first pilot season, where she quickly landed the coveted role of Rory on Gilmore Girls (2000).
When she's not working, Bledel enjoys writing, reading, shooting photography, going to the movies and spending time with her family. She was married to actor Vincent Kartheiser, with whom she has a son.American of Argentine descent- Actress
- Producer
- Music Department
Sara Ramirez was born in Mazatlán, Mexico, on August 31, 1975, and moved to the United States at 7 after their parents' divorce. Sara is a graduate of The Juillard School (1997). Ramirez made their Broadway debut in the Paul Simon musical The Capeman (1998) before winning a Tony Award for their portrayal of the Lady of the Lake in the 2005 production of Spamalot.
Ramirez appeared as Dr. Callie Torres in 239 episodes of the ABC hit Grey's Anatomy, and has gained acclaim for their role as Che Diaz in the Sex and the City reboot, "And Just Like That..."
In addition to their acting career, Sara is a singer/songwriter and activist in support of LGBT rights. They are a member of the True Colors United board of directors and the San Diego, New York, and San Francisco LGBT Centers. In 2015, they were awarded the Ally for Equality Award by the Human Rights Campaign Foundation.- Iyari Limon was born in Guadalajara, Mexico, but in her infancy she and her parents made Southern California their new home. Although English is her primary language, she's fluent in Spanish from being raised in a Spanish- speaking household. She's also semi-fluent in French, and being of Spanish, French, German, and Mexican-Indian descent, it seems only right that she is able to speak these languages. She is very well-traveled and has lived in Australia, France, Mexico, and England.
She began her acting career in 1995 with a guest appearance on an "ER" episode, followed by other significant guest roles on various TV shows, including as a guest regular in 2000 on the MTV anthology "Undressed." Her biggest break came in 2002 when she was offered the part of Kennedy, one of the 'Slayer Potentials' on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer." Because of supportive fan mail, she appeared in the last 13 episodes of "Buffy"'s 7th and final season. Being the "Scoobie Gang's" latest addition has brought Iyari a whole new fame; she now makes personal appearances at conventions around the world.
Most recently, she guest starred in the 2004 premiere episode of the Emmy-winning series "Without a Trace." She also appeared in numerous television commercials such as SBC, Always, Toyota, and Dr. Pepper. In 2001, she hosted Radio Disney's world tour 2001, traveling to all of the major cities in the U.S. - Laura Harring is a Mexican actress best known for her role as the mysterious amnesiac Rita in David Lynch's enigmatic film Mulholland Drive, which was recently voted the best film of the 21st century in multiple polls. Film critic Roger Ebert compared Harring to screen legend Rita Hayworth, while the International Herald Tribune's film reviewer likened Laura to Ava Gardner. But Laura Harring is her own person, a classical performer with a passion for acting, dance, travel, food and life.
Laura Harring became a world traveler shortly after finishing her studies at the prestigious Aiglon College, one of Switzerland's exclusive private boarding schools. After graduating with an academic diploma, Laura spent time in the foothills of the Himalayas, working as a social worker to help transport heavy rocks, plant gardens, build schools, and perform other manual tasks that helped the villagers create a better quality of life. After her social work, Laura devoted a year to backpacking through Asia and Europe, often falling asleep beside the ocean in a sleeping bag, an experience that changed her life forever. Laura spent time living in other countries and meeting new people, and it changed her life profoundly.
Years later, Harring starred opposite extraordinary actors such as Oscar winner Javier Bardem in the adaptation of Nobel Peace Prize winner Garcia Marquez's Love in the Time of Cholera, Oscar winner Denzel Washington in John Q, and Oscar winner William Hurt in The King. Laura also starred opposite John Travolta in Marvel's The Punisher. For the small screen, Laura starred opposite Forest Whitaker in the critically acclaimed television show The Shield, a show that changed the conventional formula of the cop genre and won multiple awards. Later she starred as Ed Westwick's mom in the super-hit TV show Gossip Girl. But Laura was no stranger to the small screen, having started her career as a series regular on Aaron Spelling's Sunset Beach on NBC.
In her earlier years, Laura studied at the London Academy of Performing Arts. She credits her grandfather, an extraordinary athlete who was due to compete in the Olympics in 1948, for her equestrian and fencing skills. Her philosophy in life is unique. She believes we are all one human family meant to enjoy the trip of life. - Tessie Santiago was born on 10 August 1975 in Miami, Florida, USA. She is an actress, known for Queen of Swords (2000), Devil's Whisper (2019) and Scandal (2012). She has been married to Carlos Bernard since 30 December 2013.
