Naya Rivera facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Naya Rivera
Rivera in September 2012
Born	(1987-01-12)January 12, 1987 Valencia, California, U.S.
Died	July 8, 2020(2020-07-08) (aged 33) Lake Piru, California
Body discovered	July 13, 2020
Resting place	Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), California
Other names	Naya Rivera Dorsey
Occupation	Actress singer model
Years active	1991–2020
Spouse(s)	Ryan Dorsey ​ ​ (m. 2014; div. 2018)​
Children	1
Relatives	Mychal Rivera (brother)
Musical career
Genres	Pop R&B
Instruments	Vocals
Labels	Columbia

Naya Marie Rivera (/ˈnaɪə rɪˈ[unsupported input]ə/; January 12, 1987 – July 8, 2020) was an American actress, singer, and model. She was well-known for her role in the popular TV show Glee. For her work, she won a Screen Actors Guild Award and was nominated for two Grammy Awards.

Naya started her career as a child actress and model. She first appeared in TV commercials. At age four, she got the role of Hillary Winston in the sitcom The Royal Family (1991–1992). This role earned her a nomination for a Young Artist Award. After many smaller TV roles as a teenager, she got her big break in 2009. She was cast as the cheerleader Santana Lopez in the TV series Glee (2009–2015). Critics praised her performance, and she won several awards, including a SAG Award and an ALMA Award.

In 2011, she signed with Columbia Records as a solo singer. She released a song called "Sorry" in 2013. She also won two ALMA Awards for her music. Naya made her movie debut in the horror film At the Devil's Door (2014). Later, she had a role in the comedy Mad Families (2017). Besides acting and singing, Naya supported many good causes. She especially cared about LGBT rights, immigrants' rights, and women's rights. She also spoke out against racism in entertainment. In 2016, she wrote a book about her life called Sorry Not Sorry: Dreams, Mistakes, and Growing Up. Naya Rivera is remembered for helping to show more Afro-Latino and LGBT people on television.

Early Life and Family

Naya Marie Rivera was born in Valencia, California, on January 12, 1987. She grew up in Valencia and lived near Los Angeles for most of her life. Her family background included African-American, German, and Puerto Rican roots. She was often called "Afro-Latinx" as this term became more common. Her mother, Yolanda Previtire, was a real estate agent and former model. Her father, George Rivera, worked in IT for companies like Disney.

Naya was the oldest of three children. Her younger brother is Mychal Rivera, a former NFL player. Her younger sister is model Nickayla Rivera. The family's income changed a lot when she was growing up. Sometimes they had plenty, and other times they struggled. Naya loved boating and often visited Lake Piru, which she called a "sanctuary."

Naya started modeling at just 8 or 9 months old. She attended Valencia High School and finished in 2005. Instead of school activities, she spent her free time going to acting auditions. In 2019, Naya said her high school experience was "terrible." She mentioned that racism was part of her difficult time there.

Naya's Acting Journey

Starting Out: The Royal Family and More (1991–2008)

Naya Rivera's first big acting job was at age four. She played Hillary Winston on the CBS show The Royal Family in 1991. She was very good at memorizing her lines, even though she couldn't read yet. The show was popular but ended after its star, Redd Foxx, passed away on set. Naya saw this happen, and it affected her for a long time. She said she "fell in love with being on TV" while working on the show. She was nominated for a Young Artist Award for her role.

As a child and teen, Naya appeared in many TV shows. These included The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Family Matters, and Baywatch. She also appeared in a music video for B2K in 2002. Later, she had a recurring role on The Bernie Mac Show. Naya found that being mixed-race could be both helpful and challenging in Hollywood. Sometimes, casting directors didn't know how to place her. Other times, she could play many different types of characters. She shared that she faced racism in casting even as an adult.

As she got older, acting jobs became less frequent. Naya worked other jobs, like being a telemarketer and a nanny. In 2006 and 2007, she performed in a play called U Don't Know Me: The Musical. In 2008, she studied screenwriting at the New York Film Academy.

Big Break: Glee and Becoming a Star (2009–2011)

In 2009, Naya was cast in Glee, a musical comedy series on Fox. She played Santana Lopez, a high school cheerleader. Naya wanted to be on the show because she could "sing, dance and act all in the same show." She used her own high school experiences to play the role. Naya described Santana as "a bit of a bad girl" who had "witty one-liners."

Rivera performing the song "Valerie" as Santana Lopez during the Glee concert tour in 2011.

At first, Naya's character had a smaller role. But her talent was clear, and she became a main cast member in the second season. She started singing more solos on the show. In the second season, Santana's story changed a lot. Naya received great reviews for her acting and singing. In 2011, she won her first ALMA Award for Favorite Female Music Artist. She won two more ALMA Awards in 2012. Many critics said she deserved an Emmy Award nomination for her work on Glee.

Solo Music and First Movies (2012–2014)

Naya continued her role on Glee for its fourth and fifth seasons. While still on the show, she started other projects. In 2011, she signed a deal with Columbia Records to make a solo album. She said this had been her dream since she was a little girl. In 2012, she sang on a cover of "Supermassive Black Hole" with the musical group 2Cellos. She also appeared in the song's music video.

Two men playing cellos on a stage. Rivera released two singles with Croatian cellist duo 2Cellos.

In 2013, Naya released her first solo song, "Sorry", featuring rapper Big Sean. The song quickly became popular. However, her album was never fully released due to "politics." During this time, she also appeared in an M&Ms commercial during the Super Bowl XLVII. She also voiced a character named Sparkle in the 2013 Christmas movie The Naughty List.

