Monica Raymund Explained

Monica Raymund
Birth Name:Monica Maria Raymund
Birth Date:26 July 1986
Birth Place:St. Petersburg, Florida, U.S.
Occupation:Actress, director
Years Active:2004–present
Family:Edward C. Raymund (paternal grandfather)

Monica Maria Raymund (born July 26, 1986) is an American actress and director, known for her roles as Maria "Ria" Torres in the Fox crime drama Lie to Me (2009–2011), Dana Lodge in the CBS legal drama The Good Wife (2011–2012), Gabriela Dawson in the NBC drama Chicago Fire (2012–2019) and Jackie Quiñones in the Starz crime drama Hightown (2020–2024).

Early life and education

Raymund was born in St. Petersburg, Florida, to Steve Raymund, the board chairman and retired CEO of Tech Data Corp., a Clearwater-based distributor of computer components and software,[1] [2] and Sonia (née Lara), a community volunteer and co-founder of the Soulful Arts Dance Academy in St. Petersburg.[3] Her father is of English and Eastern European Jewish descent. Her mother is Dominican. Raymund was raised Jewish, celebrated a bat mitzvah, and attended a Reform Judaism temple.[4] Her paternal grandfather was businessman and philanthropist Edward C. Raymund. Raymund's younger brother, Will, was a graduate of Berklee College of Music, and a sound and lighting engineer and music promoter. He died in August 2015.

In high school, she participated in the "Broadway Theater Project" in Tampa and was a founding member of The Performing Arts Project at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem."

Raymund graduated from Shorecrest Preparatory School in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2004, and from the Juilliard School in New York City in 2008.

Career

Reportedly, Raymund performed in Cymbeline directed by Richard Feldman, The Diviners (directed by Jonathan Bernstein), and Animal Farm (directed by Trazana Beverley) all at the Juilliard School.[5]

Raymund also appeared in her native St. Petersburg, Florida, in the LiveArts Peninsula Foundation's original production of Manhattan Casino (directed by Bob Devin Jones) where she originated the leading role of Althea Dunbar and Webb's City: The Musical (music & lyrics by Lee Ahlin, written and directed by William Leavengood)."[6] Raymund "is a three-year alumna of Ann Reinking's Broadway Theater Project, where she has been a featured performer."

Raymund has also "worked with playwright José Rivera on Boleros for the Disenchanted at the Huntington Theatre Company in Boston" in 2008.[7] In April 2008, she appeared in the NBC legal drama , in season 9 episode 17 titled "Authority" in the opening scene as a strip search prank call victim. From 2009 to 2011, she starred in the Fox crime drama Lie to Me, where she played Maria "Ria" Torres, a human lie detector who is a "natural", meaning she has no formal training in detecting lies or the emotions of others. She was using crutches because of a knee injury when she auditioned for this role.

From 2011 until 2012, Raymund had a recurring role in the third season of the CBS legal drama The Good Wife, where she played Dana Lodge, an assistant states attorney.[8]

In 2012, Raymund began starring in the NBC drama Chicago Fire. She played Gabriela Dawson, the paramedic in charge and a firefighter candidate. On May 15, 2018, Raymund confirmed that she was leaving the show after six seasons. She briefly appeared on the show in the seventh-season premiere "A Closer Eye". In November 2019, she returned to the show in the eighth-season episode "Best Friend Magic".[9]

In 2020, Raymund began starring as Jackie Quiñones in the Starz crime drama Hightown.

Raymund has also directed several episodes of television, an episode of , an episode of Dick Wolf's FBI, and an episode of Chicago Fire[10]

Personal life

On June 11, 2011, Raymund married writer Neil Patrick Stewart.[11] They separated in early 2013 and divorced in 2014.[12]

Raymund is an ardent supporter of LGBT rights. In February 2014, she came out publicly as bisexual for the first time via Twitter.[13] On September 16, 2015, Raymund announced via Twitter that she had begun dating camerawoman, cinematographer, and producer Tari Segal.

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2007FighterSarahShort film
2008Love? PainShort film
2012ArbitrageReina
Fifty Grades of ShayDialect TapeShort film
2013Brahmin BullsMaya
2016Happy Baby María
2022BrosTina
2023The Caine Mutiny Court-MartialCommander Katherine Challee

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2008Trinidad "Trini" MartínezEpisode: "Authority"
2009–11Lie to MeMaría "Ria" TorresMain role; 48 episodes
2011Blue BloodsLuisa SosaEpisode: "Critical Condition"
2011–12The Good WifeDana LodgeRecurring role; 9 episodes
2012–19Chicago FireGabriela DawsonMain role (seasons 1–6), guest (seasons 7–8); 139 episodes
Imagen Award for Best Actress in Television in 2013
2013Body of ProofFBI Video Analysis AgentEpisode: "Disappearing Act"
2014–18Chicago P.D.Gabriela DawsonRecurring role; 9 episodes
2016–18Chicago MedRecurring role; 2 episodes
2017Special SkillsMonicaEpisode: "Party Animals"
2020–24HightownJacqueline "Jackie" QuiñonesMain role; also, producer and director