- Actress
- Additional Crew
- Sound Department
Jacqueline Pinol was born in Queens, New York, USA. She is an actress, known for Bosch (2014), Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020) and Spider-Man (2018). She is married to Jonny Blu. They have one child.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Seidy Lopez was born in beautiful Merida Yucatan Mexico. At the age of four, she and her family moved to the United States for the first time in search of a more rewarding life. When she turned ten her parents found it necessary to return to Yucatan with their three children where they would learn how to properly read, write and speak the Spanish language. The Lopez family returned to the states two years later with their children completely bilingual.
Seidy's experience as a performer began at age twelve when she formed a singing group called "Sensation". The group won several talent competitions in Los Angeles. At the age of 14 she decided to hone in on her vocal skills, and with the help of her Jr. High teacher, Mr. Gleason, she auditioned for the Los Angeles County High School for the Performing Arts at Cal State University. As a member of their vocal ensemble, Seidy was given the opportunity to perform in such prestigious venues as the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. The following year at Hollywood High School of the Performing Arts, Seidy discovered theater and focused her attention on acting.
At the age of seventeen Seidy also became a member of an educational theater troupe called "Project Able ". The theater troupe toured venues throughout California, including jails and juvenile halls, teaching AIDS education.
Seidy's big break came in 1993 when Alison Anders cast her as Mousie in her critically acclaimed movie "Mi Vida Loca", Seidy captured the essence of life in the hood for Los Angeles female gang members. Starring in this film helped Seidy gain recognition in the Latino community and gave her the opportunity to work with other wonderful directors such as; Quentin Tarantino, Joel Schumacher and Antoine Fuqua. However the director that has been most influential to her career has been Gregory Nava, casting her in films such as Mi Familia , Selena and later reuniting her with Esai Morales in his wonderful series American Family. Seidy's career has continued with unforgettable roles such as Cindy in the Film Luminarias, Elian's mother in The Elian Gonzales Story, Gabriela in the self titled film, and the coy sexy bakery girl Cynthia Limon in the television series Resurrection Blvd.
Seidy lives with her husband and two children in Los Angeles California. She is an amazing actress and is living a true American Dream. "Si Se Puede".- Actress
- Writer
- Producer
A Chicago native of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent, she made her professional stage debut at the age of seven in Paul Mejia's "Cinderella" at The Auditorium Theatre. By the age of twelve, she was dancing 20 shows a month as "Clara" in "The Nutcracker". She joined the Young People's Company, whose alumni include John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Jeremy Piven, Lili Taylor and Aidan Quinn.
Aimee graduated from Northwestern University with a triple major in economics, journalism and French. While attending Northwestern University, she was put under a two-year contract with Paramount Television after Norman Lear hand-picked her to headline his pilot-in-development, The Chavez Family, and also played the lead role of Diana Morales in "A Chorus Line" for Broadway choreographer Mitzi Hamilton.
After Northwestern, she developed a television career in Los Angeles with Greetings from Tucson (2002), and had continued success as Andy Garcia's daughter and George Lopez's niece Veronica Palmero on George Lopez (2002). She is was at one point the only Latina in her generation to be on syndicated television.
In 2007, she was nominated for an ALMA and Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Television Series.
Aimee also starred in Peter Berg's new high-octane medical drama Trauma (2009) on NBC.- Actress
- Producer
- Soundtrack
Camille Guaty, raised in Northern California and New Jersey, studied at Boston University and continued her education at R.A.D.A, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. There she learned the great works of William Shakespeare.
After a ten day trip to meet her new Los Angeles reps, they immediately signed her and sent her out on her first pilot season. Camille was offered a holding deal with WB and booked her first role, on Bob Saget's "Raising Dad," as a feisty best friend to Kat Dennings and Brie Larson. She next landed the lead role in Disney Channel's "Gotta Kick It Up" and hasn't stopped working since.- Actress
- Director
As she inherited her love for the arts by her father, well-known playwright, actor, director and novelist Mario Peña, it is not hard to understand that actress Elizabeth Pena already had designs to become an actress by the time she was eight years old.
