Valerie Cruz Explained

Valerie Cruz
Birth Date:18 July 1976
Birth Place:Elizabeth, New Jersey, U.S.
Yearsactive:2002–present

Valerie Cruz (born July 18, 1976) is an American actress. Cruz was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey of Cuban ancestry.[1] She attended Florida State University and received a BFA theatre degree.

Career

She has appeared in films such as Cellular and played Grace Santiago, a main character in Nip/Tuck, but she left the show just after the first season.[2] She has made guest appearances in series such as Grey's Anatomy and Las Vegas. In 2007, she appeared as Connie Murphy, a tough Chicago police detective, in SciFi Channel's adaptation of The Dresden Files. The show lasted for one season.

Cruz played Maria Nolan on the CW's Hidden Palms. In 2008, she appeared in the third season of Dexter, playing Syl Prado, the wife of Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits).

In 2009, she appeared in the horror film The Devil's Tomb and the HBO series True Blood, in which she played the part of Isabel. That same year, Cruz played Olivia in the film La Linea. In 2010 she became part of the cast of the ABC drama Off the Map, which was canceled by ABC On May 13, 2011. In 2011 she had a recurring role as a Homeland Security agent in the Syfy series Alphas. In 2012, she played an evil doctor in the "Organ Grinder" episode of Grimm; the wife of a dictator in the "Enemy of the State" episode of Scandal; and an investigator for the football league in the episode "Spell It Out" of Necessary Roughness. She also starred on The Following as Agent Gina Mendez.

Awards

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2004CellularDetective Dana Bayback
2008Allison
2009Olivia
2009Dr. Elissa CardellDirect-to-Video
2014Barbara Stevens
2016CustodyClaudia Sanjuro
2016My First MiracleHeidi
2018Locating Silver LakeLuisa

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002Strong MedicineAlmira"Precautions"
2002American FamilyOfficer #1"La Llorona: Part 1"
2002Ms. Constanza Diaz"Heartless"
2003Nip/TuckGrace SantiagoRecurring role
2004MissingKaren Moore"Delusional"
2004Crossing JordanMadeline Pillsbury"What Happens in Vegas Dies in Boston"
2004Las VegasMadeline Pillsbury"Two of a Kind"
2005LAXCarla"Mixed Signals"
2005Grey's AnatomyZona Cruz"No Man's Land"
2005InconceivableVanessa Calder"The Last Straw"
2006InvasionColonel Sabrina Lopez"Re-Evolution", "The Last Wave Goodbye"
2006, 2013DexterSyl PradoRecurring role (season 3), guest (season 8)
2007Hidden PalmsMaria NolanRecurring role
2007–2008Lieutenant Connie MurphyMain role
2008Street WarriorMaggie KuernerTV film
2009Eleventh HourCoco Delgado"Olfactus"
2009DollhouseSelena Ramirez"A Spy in the House of Love"
2009True BloodIsabel BeaumontRecurring role
2010U.S. Attorney Camilla Velez"Shadow"
2010Criminal MindsBrooke Sanchez"Parasite"
2011Off the MapDr. Zee AlvarezMain role
2011Dr. Sophie Perez"Dirty Little Secrets"
2011AlphasKathy SullivanRecurring role
2012AlyseTV film
2012GrimmDr. Levine"Organ Grinder"
2012ScandalCarolina Flores"Enemy of the State"
2012Necessary RoughnessVera Dade"Spell It Out", "Double Fault"
2012HomelandMajor Joy MendezRecurring role
2013NCISAnna"Detour"
2014BoschTeresa Corazon"'Tis the Season"
2014–2015Agent Gina MendezRegular role
2015QuanticoVera Rodriguez"God."
2017Chicago JusticeMiranda Sharp"Lily's Law"
2017DoubtCommander Olivia Jimenez"Top Dog/Underdog"
2018Renata Lopez"Pilot"
2018Life SentenceGinaRecurring role
2019The RookieElena Ruiz"The Checklist", "Free Fall"
2018–2021CharmedMarisol VeraRecurring role (seasons 1–2), guest (season 3)
2022Teresa Davidsonguest

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Following's Hot New FBI Agent Valerie Cruz: 5 Things to Know. People Magazine. Lee . Hernandez. January 20, 2014 . April 13, 2016.
  2. http://www.tv.com/valerie-cruz/person/169554/summary.html TV.com