Director

YearTitleNotes
2018"Hell's Kitchen"
2020–2024FBI
  • Season 2: "Payback", "Emotional Rescue"
  • Season 3: "Trigger Effect"
  • Season 6: "No One Left Behind"
2021"Unforgettable"
2021–2024Hightown
  • Season 2: "Fresh as a Daisy"
  • Season 3: "Fall Brook"
2021The Sinner"Part VIII"
2021The Endgame"Judge, Jury and Executioner"
2022"Graceland Gambit"
2024"The Reckoning"

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Winchester . Donna . May 23, 2004 . Bye, high school; hello, tomorrow . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110927163921/http://www.stpetersburgtimes.com/2004/05/23/news_pf/Neighborhoodtimes/Bye__high_school_hell.shtml . September 27, 2011 . July 30, 2011 . St. Petersburg Times .
  2. Web site: Deggans . Eric . January 25, 2009 . St. Petersburg native, 'Lie To Me' co-star Monica Raymund ready to put in the work . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110911204410/http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/article970028.ece . September 11, 2011 . July 30, 2011 . St. Petersburg Times .
  3. Web site: Leal . Samantha . October 9, 2012 . Introducing 'Chicago Fire' Star Monica Raymund . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20171118221831/http://www.latina.com/entertainment/tv/introducing-chicago-fire-star-monica-raymund . November 18, 2017 . October 10, 2012 . Latina.
  4. http://www.sptimes.com/2004/03/07/Neighborhoodtimes/Celebrating_75_years_.shtml "Celebrating 75 years of faith, progress"
  5. Web site: Biography . https://web.archive.org/web/20070115073009/http://www.littlemary.info/Biography.html . January 15, 2007 . littlemary.info.
  6. Web site: Stephens . Janel . February 23, 2003 . Striking similarities . July 30, 2011 . St. Petersburg Times . March 28, 2003 . https://web.archive.org/web/20030328034830/http://www.sptimes.com/2003/02/23/SouthPinellas/Striking_similarities.shtml . live .
  7. Web site: Park . Mary Jane . January 11, 2009 . St. Petersburg actor has role in Fox's 'Lie to Me' . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111105222430/http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article963146.ece . November 5, 2011 . July 30, 2011 . St. Petersburg Times.
  8. Web site: Porter . Rick . September 9, 2011 . 'The Good Wife': 'Lie to Me's' Monica Raymund will catch Cary's eye . January 8, 2016 . Zap2It.
  9. Web site: Cordero . Rosy . October 21, 2021 . 'Chicago Fire': Jesse Spencer, Producer & Alum Monica Raymund On Tonight's Big Exit . Deadline Hollywood . Raymund also confirmed she was due to return at the end of last season but was unable to do so due to Covid restrictions. . December 10, 2021 . October 21, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211021021614/https://deadline.com/2021/10/jessie-spencer-chicago-fire-reaction-monica-raymund-1234859460/ . live .
  10. Web site: White . Peter . April 1, 2020 . Monica Raymund On Directing 'FBI's 'Chicago P.D.' Crossover Episode Amid Pandemic That Made It Season Finale . Deadline Hollywood . It is only Raymund’s third television directing gig after an episode of SVU in 2018 and an episode of FBI earlier this season. . December 10, 2021 . April 1, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200401025539/https://deadline.com/2020/03/fbi-chicago-pd-crossover-monica-raymund-director-season-finale-coronavirus-1202897140/ . live .
  11. News: Heyman . Marshall . June 11, 2011 . Dinner, with Drama . The Wall Street Journal . July 10, 2011 . March 27, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190327101145/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303848104576385924050939858 . live .
  12. Web site: Gilchrist . Tracy E. . September 16, 2015 . Bisexual Chicago Fire Star Monica Raymund Introduces the World to Her Girlfriend Via Twitter . https://web.archive.org/web/20151117023748/http://www.shewired.com/television/2015/09/16/bisexual-chicago-fire-star-monica-raymund-introduces-world-her-girlfriend-twit . November 17, 2015 . January 8, 2016 . SheWired.
  13. Web site: Hallowell . Lucy . February 10, 2014 . "Chicago Fire" star Monica Raymund comes out as bisexual on Twitter . https://web.archive.org/web/20140427083214/http://www.afterellen.com/monica-raymund-comes-out-on-twitter/02/2014/ . April 27, 2014 . February 10, 2014 . AfterEllen.