Selenis Leyva facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Selenis Leyva
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Leyva at the 2014 Peabody Awards.
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| Born | May 26, 1972 |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Children | 1 |
Selenis Leyva (born May 26, 1972) is an American actress. She is known for her role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black (2013–19), and also starred on the Disney+ comedy-drama series Diary of a Future President (2020–21).
Life and career
Leyva was raised in The Bronx. She is of Cuban and Dominican descent. She has appeared in a number of Off-Broadway productions. On television, Leyva had a recurring role of Detective Mariluz Rivera in Law & Order, and also appeared in different roles on the show and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has guest-starred on Third Watch, The Sopranos, The Good Wife, Girls, and Elementary.
In 2013, Leyva began starring as Gloria Mendoza, a Latina leader in the jail, in the Netflix comedy-drama series Orange Is the New Black. Her character was recurring for the first two seasons and she was promoted to series regular in Season 3. Along with cast, she received three Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series. She also received ALMA Award for Outstanding Special Achievement in Television in 2014. The series ended in 2019, after seven seasons. During her time in Orange Is the New Black, Leyva co-starred opposite Viola Davis and Catalina Sandino Moreno in the 2016 courtroom drama film Custody directed and written by James Lapine, and played Monica Warren in the 2017 superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming. In 2018, she had a supporting role in the Netflix miniseries Maniac.
In 2019, Leyva was cast in the Disney+ comedy-drama series Diary of a Future President produced by Gina Rodriguez. The series premiered on January 17, 2020 and was cancelled in December 2021.
Books
Leyva is the co-author, with her sister Marizol, of the book My Sister: How One Sibling's Transition Changed Us Both, which was published by Bold Type Books in March 2020.
Personal life
Leyva has one daughter, Alina. She is a supporter of the LGBT community and revealed in June 2015 that her sister Marizol is transgender.
Filmography
Film
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Debutante | Daisy Dominguez | |
| 2002 | Apartment #5C | Luisa | |
| 2004 | Maria Full of Grace | Customs Inspector | |
| 2007 | Illegal Tender | Wanda | |
| 2007 | Ben's Plan | Maria | |
| 2009 | Don't Let Me Drown | Sonia | |
| 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | Additional Voices | Voice |
| 2010 | Sex and the City 2 | Teacher | |
| 2010 | Trouble Child | Trouble Child | Short film |
| 2011 | Man in the Mirror | Sonia | Short film |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Additional Voices | Voice |
| 2013 | Epic | Additional Voices | Voice |
| 2014 | Living with the Dead | Dr. Quenda | |
| 2015 | Chapter & Verse | Yolanda | |
| 2016 | Custody | Jackie | |
| 2016 | I Can I Will I Did | Maria | |
| 2017 | Spider-Man: Homecoming | Monica Warren | |
| 2020 | Shadows | Pamela | Short film |
| 2022 | Breaking | Rosa Diaz | |
| 2023 | Creed III | Laura Chavez |
Television
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Law & Order | Louisa | Episode: "Refuge: Part 2" |
| 1999 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Lorinda Gutierrez | Episode: "Hysteria" |
| 2001 | The $treet | Kate | Episode: "Junk Bonds" |
| 2001 | Law & Order | DeeDee Salazar | Episode: "Sunday in the Park with Jorge" |
| 2001 | Taina | Titi Rose | Recurring role, 6 episodes |
| 2001 | 100 Centre Street | Delfina Romero | Episodes: "Kids: Part 1" and "Kids: Part 2" |
| 2002 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Isabella Costas | Episode: "Homo Homini Lupis" |
| 2003 | Third Watch | Phyllis | Episode: "Goodbye to All That" |
| 2004 | Third Watch | Gonzalez | Episode: "Leap of Faith" |
| 2004 | Law & Order | Nita Cabrera | Episode: "Veteran's Day" |
| 2005 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Warden's Secretary | Episode: "Prisoner" |
| 2004–2006 | Law & Order | Detective Mariluz Rivera | Recurring role, 18 episodes |
| 2006 | The Sopranos | Jill Dibiaso | Episode: "Live Free or Die" |
| 2007 | Dirty ... Money | Detective Angelina Adams | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2008 | New Amsterdam | Susan Boyle | Episode: "Pilot" |
| 2010 | Law & Order | Rona Henderson | Episode: "Boy on Fire" |
| 2010 | The Good Wife | Marisol | Episode: "Doubt" |
| 2010 | The Whole Truth | Claudia | Episode: "Liars" |
| 2011 | Law & Order: Criminal Intent | Detective Rivera | Episode: "Icarus" |
| 2011 | Person of Interest | Hosking | Episode: "Number Crunch" |
| 2011–2012 | Blue Bloods | Assistant M.E. Craig | Recurring role, 4 episodes |
| 2012 | Girls | Chastity | Episode: "Hannah's Diary" |
| 2012 | Elementary | Sara Castillo | Episode: "Child Predator" |
| 2013 | The Following | Detective Morales | Episode: "Chapter Two" |
| 2013–2019 | Orange Is the New Black | Gloria Mendoza | Recurring role (seasons 1-2), series regular (seasons 3-7), 88 episodes ALMA Award for Outstanding Special Achievement in Television (2014) Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2015–2016) Nomination — Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2018) |
| 2015 | Madam Secretary | Bolivian Ambassador Mariana Dominguez | Episode: "The Time Is at Hand" |
| 2015 | Veep | Governor Ramos | Episode: "B/ill" |
| 2018–2021 | DuckTales | Detective Cabrera | Voice role; recurring |
| 2018 | Dietland | Belle | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Maniac | Patricia Lugo | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Murphy Brown | Maria Gonzales | Episode: "Thanksgiving and Taking" |
| 2019 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Samantha Morgan | Episode: "Facing Demons" |
| 2020–2021 | Diary of a Future President | Gabi Cañero-Reed | 20 episodes |
| 2020–2021 | Saved by the Bell | Ms. Jimenez | 3 episodes |
| 2022 | Our Flag Means Death | Nana | Episode: "This Is Happening" |
| 2022–present | Lopez vs Lopez | Rosie | Main role |
See also
In Spanish: Selenis Leyva para niños
