This is a list of Puerto Ricans in the continental United States and Hawaii, including people born in the United States proper of Puerto Rican descent and Puerto Ricans who live in the United States proper (thus, stateside). Since those born in Puerto Rico are US citizens, it is easier to migrate to the United States proper from Puerto Rico than from anywhere else in Latin America. Currently, more than 5.5 million Puerto Ricans and their descendants live in the United States proper, significantly more than the population of Puerto Rico itself. The following list contains notable members of the Puerto Rican community.
Television show hosts
La La Anthony television personality, video jockey and actress; host of MTV's TRL Daisy Martinez actress, model, chef, television personality and author; host of PBS television series Daisy Cooks! John Melendez television writer and former radio personality Rogelio Mills television personality; Puerto Rican/Black Hispanic American Antonio Sánchez radio and television personality, show host and producer Fernando Allende (Mexican/Puerto Rican host)hosts Miss World international live telecast to 153 countries for the fourth time in a row. Also hosted Buscando Estrellas; Spanish speaking equivalent to star search. Also hosted all the promos for the soccer World Cup and starred in the successful show "Hot Hot Hot", produced by Dick Clark. Vanna White co-host of Wheel of Fortune (American game show)
Business
Kimberly Casiano President and Chief Operating Officer of Casiano Communications María Elena Holly Puerto Rican widow of rock and roll pioneer Buddy Holly; lives in Texas and New York Ralph Mercado promoter of Latin American music, including Latin jazz, Latin rock, merengue and salsa; established a network of businesses Lisette Nieves founder of Atrevete Latino Youth, Inc., an organization which focuses on the educational and leadership training of young Latinos Samuel A. Ramirez, Sr. first Hispanic to launch a successful investment banking firm Angel Ramos founder of Telemundo, the second largest Spanish-language television network in the United States Xavier Romeu Executive Director of Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company Herb Scannell President of BBC Worldwide America Nina Tassler television executive; President of CBS Entertainment since September 2004 Richard Velazquez first Puerto Rican automotive designer for Porsche; first Puerto Rican Xbox product planner; co-founder and President of NSHMBA Seattle Maria Vizcarrondo-De Soto President and CEO of the United Way of Essex and West Hudson
Actors and actresses
Kirk Acevedo actor, HBO series Oz, Band of Brothers, Fringe Fernando Allende actor (Mexican/Puerto Rican) Daniella Alonso actress Trini Alvarado actress, flamenco dancer, and flamenco Singer Tyler Alvarez American actor of Puerto Rican and Cuban descent (Every Witch Way, American Vandal) Philip Anthony-Rodriguez actor and singer Victor Argo actor Adria Arjona actress Yancey Arias American actor of Colombian and Puerto Rican descent Rick Aviles stand-up comedian and actor, Ghost Jake T. Austin actor, Wizards of Waverly Place Charlotte Ayanna actress and former Miss Teen USA Adrienne Bailon singer and actress Rosa Blasi actress Diego Boneta American actor and singer; father is Mexican, mother was born in the US, to a Puerto Rican father and Spanish mother Aimee Carrero actress Paul Calderón actor Nydia Caro actress and singer David Castro actor Raquel Castro teen actress and singer Míriam Colón actress and founder and director of the Puerto Rican Traveling Theater in New York City Liza Colón-Zayas actress and playwright Kevin Corrigan actor Aulii Cravalho actress Alexis Cruz actor Wilson Cruz actor
Henry Darrow actor of stage and film Raúl Dávila actor, All My Children Rosario Dawson actress Roxann Dawson actress, Star Trek: Voyager; producer and director Ariana DeBose - American actress. Her father is Puerto Rican. Idalis DeLeón actress, singer, and television host Michael DeLorenzo actor Melonie Diaz actress Sully Diaz actress and singer, Coralito Shabba Doo actor, dancer, choreographer, and director Héctor Elizondo actor Erik Estrada actor Antonio Fargas actor, 1970s blaxploitation films
José Ferrer actor Miguel Ferrer actor, Crossing Jordan; son of José Ferrer Franky G film and television actor Gloria Garayua film and television actress Aimee Garcia father is from San Juan Mayte García American dancer, actress, singer, and choreographer Marilyn Ghigliotti character actress, Clerks Ian Gomez actor, known for his comedic TV work, Felicity, Cougar Town Marga Gomez comedian, playwright, and humorist Reagan Gomez-Preston American actress of Puerto Rican and African descentEl Blog de Hola Rick Gonzalez actor, film Coach Carter, television series Reaper La'Myia Good actress Meagan Good actress Ariana Greenblatt – American actress of Jewish and Puerto Rican descent Camille Guaty actress Luis Guzmán actor April Lee Hernández actress Joseline Hernandez Television Reality Personality, Singer Love and HipHop Kristin Herrera actress, Zoey 101 Jon Huertas American actor, Castle; of Puerto Rican and African descentEl Día: Jon Huertas: Siempre supe que algún día iba a vivir y trabajar en Hollywood (in Spanish: Jon Huertas: I always knew that someday he would live and work in Hollywood). Interview with Jon Huertas. David Iacono actor Mark Indelicato actor and singer, Ugly Betty Vincent Irizarry actor Shar Jackson American actress; of African, Puerto Rican and Mexican descent Cherie Johnson American actress, Punky Brewster, Family Matters; of African American and Puerto Rican descent Raúl Juliá (1940–1994) Puerto Rican actor and playwright Victoria Justice American actress, singer, and songwriter; mother is Puerto RicanVictoria Justice at SuperiorPics.com, accessed January 28, 2011. Eva LaRue American actress, CSI: Miami; of French, Puerto