Ana Ortiz

Ana Ortiz

Ortiz at the 29th Annual Imagen Awards in 2014
Born Ana Ortiz
(1971-01-25) January 25, 1971
Manhattan, New York
Residence New York City
Other names Ana Lebenzon
Years active 1995–present
Known for Ugly Betty, Devious Maids
Spouse(s) Noah Lebenzon (m. 2007)
Children 2

Ana Ortiz (born January 25, 1971) is an American actress and singer. She began her acting career in theatre, and in early 2000s starred in the short-lived NBC sitcoms Kristin (2001) A.U.S.A. (2003), and had a dramatic recurring roles in Over There and Boston Legal.

Ortiz is best known for her role as Hilda Suarez in the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty from 2006 to 2010. She also appeared in films like Labor Pains (2009) and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011), and starred in Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story (2008). In 2013, Ortiz began starring as Marisol Suarez in the Lifetime television comedy-drama series Devious Maids, for which she received the Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television.

Life and career

Early life and career in theatre

Ortiz was born in Manhattan, and is the daughter of Angel L. Ortiz, a former Philadelphia City Council member of Puerto Rican descent, and an Irish American mother.[1][2][3] As a child, Ortiz originally dreamed of becoming a ballerina, and she studied ballet for eight years, until the pain of dancing en pointe forced her to pursue a different artistic discipline. Ortiz graduated from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia.[4]

Ortiz at The Heart Truth Fashion Show 2008

Switching to singing, Ortiz attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City and later the University of the Arts in Philadelphia before making her professional stage debut in a regional theater production of Dangerous Liaisons. Her additional stage credits include portraying Chrissy in a European touring production of Hair, regional theater productions such as Dog Lady and the Cuban Swimmer and in the South Coast Repertory Theater's production of References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot. After joining LAByrinth Theatre Company,[5] she appeared off-Broadway in In Arabia, We'd All Be Kings, which also co-starred Puerto Rican actress Liza Colón-Zayas and was directed by Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and named one of the 10-best plays of 1999 by the magazine Time Out New York.

Ortiz appeared in several television shows including NYPD Blue, Everybody Loves Raymond, Commander In Chief, ER, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. She had her first series regular role in short-lived NBC comedy series Kristin (2001), opposite Kristin Chenoweth. She later starred in another short-lived sitcom, called A.U.S.A. in 2003, and later had recurring roles in the FX drama Over There, and ABC series Boston Legal.[4]

Ugly Betty and other roles

In 2006, Ortiz was cast as Hilda Suarez, the lead character's sister, in the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty. Originally, Ortiz had auditioned for the Betty Suarez role, but it went to America Ferrera instead. Ortiz said in 2008, "I was super plain. I just put on some glasses and kept my hair kind of flat and layered on the clothing", describing what she wore when auditioning for the role of Betty. "I just wanted them to remember me, so that I could be involved in the future".[6] Ortiz was one of two Philadelphians who were regulars on Ugly Betty, the other being Mark Indelicato, who played her son Justin. Another connection to the city is co-star Becki Newton (who played Amanda Tanen), who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia.

Ortiz with Devious Maids cast in 2013

In addition to her role on Ugly Betty, Ortiz was active in films, which include starring roles Tortilla Heaven, and Labor Pains co-starring her former Ugly Betty co-star, Lindsay Lohan. She also had a voice role in Batman: Gotham Knight, and starred in the made for television movie Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story in 2008. Ortiz also had a guest-starring role on Army Wives during its second season. She played a waitress named Sandi.[7] She also appeared in the 2010 music video for Enrique Iglesias and Juan Luis Guerra's "Cuando me enamoro".[8]

