Jaina Lee Ortiz (born Jessica Ortiz; November 20, 1986) is an American actress and dancer. She is known for her starring role as Detective Annalise Villa on the Fox police drama Rosewood from 2015 to 2017. From 2018 to 2024, she starred as lead in the ABC drama series Station 19. Since 2026, she has starred as Emi Ochoa in the ABC drama series R.J. Decker.
Early life and education Ortiz was born November 20, 1986 in California and raised in The Bronx, New York. Ortiz's father, Joe Ortiz, is Puerto Rican and a retired NYPD first grade detective. She began her dance training at the age of nine by taking salsa/mambo classes; and, at the age of 15, she began teaching. By the next year, Ortiz was traveling internationally as a professional instructor and performer.
Ortiz started acting by appearing in student films. She studied for two years at Maggie Flanigan Studios, where she learned the Meisner technique.
Career In 2009, Ortiz auditioned and was cast on the second season of VH1's reality show Scream Queens, where she and nine other aspiring actresses competed in challenges based on acting for the opportunity to win the prize of a role in Saw 3D. The show premiered on August 2, 2010 and on the season finale, Ortiz was named first runner-up.
In 2012, Ortiz was in a photo used in the Modern Family episode Yard Sale where she was beauty pageant contestant Miss Galapa.
In 2013, Ortiz landed the role as a series regular in The After, produced by The X-Files creator, Chris Carter. The pilot, which began airing via Amazon Video in February 2014, received positive feedback and was ordered to series. However, on January 5, 2015, Amazon Studios canceled the show. Two months later, Ortiz was cast as the female lead in Rosewood on Fox. Rosewood ran for two seasons. In 2017, she had a recurring role during the second season of USA Network drama series, Shooter. Ortiz appeared in the comedy film Girls Trip, playing herself.
In 2017, Ortiz was cast in a leading role on the spin-off to ABC's longest-running drama series Grey's Anatomy, titled Station 19. In 2023, Ortiz starred in the thriller film Righteous Thieves and in the historical drama film The Long Game. She currently plays Emilia "Emi" Ochoa in the series R.J. Decker, which premiered March 3, 2026.
Filmography
Film Year Film Role. 2004Sad Spanish SongSpanish Rice2008High Voltage DancerShort film2012MisfireI.C.2013Laid Out DanielaShort film2017Girls TripHerself2023Righteous Thieves LucilleThe Long Game Lucy Pena2025The Vortex Ginny 2026
Television Year Title Role Notes 2010 Scream Queens Herself Contestant, finalist (season 2); credited as Jessica Ortiz 2012 The Shop Petrona Web series, main cast Modern Family photo of Pageant Contestant Episode: "Yard Sale" 2014 The After Officer Marly Muñoz Premise pilot, did not go to series 2015–2017 Rosewood Detective Annalise Villa Main castNominated — Imagen Award for Best Actress – Television 2017 Shooter Angela Tio Recurring role (season 2) 2018–2022 Grey's Anatomy Captain Andrea "Andy" Herrera Episode: "You Really Got a Hold on Me" (backdoor pilot, season 14)4 crossover episodes (seasons 15, 18–19) 2018–2024 Station 19 Captain Andrea "Andy" Herrera Main cast 2026–present R.J. Decker Emilia "Emi" Ochoa Main cast
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