Rican, Dutch, and Scottish ancestries Steve Lemme American actor, writer, and producer, Super Troopers; of Puerto Rican, Argentine, and French descent. Adrianne Leon American actress, singer-songwriter, guitarist; of Puerto Rican, Italian and Canadian descent Sunshine Logroño actor, radio announcer, television show host, singer, comedy writer, entrepreneur and comedian; American born and of Puerto Rican descent; raised in Puerto Rico Priscilla Lopez American singer, dancer, and actress; of Puerto Rican descent"From Priscilla Lopez, the lowdown on In the Heights" from www.nj.com 28 February 2008 Gina Lynn Puerto Rican pornographic actress; raised in New Jersey Justina Machado actress, Six Feet Under Kayla Maisonet (1999- ) American actress of Puerto Rican and Russian descent Sonia Manzano American actress and writer, Sesame Street Eddie Marrero American actor Tony Martinez (1920–2002) Puerto Rican actor, singer, and bandleader; The Real McCoys TV series; US resident Ricardo Medina, Jr. American actor, Power Rangers Wild Force; of Puerto Rican descent Jorge Merced New York-based Puerto Rican actor, theater director, and gay activist Lin-Manuel Miranda (born 1980) American actor, composer, lyricist, singer, rapper, actor, producer, and playwright, known by his roles in Broadway musicals. He is of mostly Puerto Rican descent, but he also is a quarter Mexican. Ruby Modine American actress to a Puerto Rican mother. Esai Morales American actor, La BambaPuerto Rico Profile: Esai Morales. Retrieved on July 26, 2011, to 21:46 pm. Rita Moreno Puerto Rican singer, dancer and actress; US resident Frankie Muniz American actor, Malcolm in the Middle; father is Puerto Rican, mother is of Italian and Irish descent Christian Navarro American actor of Puerto Rican descent (13 Reasons Why) Taylor Negron American writer, actor, and stand-up comedian; of Puerto Rican descent Micaela Nevárez Puerto Rican actress; has appeared in independent and European films; family immigrated to the US when she was 10 Amaury Nolasco Puerto Rican actor, television series Prison Break, film Transformershttp://www.poptower.com/amaury-nolasco.htm Amaury Nolasco Amaury Nolasco Pictures, Biography, Dating. Retrieved on July 26, 2011, to 21:41 pm. Miguel A. Núñez Jr. American actor of Puerto Rican and Dominican descentDominican Americans Tony Oliver Puerto Rican born American voice actor (Robotech, Fate/stay night, Lupin the Third). Karen Olivo American actress; of Dominican, Puerto Rican, Native American, and Chinese descent
Jenna Ortega American actress; father of Mexican descent and mother of Mexican and Puerto Rican descent Ana Ortiz American actress and singer; of Puerto Rican and Irish descent John Ortiz American actor and artistic director/co-founder of LAByrinth Theater Company Ronnie Ortiz-Magro American television personality and actor; Italian-American father and Puerto Rican mother Lana Parrilla American actress; Sicilian mother and Puerto Rican father Rosie Perez American actress; Puerto Rican parents Miguel Piñero (1946–1988) Puerto Rican playwright, actor, and co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café; a leading member of the Nuyorican literary movement; died in New York Aubrey Plaza American actress, comedian and producer of Puerto Rican and English-Irish descent. Carlos Ponce Puerto Rican actor, singer, composer and television personality; lived in Miami, Florida Freddie Prinze (1954–1977) American actor and comedian of Puerto Rican and German descent Freddie Prinze Jr. American actor; son of Freddie Prinze
Anthony Ramos American actor of Puerto Rican descent. Luis Antonio Ramos Puerto Rican-born American actor, film and television Kamar de los Reyes Puerto Rican born and American raised Armando Riesco Puerto Rican film and television actor and voice artist Chita Rivera American actress, dancer, and singer best known for her roles in musical theatre; her father was Puerto Rican Vanessa del Rio retired American pornographic actress; of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent Chita Rivera American actress, dancer, and singer; known for her roles in musical theater; of Puerto Rican and of Scottish and Italian descent José Rivera Puerto Rican playwright living in Hollywood, California Marquita Rivera (1922–2002) Puerto Rican actress, singer and dancer; dubbed the "Queen of La Conga," "Queen of Latin Rhythm," and "Latin Hurricane" Naya Rivera American actress; of Puerto Rican, African American, and German descentNaya Rivera Profile and Biography Celebrity Days. Retrieved July 27, 2011, to 13:19 pm. Adam Rodriguez American actor, CSI: Miami; of Puerto Rican and Cuban descentusaweekend.com - McLean - USA WEEKEND Elizabeth Rodriguez American actress of Puerto Rican parents Freddy Rodriguez American actor; of Puerto Rican descent Gina Rodriguez American actress of Puerto Rican parents (Jane the Virgin) Jai Rodríguez musician and actor, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; of Puerto Rican and Italian descent Michaela Jaé Rodriguez American actress and Singer. One of her grandparent was Puerto Rican.
Michelle Rodríguez American actress, Lost; father is Puerto Rican, mother is Dominican Ramón Rodríguez American actor of Puerto Rican descent Zoe Saldaña American actress; Dominican father and Puerto Rican mother Olga San Juan (1927–2009) American actress; of Puerto Rican descent Kiele Sanchez American actress; of Puerto Rican and French descentHispanic Magazine.com - February 2006 - Career Marcelino Sánchez (1957–1986) Puerto Rican film and television actor Saundra Santiago American actress; 1980s television series Miami Vice; of Cuban and Puerto Rican descent Saundra Santiago, an actress of Cuban Origin on Miami Vice and The Sopranos Ray Santiago American actor Renoly Santiago Puerto Rican-born and raised in Union City, New Jersey Ruben Santiago-Hudson actor and playwright