Current career and Devious Maids

After Ugly Betty was ended in 2010, Ortiz was cast as lead character in ABC drama pilot True Blue about San Francisco homicide detectives reunited to solve the murder of one of their own.[9] The pilot was not picked up to series. In next year she appeared in the comedy film Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, and starred in another pilot, called Outnumbered for Fox.[10] This pilot also was not picked up to series. She later had a recurring role of HBO comedy series Hung.[11] Ortiz also starred in the independent films Sleeping with the Fishes, and Such Good People.[12][13]

In 2012, Ortiz was cast as lead character of ABC comedy-drama pilot Devious Maids, created by Marc Cherry.[14] On May 14, 2012, the pilot was not picked to series by ABC for the 2012–13 United States network schedule.[15] However, on June 22, 2012, Lifetime picked up the pilot with a thirteen-episode order.[16] The series premiered June 23, 2013, on Lifetime with positive reviews from critics.[17] In show, she plays the lead role of Marisol Duarte (the alias of Professor Marisol Suarez). Interestingly, this will be the second series in which her character shares the last name of her previous character from another series. Also in 2013, Ortiz was special guest star in ABC primetime soap opera, Revenge, as Bizzy Preston.[18][19] In 2014, Ortiz guest-starred in the two another ABC shows: How to Get Away with Murder produced by Shonda Rhimes,[20] and Black-ish.[21]

On October, 2014, Ortiz was cast alongside Katherine LaNasa, Jeremy Sisto and Tyler Blackburn in the gay-drama, Love is All You Need?, based on the 2011 short film with the same name.[22][23]

In an interview she was seen saying that she is incredibly proud of her show Devious Maids. [24]

Personal life

Ortiz at the Alma Awards 2012.

Ortiz currently lives in Los Angeles. In her spare time she enjoys hiking, horseback riding, softball, and water sports, and writes poetry. She married musician Noah Lebenzon on June 9, 2007 in Rincón, Puerto Rico.[25] The couple was expecting their first child on June 25, 2009.[26] On Saturday, June 27, 2009, Ana and Noah welcomed a daughter, named Paloma Louise Lebenzon. Paloma was born at 4:25 p.m. and weighed in at 7 pounds 10 ounces.[27] The second child, a son named Rafael, was born on September 24, 2011.

Ortiz is active in raising awareness against domestic abuse, citing her own experiences when she was in her 20s and involved in a romantic relationship that turned physically abusive. In an article for USA Today, Ortiz notes that the final scene from the Ugly Betty episode "How Betty Got Her Grieve Back", in which Hilda sat on her bed staring at the bathroom after realizing that Santos had died, was drawn from that experience: "I used some of that subconsciously ... It's something that is always with me".[28]

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
1995 Condition Red C Block Inmate
2000 King of the Korner Isabel
2002 Mr. St. Nick Lorena
2002 Lehi's Wife Kelly Short film
2003 Carolina Christen
2007 Tortilla Heaven Chicana
2008 The Winged Man Wanda Short film
2008 Batman: Gotham Knight Anna Ramirez Voice
2009 Labor Pains Donna
2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Gail Fletcher
2011 The Last Generation Diner Chick Short film
2012 Noah's Ark: The New Beginning Tier Voice
2013 Sleeping with the Fishes Kayla Fish Nominated - Imagen Award for Best Actress
2014 Such Good People Detective Diane Kershman Film
2015 Trust Fund Meredith Post-production
2016 Love is All You Need? Susan Miller Post-production