Naya's first main movie role was in the horror film At the Devil's Door. It premiered in March 2014. The director described it as a "Rubik's Cube of a horror movie." Naya's acting in the film received praise from critics. In 2014, Naya also directed a short film about how immigration affects children and families. She said that immigration shows "how beautiful America is as a country."

Returning to TV (2015–2020)

In 2015, Naya played Blanca Alvarez in the TV series Devious Maids. From 2014 to 2015, she was also a guest host on the talk show The View. She appeared in the final season of Glee in 2015, but she asked for a smaller role to focus on other work. Producers were very interested in having Naya join Devious Maids.

After her son Josey was born in 2015, Naya took time off from acting. She returned in 2017 with a role in the film Mad Families. In 2018, she auditioned for the role of Anita in the 2021 movie West Side Story. She sang "America" for the audition, a song she had performed on Glee.

In 2017, Naya joined the cast of the YouTube Red series Step Up: High Water. She played Collette Jones, a dance instructor. The show's executive producer, Adam Shankman, praised Naya's leadership on set. The series later moved to Starz, and Naya was set to continue her role. After her passing, the show's third season was rewritten. In 2019, Naya also voiced Catwoman in the animated movie Batman: The Long Halloween. The first part of the movie was released in 2021 and was dedicated to her memory.

Passing Away

Memorial for Rivera at Lake Piru

On July 8, 2020, Naya Rivera was reported missing. Her four-year-old son, Josey, was found alone in her rented boat at Lake Piru, California. Naya had visited the lake for many years and was a strong swimmer.

The search for Naya began when her rental boat was overdue. Josey was found asleep on the boat, wearing his life jacket. He told investigators that he and Naya were swimming. She told him to get back on the boat and helped him climb in. He recalled that she was unable to get back on herself and disappeared underwater. Josey said she was reaching up and calling for help. He also stated that his mother was not wearing a life jacket.

After a five-day search, her body was found in the lake on the morning of July 13. Naya Rivera was laid to rest at the Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills) in Hollywood Hills on July 24, 2020.

Personal Life and Advocacy

Relationships and Family Life

Naya Rivera dated actor Tahj Mowry for several years. She remained good friends with him and his family. She later dated her Glee co-star Mark Salling.

In 2013, she began dating singer Big Sean, and they got engaged, but later broke up. Soon after, Naya reconnected with actor Ryan Dorsey. They married in Mexico on July 19, 2014. In February 2015, Naya announced they were expecting a child. Their son, Josey Hollis, was born on September 17, 2015. Naya was raising Josey to speak both Spanish and English.

Naya and Ryan Dorsey finalized their divorce in June 2018. They shared joint custody of Josey. After Naya's passing, Ryan Dorsey took sole custody of their son.

Helping Others and Good Causes

Rivera performing at the Young Storytellers "The Biggest Show" in 2012 with other actors from Glee and Baby Daddy.

Naya Rivera strongly supported many charities. She especially helped the LGBT+ community and immigrants. She worked with organizations like GLAAD, Stand Up to Cancer, and The Trevor Project. She once said she felt "so blessed" and wanted to "give back to the community." Her publicist said Naya was "ahead of her time" in using her fame to speak out. She wanted to help with issues like anti-bullying and equal rights.

Because of her role as Santana, a lesbian character, Naya became a champion for LGBT+ rights. She hosted the GLAAD Media Awards in 2011 and 2012. In 2017, she wrote a "Love Letter to the LGBTQ Community" for Billboard magazine. She thanked fans for supporting her character and showed her continued support for the community.

Naya also volunteered at food banks and homeless shelters. She performed at events for the Dream Foundation and Young Storytellers. Her favorite charity was Alexandria House, a women's shelter in Los Angeles. She organized fundraisers and volunteered there. After her passing, many people donated to Alexandria House in her memory. In June 2020, Naya attended a Black Lives Matter protest. She also supported Black Lives Matter on other occasions. In December 2020, the cast of Glee started a campaign called Snixxmas. This continued a Christmas charity tradition Naya had begun to benefit Alexandria House.

Naya was a lifelong Democrat. She performed with the Glee cast at the White House during Barack Obama's presidency. She also campaigned to encourage people to vote.

Film and TV Roles

Stage Performances

Music Releases

In 2012, Naya Rivera was featured on a song by 2Cellos called "Supermassive Black Hole." This song was on their album In2ition. The Japanese version of In2ition also included the Glee cast's version of "Smooth Criminal," which Naya sang on. This album reached number 1 in Japan.

In her solo music career, Naya released her first song "Sorry" in 2013, featuring Big Sean. She also released a six-song EP called My Heart in April 2019. She sang a piano version of "Amazing Grace" for the Step Up: High Water soundtrack. In 2023, Naya's voice was featured on a song called "You and I" by Jaffa Moore.

Singles

With Glee Cast

As a singer in the Glee cast, Naya and her co-stars released many songs. In 2011, they were nominated for a Grammy Award for their song "Don't Stop Believin'" and a Brit Award. The Glee cast became one of the most-charting groups in history. Naya's first Glee song as a lead singer was a duet with Amber Riley called "The Boy Is Mine." Her last Glee song to chart was her cover of "If I Die Young." Other popular songs she performed on Glee include "Girl on Fire" and "Don't Rain on My Parade."

Awards and Nominations

Naya Rivera was first nominated for an award at age 5 in 1992. She won her first award in 2010. After that, she often won awards for her acting, singing, and public image. For her work on Glee, she won 9 awards out of 24 nominations. Her last award was in 2018 for Step Up: High Water, which was recognized for having many women in important roles.

See also

In Spanish: Naya Rivera para niños

• List of Afro-Latinos