JoAnna Garcia Swisher facts for kids

Quick facts for kids JoAnna García
García in 2008
Born	(1979-08-10) August 10, 1979 (age 45)
Occupation	Actress
Years active	1992–present
Spouse(s)	Nick Swisher ​ (m. 2010)​
Children	2

JoAnna García Swisher (born August 10, 1979) is an American actress and businesswoman. She is well-known for her roles in many TV shows. These include Sam in Are You Afraid of the Dark? (1994–96) and Cheyenne Hart-Montgomery on the sitcom Reba (2001–07).

JoAnna has also starred in other popular shows like Privileged (2008–09) and Sweet Magnolias (2020–present). She also hosted two seasons of The Ultimatum: Queer Love on Netflix starting in 2023.

Early Life and First Steps in Acting

JoAnna García was born on August 10, 1979. Her mother, Loraine, was a homemaker and a former teacher. Her father, Jay García, was a doctor from Cuba.

Disney Channel first noticed JoAnna when she was young. However, her parents wanted her to focus on school first. So, she acted in local plays to keep up with her love for acting. She was even the homecoming queen at Tampa Catholic High School in Florida.

JoAnna's Acting Journey

While living in Florida, JoAnna appeared in TV shows like seaQuest DSV and Superboy. When she was in high school, Nickelodeon discovered her again. She then starred for three seasons as Samantha on Are You Afraid of the Dark?. She traveled from Florida to Montreal, Canada, where the show was filmed.

At age fifteen, she was cast in the 1994 TV drama Party of Five. She played a character named Hallie. She also had a role on Freaks and Geeks (1999–2000) as Vicki Appleby. After high school, she briefly attended Florida State University. She was part of the Delta Delta Delta sorority. However, she later left college to become a full-time actress and moved to Los Angeles, California.

Becoming a TV Star

JoAnna went on to play Cheyenne Hart-Montgomery, Reba's oldest daughter, on the sitcom Reba (2001–07). This role made her very well-known. She also appeared in the short-lived CBS comedy Welcome to the Captain.

In 2008, she starred as Megan Smith in the CW series Privileged. On the big screen, JoAnna was in the comedy Not Another Teen Movie. She also appeared in TV films like From the Earth to the Moon (1998) and Love's Deadly Triangle: The Texas Cadet Murder (1997). In 2006, she was in the ABC Family TV film The Initiation of Sarah. In 2008, she played Roxanne in A Very Merry Daughter of the Bride. She also had a main role in the ABC Family TV film Revenge of the Bridesmaids.

Later Roles and Guest Appearances

In 2009, JoAnna had a recurring role on The CW drama Gossip Girl. She played Bree Buckley in four episodes. In December 2009, she was a guest star on How I Met Your Mother as Maggie, Ted Mosby's college friend.

JoAnna starred in the ABC sitcom Better with You from 2010 to 2011. She played Mia Putney. In 2011, she lent her voice to the episode "Love Hurts" of The Penguins of Madagascar. In 2012, she appeared in four episodes of the USA Network show Royal Pains. In 2013, she began playing Ariel from The Little Mermaid in the series Once Upon a Time.

Other Ventures

On May 9, 2022, JoAnna launched her own home decor collection called "Clover by Jo" for HSN. This line includes items like bedding, pillows, and lamps.

Throughout her career, she has been featured on the covers of many magazines. These include Latina and Miami Living. In 2004, she was part of a promotional campaign for the store Kmart. In October 2023, JoAnna teamed up with McCormick for back-to-school ads and events.

Personal Life

Garcia and her husband, outfielder/first baseman Nick Swisher, at Forward Operating Base Shank, Afghanistan on a USO tour to greet troops and tour military facilities, November 25, 2011

In 2008, JoAnna was engaged to Trace Ayala. In August 2009, People magazine reported that she was dating baseball player Nick Swisher. They got engaged in May 2010 and married on December 11, 2010. Their wedding was at the Breakers Hotel & Resort in Palm Beach, Florida. Her bridesmaids included fellow actresses Jamie-Lynn Sigler, Melissa Peterman, and Reba McEntire. Since her marriage, she has been known as JoAnna García Swisher. She and Nick have two daughters, born in 2013 and 2016.

Helping Others

JoAnna volunteers her time to teach children who are learning English as a second language. She is also involved with an organization called Make the Commitment. This group aims to raise awareness about cervical cancer.

She also has her own charity called We Reach. This charity helps young girls across the country organize events to help others in their hometowns. The goal of We Reach is to help young women feel strong and capable.

Filmography

Movies

Television Shows

Music Video

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Joanna Garcia para niños