Born in Elizabeth, New Jersey on September 23, 1959, the petite (5' 2") actress was raised in New York City. Elizabeth's (and sister Tania's) parents, Cuban immigrants Mario and Estella Margarita Peña, would achieve a strong Latino reputation as the founders of the off-Broadway Latin-American Theatre Ensemble. They also encouraged Elizabeth's talent. In 1975, the young teenager became a founding member of the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors, and two years later graduated from New York's High School of Performing Arts, now the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Art and Performing Arts.
Elizabeth found occasional work in repertory theater and in television commercials. Making her film debut in the independent Spanish-speaking feature El Super (1979), about Cuban refugees, she continued with playing a long line of independent and rebellious characters, which showed plenty of attitude and independence. Playing offbeat roles -- from a knife-threatening waitress to a disco queen -- she appeared in such early films as They All Laughed (1981) and Crossover Dreams (1985). Elizabeth's big break came in the form a support role in the hugely popular and entertaining comedy Down and Out in Beverly Hills (1986), co-starring Bette Midler, Richard Dreyfuss and Nick Nolte, in which she stole several scenes as the sultry, smoky-voiced, politically-minded maid Carmen.
Two consecutive short-lived television series came about around this time. Her first, the ensemble comedy Tough Cookies (1986), had her playing a police officer, and the second was the title housekeeper role in the sitcom I Married Dora (1987). High in demand now, Elizabeth continued to spice up both the big and small screen in such roles as Ritchie Valens' stepsister-in-law in the well-received biopic La Bamba (1987); a drug enforcement agent in the miniseries Drug Wars: The Camarena Story (1990); PTSD-suffering Tim Robbins' live-in girlfriend in the complex drama Jacob's Ladder (1990); and a dedicated legal secretary on the corporate drama series Shannon's Deal (1990) starring Jamey Sheridan.
Honors also came Elizabeth's way when she received the Independent Spirit and Bravo awards for the film Lone Star (1996), and four ALMA Awards for her performances in the television movie Contagious (1997), the films Tortilla Soup (2001) and Rush Hour (1998), and her regular role on the Latino drama series Resurrection Blvd. (2000).
Into the millennium, Elizabeth found steady employment on television with guest roles on Boston Public (2000), CSI: Miami (2002), Without a Trace (2002), Numb3rs (2005), Ghost Whisperer (2005), Charlie's Angels (2011), Prime Suspect (2011), Common Law (2012), and Modern Family (2009). One of her last roles was on the television series Matador (2014). She also found herself further down the credits in films such as On the Borderline (2001), Transamerica (2005), The Lost City (2005), Mother and Child (2009), The Perfect Family (2011), Plush (2013), and Grandma (2015). Three other films -- Girl on the Edge (2015), Ana Maria in Novela Land (2015), and The Song of Sway Lake (2018) -- were released posthumously. She also provided a voice in the popular Disney/Pixar animated film The Incredibles (2004).
A chronic alcohol problem severely hampered Elizabeth's life and she died suddenly from cirrhosis of the liver in Los Angeles, California on October 14, 2014, at age 55. She was survived by her second husband (from 1994), Hans Rolla, and their two children, son Kælan and daughter Fiona.- Actress
- Producer
- Writer
Dania is a Latin American actress born in the Dominican Republic. She grew up, living with her grandmother, in a poor household. Her parents left for the United States, when she was 6-months old, and she finally joined them in New York when she was age 10.
She knew from a young age that she wanted to act. She was discovered by a model scout and cast in a soda commercial. She attended the Actor's workshop in New York City and moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Her first job was Jay-Z's girlfriend in his music video, Streets Is Watching (1998). She went on to appear in high profile TV shows The Sopranos (1999), Entourage (2004) and Heroes (2006). She has also appeared in films and, in 2012, she was cast in American Reunion (2012). She is currently starring on Lifetime's Devious Maids (2013) as 'Rosie Falta'.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Maria Pilar Canals is an American actress who is known for playing Theresa Russo from Wizards of Waverly Place. She also played Connie Torres in the Camp Rock film series, Hawkgirl from Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, She-Hulk from Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds and Sunset Boulevardez from The Proud Family.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Idalis DeLeon was born on 15 June 1969 in Bronx, New York City, New York, USA. She is an actress and director, known for Running Scared (2006), Six Feet Under (2001) and The Invisible Man (2000).- Actress
- Soundtrack
Saundra Santiago is a versatile actress who has worked in television, movies and on the Broadway stage. She holds a BFA from the University of Miami, and an MFA from Southern Methodist University. She is also a member of the Actor's Studio in New York City. She was born and raised in the Bronx.
