Selenis Leyva

Selenis Leyva
Leyva at the 2014 Peabody Awards.
Born (1972-05-26) May 26, 1972
Baracoa, Cuba
Occupation Actress
Years active 1999-present
Children 1

Selenis Leyva (born May 26, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black.

Life and career

Leyva was born and raised in the Bronx, New York City. She is of Cuban and Dominican descent.[1] She has appeared in a number of Off-Broadway productions.[2] On television, Leyva had a recurring role of Detective Mariluz Rivera in Law & Order, and also appeared in different roles on the show and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has guest-starred on Third Watch, The Sopranos, The Good Wife, Girls, and Elementary.

In 2013, Leyva began starring as Gloria Mendoza, a Latina leader in the jail, in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Her character was recurring for the first two seasons and she was promoted to series regular in Season 3.[3][4] In 2015, she co-starred opposite Viola Davis and Catalina Sandino Moreno in the courtroom drama film Custody directed and written by James Lapine.[5]

Leyva has one daughter, Alina.[6] She is a supporter of the LGBT community and revealed in June 2015 that her sister Marizol is transgender.[6][7][8][9]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2000 Debutante Daisy Dominguez
2002 Apartment #5C Luisa
2004 Maria Full of Grace Customs Inspector
2007 Illegal Tender Wanda
Ben's Plan Maria
2009 Don't Let Me Drown Sonia
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs Additional Voices Voice
2010 Sex and the City 2 Teacher
Trouble Child Trouble Child Short film
2011 Man in the Mirror Sonia Short film
2012 Ice Age: Continental Drift Additional Voices Voice
2013 Epic Additional Voices Voice
2014 Living with the Dead Dr. Quenda
2015 Chapter & Verse Yolanda
2016 Custody Jackie
I Can I Will I Did Maria
2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming Monica Warren

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Law & Order Louisa Episode: "Refuge: Part 2"
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Lorinda Gutierrez Episode: "Hysteria"
2001 The $treet Kate Episode: "Junk Bonds"
Law & Order DeeDee Salazar Episode: "Sunday in the Park with Jorge"
Taina Titi Rose Recurring role, 6 episodes
100 Centre Street Delfina Romero Episodes: "Kids: Part 1" and "Kids: Part 2"
2002 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Isabella Costas Episode: "Homo Homini Lupis"
2003 Third Watch Phyllis Episode: "Goodbye to All That"
2004 Third Watch Gonzalez Episode: "Leap of Faith"
Law & Order Nita Cabrera Episode: "Veteran's Day"
2005 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Warden's Secretary Episode: "Prisoner"
2004–2006 Law & Order Detective Mariluz Rivera Recurring role, 18 episodes
2006 The Sopranos Jill Dibiaso Episode: "Live Free or Die"
2007 Dirty Sexy Money Detective Angelina Adams Episode: "Pilot"
2008 New Amsterdam Susan Boyle Episode: "Pilot"
2010 Law & Order Rona Henderson Episode: "Boy on Fire"
The Good Wife Marisol Episode: "Doubt"
The Whole Truth Claudia Episode: "Liars"
2011 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Detective Mariluz Rivera Episode: "Icarus"
Person of Interest Hosking Episode: "Number Crunch"
2011–2012 Blue Bloods Assistant M.E. Craig Recurring role, 4 episodes
2012 Girls Chastity Episode: "Hannah's Diary"
Elementary Sara Castillo Episode: "Child Predator"
2013 The Following Detective Morales Episode: "Chapter Two"
2013–present Orange Is the New Black Gloria Mendoza Recurring role (Seasons 1-2), Series regular (Season 3-)
ALMA Award for Outstanding Special Achievement in Television (2014)
Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015–2016)
2015 Nuestra Belleza Latina 2015 Herself Celebrity guest (8th Gala)
Madam Secretary Bolivian Ambassador Mariana Dominguez Episode: "The Time Is at Hand"
Veep Governor Ramos Episode: "B/ill"
2018 DuckTales (2017) M'ma Crackshell-Cabrera Episode: "Who is Gizmoduck?!"
Maniac Patricia Lugo Episode: "The Chosen One!"

References

  1. "Selenis Leyva Explains Why 'Orange Is The New Black' Is A Huge Step For Latinas". Huffingtonpost.com. 2013-11-18. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  2. "Lortel Archives-The Internet Off-Broadway Database". Lortel.org. Archived from the original on 2012-10-23. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  3. Andreeva, Nellie. "Nick Sandow & Selenis Leyva Upped To Regulars On 'Orange Is The New Black'; Damon Wayans Jr. On 'New Girl'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  4. "TV Casting News For Selenis Leyva, Jocko Sims, Damon Wayans Jr, RZA|Shadow and Act". Blogs.indiewire.com. Retrieved 2014-06-10.
  5. "'OITNB' Star Selenis Leyva Says Gloria Will 'Come Undone' In Season 3". The Huffington Post. 2015-06-11. Retrieved 20 June 2015.
  6. 1 2 Serico, Chris (May 11, 2015). "'Orange is the New Black' star attends prom for ill teens - TODAY.com". Today. NBC. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  7. Leyva, Selenis (June 3, 2015). "What Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair Cover Sparked For Me As Sister of Trans Woman | Selenis Leyva". The Huffington Post. AOL. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  8. Nunez, Alanna (June 15, 2015). "Orange Is the New Black Star Selenis Leyva on Gloria, Motherhood, and Talking About Sex with Her Daughter". Cosmopolitan. Hearst Corporation. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
  9. Erazo, Vanessa (June 3, 2015). "'Orange is the New Black' Actress Reveals Her Sister Is a Transgender Woman?". Remezcla. Retrieved October 1, 2015.
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