Karina Arroyave (born July 16, 1969) is a Colombian-American actress. She began her career starring as Bianca Marquez Walsh in the CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns (1988–1994), and later made her big screen debut appearing in the biographical drama film Lean On Me (1989). Arroyave later had supporting roles in a number of movies and played recurring roles on television series 24 (2001–2002) as Jamey Farrell, Orange Is the New Black (2019) as Karla Cordova, and The Blacklist (2021–2022) as Mierce Xiu.
Arroyave was born in Colombia and moved to New York City with her parents at the age of 1. She studied acting at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School and later studied comedic acting at The Groundlings in Los Angeles. She made her stage debut playing the title role in Marisol at the Louisville Humana Festival. In 1988 she made her television debut appearing in an episode of crime drama series The Equalizer. Later that year she joined the cast of CBS daytime soap opera As the World Turns as Bianca Marquez Walsh, Lucinda Walsh's (Elizabeth Hubbard) adoptive daughter. Arroyave was regular cast member to 1994. In 1993, she made her Broadway debut in the Jane Bowles' play In the Summer House at Vivian Beaumont Theater.[2] [1] [3]
Arroyave made her big screen debut appearing in the 1989 biographical drama film Lean On Me opposite Morgan Freeman and Beverly Todd. She later had supporting roles in films Falling Down (1993), The Cowboy Way (1994), Trial by Jury (1994), Dangerous Minds (1995), One Eight Seven (1997), In Too Deep (1999), Flawless (1999), Empire (2002) and Crash (2004). She co-starred in the Hallmark Hall of Fame 1993 film Blind Spot opposite Joanne Woodward.[4] On television, Arroyave made guest-starring appearances in Law & Order, New York Undercover, The Practice, Brooklyn South, Chicago Hope, Touched by an Angel and NYPD Blue. Arroyave played the role of Jamey Farrell during the first season of Fox series 24 from 2001 to 2002. She later had supporting roles in films Adrift in Manhattan (2007), Adam (2009), Holy Rollers (2010) and Lost Cat Corona (2017).
In 2019, Arroyave played Karla Córdova, a Salvadoran detainee, during the final season of Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black.[5] [6] From 2021 to 2022 she had a recurring role as Mierce Xiu in the NBC series The Blacklist.[7] In 2023 she appeared in the Hulu miniseries A Murder at the End of the World, and in 2024 co-starred opposite Guillermo Diaz in the thriller film, You Can't Stay Here.[8]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1989 | Lean On Me | Maria | ||
| 1993 | Falling Down | Angie | ||
| 1994 | The Cowboy Way | Rosa | ||
| 1994 | Trial By Jury | Mercedes | ||
| 1995 | Dangerous Minds | Josy | ||
| 1997 | One Eight Seven | Rita Martinez | ||
| 1998 | Shock Television | Lonnie | ||
| 1999 | In Too Deep | G.G. | ||
| 1999 | Flawless | Amber | ||
| 2002 | Empire | Cheena | ||
| 2004 | Crash | Elizabeth | ||
| 2007 | Adrift in Manhattan | Christina | ||
| 2007 | The Proctor | Nurse | Short film | |
| 2009 | Adam | Anna Maria | ||
| 2010 | Holy Rollers | Fabric Customer | ||
| 2014 | Family on Board | Yvette Petito | Short film | |
| 2016 | The Karma Club | Guess | ||
| 2017 | Lost Cat Corona | Lucia | ||
| 2020 | First One In | Valentina | ||
| 2023 | You Can't Stay Here | Samantha | ||
| 2024 | The Reunion | Marguerite |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988–1994 | As the World Turns | Bianca Marquez Walsh | Series regular | |
| 1989 | Gideon Oliver | Tiffany | Episode: "Sleep Well, Professor Oliver" | |
| 1991, 1998 | Law & Order | Revina / Candy Pacheco | 2 episodes | |
| 1993 | Blind Spot | Ramona | TV movie | |
| 1995 | Friends At Last | Ramona | TV movie | |
| 1996 | New York Undercover | Tika Santiago | Episode: "A Time to Kill" | |
| 1997 | 413 Hope St. | Yolanda | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 1997 | The Practice | Teresa Cortez | Episode: "Save the Mule" | |
| 1998 | Brooklyn South | Lola | Episode: "Queens for a Day" | |
| 1998, 2004 | NYPD Blue | Theresa Ocasio / Tanya Taylor | 2 episodes | |
| 1999 | Chicago Hope | Sally Barnes | Episode: "The Golden Hour" | |
| 2000 | Missing Pieces | Maria | TV movie | |
| 2000 | Judging Amy | Martina Romano | Episode: "Drawing the Line" | |
| 2000 | Touched by an Angel | Annie Higuerra | Episode: "The Invitation" | |
| 2001 | Strong Medicine | Alicia Perez | Episode: "Maternity" | |
| 2001 | Family Law | Sandra Ramirez | Episode: "No Options" | |
| 2001–2002 | 24 | Jamey Farrell | Recurring role (Season 1) | |
| 2003 | Without a Trace | Luisa Delgado | Episode: "A Tree Falls" | |
| 2015 | Blue Bloods | Carmen Thompson | Episode: "Love Stories" | |
| 2015 | The Mysteries of Laura | Housekeeper | Episode: "The Mystery of the Locked Box" | |
| 2016 | Bull | Lurla Gray | Episode: "Never Saw the Sign" | |
| 2017 | Rosa Fernandez | Episode: "The Devil's Breath" | ||
| 2018 | Sylvia Ramos | Episode: "Chasing Demons" | ||
| 2019 | Orange is the New Black | Karla Córdova | 6 episodes | |
| 2021-2022 | The Blacklist | Mierce Xiu | 8 episodes | |
| 2023 | A Murder at the End of the World | Marta | Episodes: "Chapter 2: The Silver Doe" and "Chapter 3: Survivors" | |
| 2024 | Maria Alvarez | Episode: "Footsteps" |