You can catch Saundra on the many episodics she's starred in such as "Gotham," "True Detective," & the upcoming, "Blue Bloods." She portrayed the recurring role of "Marciela" in the Fox series, "Gang Related." She played Sonia Braga's sister for Hallmark's Movie, "Meddling Mom." Living in Manhattan, she has guest starred on most NYC's based television shows, such as "Person of Interest," "Law and Order," and the short lived, "The Unusuals," & "Cashmere Mafia." She recurred as Karen Gonzales in the first season of the Glenn Close FX hit, "Damages." Her favorite recurring role or roles, for that matter, were playing twin sisters, Jeannie and Joan Cusamano on HBO's monster hit, "The Sopranos." She is most known for her series regular role as Gina Calabrese in the cult show, "Miami Vice" for which she played in for its full 5 seasons. She's performed opposite the great Sidney Poiter, Bill Cosby and Elizabeth Montgomery in several MOWs. She's danced with Al Pacino in "Carlito's Way," mothered Rosario Dawson in "25th Hour," and done many Indies, and shorts. Her latest indie, "The House that Jack Built," was just released in movie theaters, and VOD. Saundra made her Broadway debut in the 1st Tony Award nominated Arthur Miller play, "A View from the Bridge" as Catherine starring opposite Tony LoBianco. She was last seen on Broadway in the Tony Award winning "Nine," starring Antonio Banderas. She continued to perform on Broadway and Off in musicals and plays, including "The Glass Menagerie" as Amanda Wingfield, "The House of Bernarda Alba," the Tony Award nominated musical, "Chronicle of a Death Foretold," "Hello Again," "Spike Heels," (with Kevin Bacon), and even toured the states and Canada with "Evita" as Eva Peron. You can hear Saundra singing on two musical recordings of "The House of Bernarda Alba," and "Nine." She also sang on two of the six Johnny Carson shows she guested on. On daytime, Saundra created the role of "Carmen Santos" on CBS's longest running soap opera, Guiding Light. For her role, Santiago was the 2002 recipient of an Alma Award for Ouststanding Actress in a Daytime Drama and nominated several times. She stepped in the portray Carlotta Vega on ABC's "One Life to Live" in its final years.
You can occasionally catch Saundra singing at the several cabaret clubs in NYC.- Actress
- Director
- Producer
Angela Alvarado was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. She was raised in Villalba, Puerto Rico until her parents moved the family to the South Bronx. She attended Arts High School in Newark NJ majoring in Visual Arts. She majored in Economics with a minor in Film at Hunter College. She began her career as a model in New York city. She quickly moved on to acting and then later directing. She has been married to Draco Rosa since 1990. They have two sons, Revel Rosa and Redamo Rosa.- In an impressive career spanning over two decades, Diana Maria Riva has established herself as a dominant force in television, film, and theater. She stars alongside Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini in Netflix's hit series Dead to Me which has wrapped its third and final season. Riva plays "Detective Ana Perez," the lead investigator in the hit-and-run collision that killed the husband of Applegate's character. She earned both a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series and won an Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television (Comedy) for her performance. She will next be seen in the new HBO Max series "The Gordita Chronicles" for director Eva Longoria. Riva plays "Adela Castelli," mother of Cucu, a Dominican immigrant growing up with her eccentric family in 1980's Miami as they all pursue the American Dream.
Riva was featured in the indie film Kajillionaire for writer/director Miranda July which was selected for the Sundance Festival last year. Previously, she co-starred with Anna Kendrick, Bill Hader, Billy Eichner and Shirley MacLaine in Disney's holiday film Noelle for Disney+. She also co-starred on the NBC/Hulu comedy Sunnyside from executive producers Kal Penn and Michael Schur.
On the big screen, she co-starred in Disney's McFarland, USA, with Kevin Costner and Maria Bello and Love and Mercy with Elizabeth Banks and John Cusack. Riva also had a supporting role in the critically acclaimed Short Term 12 starring Brie Larson. In 2010, she starred opposite Regina King, America Ferrera and Forest Whitaker in Fox Searchlight's Family Wedding. Other notable film credits include 17 Again, What Women Want, Employee of the Month, Chasing Papi and The Third Wheel, among others.
