Dania Ramirez (born November 8, 1979) is a Dominican actress. Her credits include the roles of Maya Herrera in the NBC series Heroes, Alex in the HBO series Entourage, and Blanca during the last season of the HBO crime drama The Sopranos on television. Her film roles include Alex Guerrero in She Hate Me and Callisto in the feature film X-Men: The Last Stand. She portrayed Rosie Falta on Lifetime's Devious Maids from June 2013, until its cancellation in 2016. In July 2017, Ramirez joined the ABC series Once Upon a Time for its softly-rebooted seventh season in a starring role as Cinderella. In 2023, she began the starring role of Captain Nikki Batista in the Fox crime drama Alert: Missing Persons Unit.
Early life and education Ramirez was born in Santo Domingo. At an early age, she decided to become an actress. As a young child, she would reenact telenovelas for her family. She was discovered by a modeling scout while working in a convenience store at the age of 15, and was offered a small part in a soda commercial. Later, she decided to pursue acting seriously and studied at the Actor's Workshop in New York City under Flo Greenberg.
At 16 years old, Ramirez started at Montclair State University, where her volleyball talents led her to be placed among the top five in career digs, digs/game, solo blocks and total blocks.MSU Volleyball Records (Career) from the Montclair State University website She graduated in 2000. After graduation, Ramirez moved to Los Angeles to pursue her acting career.
Career
Music videos Ramirez has appeared in several music videos, including Jay-Z's Streets is Watching (1998), De La Soul's "All Good?" feat. Chaka Khan (2000), Enrique Iglesias' "Could I Have This Kiss Forever" (2000), LL Cool J's "Hush" (2005), Santana's "Into the Night" (2007), as well as "Cry Baby Cry" (a collaboration of Santana and Sean Paul). Ramirez appeared in Wisin & Yandel's music video "Dime Qué Te Pasó", in which she played the main character, the wife and mother of a military man in Iraq who finds out her husband died at war. She was also featured in hip-hop group Sporty Thievz's video "Cheapskate" in 1998.
Films Ramirez appeared as an extra in the HBO film Subway Stories (1997), where she met filmmaker Spike Lee who would later cast her in the film She Hate Me (2004). She played older sister Lauri in the film Fat Albert (2004). She was Callisto (one of The Omegas) in the comic book film X-Men: The Last Stand (2006). She went on to star in The 5th Commandment, a film written by and starring Rick Yune, in 2008. In 2012, Ramirez appeared in two films, playing Selena in American Reunion and a bicycle messenger in Premium Rush.
Television
Ramirez appeared as the minor character Caridad in the final episodes of the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and as Blanca Selgado, a recurring role during season six of The Sopranos.
Ramirez portrayed the character of Maya Herrera on the TV series Heroes.
Ramirez was a guest judge on episode five of Cycle 14 of America's Next Top Model.
Ramirez guest starred as Alex, an employee of Turtle's, who begins a relationship with Turtle in season seven on the TV series Entourage. From 2013 to 2016, Ramirez portrayed protagonist Rosie Falta in the Lifetime series Devious Maids.
In July 2017, Ramirez was cast as a series regular in the softly-rebooted final season of Once Upon a Time. She portrayed Jacinda Vidrio, the real-world counterpart of the series' second iteration of Cinderella. In 2018, Ramirez was cast in another fairytale-themed drama, Tell Me a Story for CBS All Access. Ramirez played Hannah Perez, who is loosely based on Gretel from Hansel and Gretel.
As of 2023, Ramirez stars in Alert: Missing Persons Unit, which premieres on Fox on January 8. Her casting was announced in August 2022.
Other media
Ramirez has appeared in several magazine spreads. She has also been listed in several of the world's top publications' "Sexiest Ladies of the Year" lists. In 2009, she was added to the roster of models for CoverGirl Cosmetics. In January 2010, Ramirez and Queen Latifah launched the company's "Clean Makeup for Clean Water Campaign".
Personal life Ramirez dated Soul Plane director Jessy Terrero until 2008. In September 2011, she became engaged to director John Beverly "Bev" Land. Land's fiancee, Dania Ramirez, came up with the idea. She had written two verses and a bridge. The couple married on the beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic on February 16, 2013. Ramirez is the stepmother to Land's son from his previous marriage to Sharon Leal. 10.30.01 – The November 6 issue of Soap Opera Digest reports that Sharon Leal and fiancé Bev Land welcomed their first child, Kai Miles Land, into the world on September 13.
On July 15, 2013, Ramirez announced that she was pregnant with twins. That December, she gave birth to boy-girl twins.
Filmography
Film Year Title Role Notes 2002 25th Hour Daphne 2004 Little Black Boot Laurie Rodriguez Short Alila Short Cross Bronx Mia She Hate Me Alex Guerrero Fat Albert Lauri 2005 Romy and Michele: In the Beginning Elena Television film 2006 X-Men: The Last Stand Callisto 2007 Illegal Tender Ana 2008 Ball Don't Lie Carmen Angel Quarantine Sadie 2009 The Devil's Tomb Shanae Direct-to-Video 2010 Next Big Thing The Girl Short 2012 American Reunion Selena Premium Rush Vanessa 2013 N.Y.C. Underground Jessica Video 2015 Mojave Detective Beaumont First Response Camilla Television film 2017 Lycan Isabella Cruz 2018 Off the Menu Javiera Torres Suicide Squad: Hell to Pay Scandal Savage (voice) Direct-to-video A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its credits or other reliable sources of information. 2019 Jumanji: The Next Level NPC Seductress Flame
Television Year Title Role Notes 2003 Buffy the Vampire Slayer Caridad Recurring cast (season 7) Run of the House Lucy Episode: "The Party" 2004 10-8: Officers on Duty Inez Episode: "Gypsy Road" 2005 Dr. Phil Herself Episode: "Dr. Phil & Dr. Bill" 2006–07 Blanca Selgado Recurring Cast: Season 6 2007–08 Heroes Maya Herrera Main cast (season 2–3) 2010 America's Next Top Model Herself/Guest Judge 2 Episodes Entourage Alex Main cast (season 7) 2013–16 Devious Maids Rosie Falta Main cast 2017–18 Once Upon a Time Cinderella/Jacinda Vidrio Main cast (season 7) 2018 Justice League Action Margot Montgomery / Red Velvet (voice) Episode: "She Wore Red Velvet" 2018–19 Tell Me a Story Hannah Perez Main cast (season 1) 2021–24 Sweet Tooth Aimee Eden Main cast 2023–25 Alert: Missing Persons Unit Nikki Batista Main cast (season 1–2) Guest cast (season 3)
Accolades Year Association Category Work Result 2008 ALMA Awards Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Television Series Heroes 2014 Imagen Awards Best Actress –Television Devious Maids 2015 2016NAMIC Vision AwardsBest Performance–ComedyDevious Maids
See also
List of Afro-Latinos List of people from the Dominican Republic
References
External links