| Birth Name: | Valery Milagros Ortiz |
| Birth Date: | 1984 8, mf=yes |
| Spouse: | Jesse Carrion (2011-present) |
| Birth Place: | San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Occupation: | Actress, model |
| Yearsactive: | 2004–present |
| Website: | http://www.valeryortiz.com/ |
Valery Milagros Ortiz (born August 1, 1984) is a Puerto Rican actress and model. She has appeared in various television series including South of Nowhere (2005–2008), Diary of a Single Mom (2009–2011), Hit the Floor (2013–2016) and Gabby Duran & the Unsittables (2019–2021). Ortiz has also appeared in films including Date Movie (2006), Dumbbells (2014) and Thriller (2018).
Ortiz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico[1] and raised in Orlando, Florida.[2] Passionate to become a "ballerina" and she explored her dancing talents after receiving a scholarship to The Southern Ballet Theater Performing Art Centre in Orlando. She continued dancing but eased out of it in middle school as her interest in theatre and acting grew.[1] She worked in Orlando as an extra on the Universal Studios backlot.[3] Following in her older brother's footsteps, she was accepted into the Dr. Phillips High School performing arts magnet program.[2] After four years of study, Ortiz began working in several productions like Latins Anonymous (Orlando Fringe Festival), West Side Story as Maria, A Midsummer Night's Dream as Helena, The Vagina Monologues (Orlando Premiere) and The Edinburgh, Scotland Fringe Festival.[4]
While attending the University of Central Florida for a Bachelor in Fine Arts, Ortiz was given an opportunity to work on television show Splat! as a host.[2] After the first season, a two-week[5] road trip "vacation" to Los Angeles turned into permanent relocation to Los Angeles. Ortiz quickly started working on a local television show called LATV Live as a VJ.
While working at the Hard Rock Cafe as a hostess, Ortiz was cast as in the comedy Date Movie as Jell-O, a Jennifer Lopez impersonation.[6] [7] During the movie's filming, she was cast the television series South of Nowhere.[8] Shortly after, she was cast in the pilot Emily's Reason's Why Not, which was picked up and aired in 2006.[4] In 2010, she appeared on an episode of Two and a Half Men. She currently is an anchor for Si TV and E! News. Ortiz was "One of the Top 25 Latinas of 2006" from Maxim en Español.[4] For three seasons, Ortiz portrayed the role of Raquel Saldana in Hit the Floor, a scripted VH1 series that premiered May 2013.[8]
In August 2019, Disney Channel announced the premiere date for their new live-action comedy series Gabby Duran and the Unsittables with Ortiz set to star as Dina Duran.[9] Ahead of the series premiere in October 2019, the show received an early season 2 renewal from Disney Channel.[10]
Ortiz currently lives in Los Angeles, California. She enjoys reading, hiking, decorating, and writing.[4]
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Date Movie | Jell-O | ||
| 2008 | From a Place of Darkness | Rosa | ||
| 2013 | 2 Dead 2 Kill | Donna Valens | ||
| 2014 | Dumbbells | Missy | ||
| 2015 | Lure | Girlfriend | Short | |
| 2016 | Skirtchasers | Gabriella | TV movie | |
| Peaches | Sydnee DeLeon | Short | ||
| 2018 | Thriller | Ms. Cruz | ||
| 2020 | 2 Minutes of Fame | Ms. Ellen | ||
| 2021 | Old Flames Never Die | Steph | TV movie | |
| 2024 | Skeletons in the Closet | Valentina |
| Year | Title | Role | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Nickelodeon SPLAT! | Herself/co-host | TV series | |
| 2005–08 | South of Nowhere | Madison Duarte | Main cast | |
| 2006 | Emily's Reasons Why Not | Waitress | Episode: "Pilot" | |
| 2006–07 | What About Brian | Roxanne | Recurring cast: season 2 | |
| 2007–09 | On the Up | Herself/host | TV series | |
| 2008 | 10 Items or Less | Buck's Friend #2 | Episode: "Forever Young" | |
| 2009 | Cold Case | Marisol Acosta | Episode: "Stealing Home" | |
| 2009–11 | Diary of a Single Mom | Lupe | Main cast | |
| 2010 | Melissa & Joey | Celeste Vega | Episode: "Up Close & Personal" | |
| Gigantic | Kelli | Episode: "Pilot: Part 1 & 2" | ||
| Two and a Half Men | Tracy | Episode: "Chocolate Diddlers or My Puppy's Dead" | ||
| 2010–16 | American Latino TV | Herself/host | TV series | |
| 2011 | In the Flow with Affion Crockett | J-Lo/Kim Kardashian 2011 | Episode: "No Rush!" | |
| 2013 | Cowgirl Up | Maddie | Main cast: season 2 | |
| Cltrl.Alt.Del | Catalina | Episode: "Do You See What I See?" | ||
| 2013–16 | Hit the Floor | Raquel Saldana | Main cast: season 1-3 | |
| 2016 | Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. | Maria | Episode: "Uprising" | |
| 2017 | Switched at Birth | Noelle | Recurring cast: season 5 | |
| If Loving You Is Wrong | Tippa Haynes | Recurring cast: season 2 | ||
| 2018 | NCIS | Carrie | Episode: "Dark Secrets" | |
| 2019 | Going Up | Vanessa | Recurring cast: season 1 | |
| Five Points | Valeria | Recurring cast: season 2 | ||
| 2019–21 | Gabby Duran & the Unsittables | Dina Duran | Main cast |