Riva starred with Eva Longoria in NBC's half-hour mid-season comedy Telenovela. She played "Mimi," the stylist and best friend to Longoria's character. Soon after, Riva played "Mrs. Rodriguez" in CBS's Man with a Plan, starring Matt LeBlanc, which earned her a People's Choice Award for Favorite New TV Comedy. Other series regular television credits include FX's Saint George, Fox's The Good Guys, CBS' iRob! and FX's The Bridge. She also recurred on such prominent series as Madam Secretary, Everybody Loves Raymond, The West Wing, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, Less Than Perfect, The Hughleys, and Family Law as well as The Drew Carey Show, Strong Medicine, The X-Files, The Pretender, Party of Five, The Ghost Whisperer, and In Plain Sight.
Riva was first discovered by ABC Studios. They quickly signed her to a holding deal and placed her as a series regular in their half-hour comedy Common Law opposite comedian Greg Giraldo. Though the show was short-lived, Diana parlayed her experience into an impressive small screen resume. She starred as Kim Delaney's colorful and confident office manager on the ABC/Steven Bochco series Philly. Prior to her dynamic role on Philly, Diana had already made quite a name for herself as part of the Bochco family-having appeared in recurring roles on City of Angels and NYPD Blue, as well as doing guest-star work on Murder One. Riva received rave reviews in the original Lifetime drama series Side Order of Life, where she played "Vivy Porter", a feisty outspoken woman who refuses to allow her diagnosis of cancer get the best of her.
Diana was born and raised in Cincinnati, Ohio with her native roots going back to the Dominican Republic. She attended the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music where she received her MFA in Theater Performance. While not hard at work, Diana dedicates her time to her family. She and her children reside in Los Angeles. - Emily Rios was born on 27 April 1989 in Los Angeles, California, USA. She is an actress, known for Quinceañera (2006), The Bridge (2013) and Breaking Bad (2008).
- Actress
- Producer
- Director
After a ten-year hiatus to get the Equal Rights Amendment ratified to the U.S. Constitution legendary Latinx artist, Kamala Lopez is back in the business with new episodes of "This is Us," "Hacks" and "Mayans MC" filmed this past season. Over her long career, the award-winning bilingual actress has starred in over thirty-five feature films and seventy+ TV shows, across all genres (comedy/drama; film/TV).
Born in New York City to a mother from Madras, India and a Venezuelan father, Lopez lived with her parents in Caracas until the age of fourteen, studying in British and American schools. While still in high school, and studying acting at Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan, Ms. Lopez was cast in CTW's "Sesame Street" as Mercedes, Maria's cousin, a role she portrayed for two seasons before she was accepted to Yale University where she majored in Theatre Studies and Philosophy.
After graduation, Ms. Lopez continued training with some of the world's most progressive and renowned acting teachers including: the late Sanford Meisner, (Masterclass/Director's Lab); Sylvain L'Hermitte (resident director/La Mama); Milton Katselas, (Saturday Professional Class); Jerzi Grotowski, (Objective Drama Workshop), Juan Carlos Corazza (Professional Intensive/Madrid), Gunnar Rohrbacher (Actors Comedy Studio) and Ivana Chubbuck (Coaching).
On screen, Ms. Lopez can be seen in many diverse, major motion pictures, notably: "I Heart Huckabees," directed by David O. Russell, opposite Dustin Hoffman and Mark Wahlberg as the latter's wife, Molly; starring opposite Raul Julia in "The Burning Season," directed by John Frankenheimer for HBO Pictures/ Warner Bros. (winner of several Emmy and Golden Globe Awards); as crack addicted Belinda opposite Laurence Fishburne in New Line's "Deep Cover" directed by Bill Duke (New Line); opposite Cuba Gooding Jr. as Pilar, the southern dance hall girl who wins his heart in "Lightning Jack "(Savoy); as Anna, the sexually lethal government agent in "Love and Action in Chicago" opposite Courtney Vance and Regina King; headlining Lizzie Borden's racy, irreverent "Let's Talk About Sex" episode of the international co-production "Erotique"; and her introductory feature lead as Cheech Marin's sweetheart Dolores in "Born in East L.A."
Some of the highlights of Ms. Lopez's extensive television career include: groundbreaking television like "It's Garry Shandling's Show", "Hill Street Blues" and the Amnesty International sponsored episode of "21 Jump St." (for which she won the Imagen Award); opposite Christine Lahti and Ruben Blades in "Crazy From The Heart" (winner of the Ace Award); opposite Glenn Close in Stones For Ibarra; hosting "Wired Science" with Chris Hardwicke for PBS. Recurring roles include on the hit NBC show "Medium" as attorney Kristine Romney; on Showtime's critically acclaimed series, "Resurrection Blvd." as artist Sulinda Serrano; as Lisa Vidal's sister, Connie, "The Division" as army nurse Susanna Lozada on "Tour of Duty" and as prostitute/informant Carlita the CBS series "The Handler." More than sixty episodic guest leads include "Black Jesus", "24", "Alias", "JAG," "Miami Vice" and "NYPD Blue" among many others.
Her directorial feature film debut "A Single Woman" about the life of first US Congresswoman Jeannette Rankin won the 2009 Exceptional Merit in Media Award from the National Women's Political Caucus. In 2013 her short Spanish-language film "Ese Beso" won the Jury Award at the Senorita Cinema Festival and the Audience Award at the Boyle Heights Latina Film Festival. In 2016, her follow-up feature, the documentary Equal Means Equal, won Best U.S. Documentary (Audience Award) at Michael Moore's TCF Festival and was a New York Times Critics' Pick. The film was the catalyst behind a national civil rights movement resulting in the ratification of the 28th Amendment to the United States Constitution: The Equal Rights Amendment.
Kamala has been the Keynote or Featured Speaker in venues as disparate as the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery, the United Nations, The National Arts Club, at the YaleWomen Global Conference and Stanford Law School. Kamala has appeared as herself on multiple television, radio and cable networks including NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox, BBC, CNN, PBS, Telemundo, Univision, NPR, KPFK, WBAI, KIIS and many more.- Actress
- Art Director
- Soundtrack
Alyssa Elaine Diaz (born September 7, 1985) is an American actress. Diaz is known for her roles on television, such as Celia Ortega on the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns, Jasmine on the ABC Family series The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Gloria Cruz on Lifetime's Army Wives, Teresa on Showtime's Ray Donovan, and Dariela Marzan on the CBS series Zoo.
Diaz was born in Northridge neighborhood of Los Angeles, California on September 7, 1985. She is of Colombian and Mexican ancestry, and has one brother named Michael. Diaz is a graduate of Bishop Alemany High School.
Diaz played the role of Celia Ortega on the daytime soap opera As the World Turns from February 9, 2005 until August 10, 2005, when her character left town for Montega to be with her relatives. She has made other television appearances, guest-starring in television shows including Southland, CSI: NY and Lie to Me. Diaz has also starred in the film How the Garcia Girls Spent Their Summer, and in the television films Ben 10: Alien Swarm and The Jensen Project.
In 2011 Diaz was cast in the starring role of Jasmine on the ABC Family series The Nine Lives of Chloe King. In 2012, she landed the recurring role of Gloria Cruz on Army Wives. She was upgraded to series regular for the seventh season, which started in March 2013. She has also appeared in The Vampire Diaries.
In March 2016, Diaz landed the role as Dariela, a series regular, on the CBS drama Zoo for its second season.- Actress
- Soundtrack
Odette Annable was born Odette Juliette Yustman on 10 May, 1985, in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Lydia (Nodarse), is Cuban. Odette's father, Victor Oscar Yustman, was born in Bogotá, Colombia, of Italian and Polish Jewish descent. Odette started her career with a minor role in the movie Kindergarten Cop (1990) as "Rosa."
After graduating from Woodcrest Christian High School in Riverside, California, where she was the homecoming queen, she turned to modeling with a few roles through the years. Some of her credits include Danielle Steel's Remembrance (1996) and Dear God (1996) with a few guest appearances in Quintuplets (2004). In 2006, Odette was cast in Jennifer Lopez's South Beach (2006) where she played "Arielle Casta". She was then cast in the drama October Road (2007) as "Aubrey," which has received its second season. She has since been seen in the action monster movie Cloverfield (2008) as "Beth McIntyre".of Cuban Descent