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: The Movie Pregnant Woman Television film
2001 Kristin Santa Clemente Series regular, 13 episodes
2001 Everybody Loves Raymond Natasha Episode: "Raybert"
2000, 2002 NYPD Blue Luisa Lopez / Maria Alvarez Episodes: "A Hole in Juan" and "Dead Meat in New Deli"
2002 Strong Medicine Elena Delgado Episode: "Family History"
2002 Do Over Mrs. Rice Episode: "Rock 'n' Roll Parking Lot"
2002 ER Laura Episode: "Hindsight"
2003 A.U.S.A. Ana Rivera Series regular, 13 episodes
2003 Greetings from Tucson Angela Episode: "Eegee's vs. Hardee's"
2003 Life on Parole Loretta TV pilot
2004 North Shore Ana Green Episode: "Secret Service"
2004 Foster Hall TV pilot
2005 Blind Justice Letitia Barreras Episode: "Past Imperfect"
2005 Freddie Gina Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Girl"
2005 Over There Anna Recurring role, 7 episodes
2006 Commander in Chief Isabelle Rios Episode: "Wind Beneath My Wing"
2006 Boston Legal A.D.A. Holly Raines Recurring role, 4 episodes
2006 The New Adventures of Old Christine Belinda Episode: "Some of My Best Friends Are Portuguese"
2008 Army Wives Sandy Episode: "Loyalties"
2008 Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story Valerie Valleja Television film
Nominated - Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress
2006–10 Ugly Betty Hilda Suarez Series regular, 85 episodes
ALMA Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Television Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie (2007)
Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television (2007)
Nominated - ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in Television - Comedy (2009)
Nominated - Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress - Television (2008–09)
Nominated - NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series (2010)
Nominated - Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series (2007–08)
2010 True Blue Maureen Minillo TV pilot
2011 Outnumbered Sue Tulley TV pilot
2011 Hung Lydia Recurring role, 5 episodes
2013–present Devious Maids Marisol Suarez / Duarte / Deering Series regular
Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television (2014)
Nominated - ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in Television - Comedy (2013)
Nominated - Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television (2015)
2013 Revenge Bizzy Preston Episode: "Resurgence"
2014 How to Get Away with Murder Paula Murphy / Elena Aguilar Episode: "Smile, or Go to Jail"
2015 Black-ish Angelica Rodriguez Episode: "Black Santa/White Christmas"
2015 Marry Me Hailey Recurring role, 4 episodes

References

  1. ↑ "Ana Ortiz on 'Ugly Betty': 'I definitely have a Queens connection'". Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  2. ↑ Gray, Ellen, "'Betty's' Ortiz relishes show's hit status", Philadelphia Daily News, Jan. 16, 2007
  3. ↑ "Ana Ortiz with her father". Flickr. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  4. 1 2 "Ana Ortiz Biography". Tvguide.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  5. ↑ LAByrinth Theatre Company
  6. ↑ Claustro, Lisa, "Ortiz Went 'Super Plain' for 'Ugly Betty' Audition, BuddyTV.com, January 5, 2008, reprinting quotes from Sheridan, Patricia, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article (no date or title given)
  7. ↑ http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TVGuide-News-Blog/Todays-News/Exclusive-Army-Wives/800041662
  8. ↑ "Ana Ortiz: Enrique Iglesias is a Total, Juicy Hunk". Latina.com. 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  9. ↑ "'Ugly Betty's' Ana Ortiz joins 'True Blue'". The Hollywood Reporter. 2010-03-03. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  10. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Ana Ortiz To Star In Fox Comedy Pilot 'Outnumbered'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  11. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "HBO CASTINGS: Alice Eve To Recur On 'Entourage', Ana Ortiz On 'Hung' & More". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  12. ↑ "Gina Rodriguez Lands Lead Role in Indie Pic 'Sleeping With the Fishes' (Exclusive)". Hollywoodreporter.com. 2012-07-17. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  13. ↑ "Gay Comedy Such Good People Wraps Production". Indie It Press. 2013-08-19. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  14. ↑ Andreeva, Nellie. "Ana Ortiz To Lead The Cast Of Marc Cherry's ABC Pilot 'Devious Maids'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  15. ↑ Palomares, Sugey (May 16, 2012). "'DEVIOUS MAIDS' NEVER MAKES IT ON THE AIR — WOULD IT HAVE HURT LATINOS?". Latina. Retrieved May 17, 2012.
  16. ↑ "Marc Cherry's 'Devious Maids' comes to Lifetime this summer". Entertainment Weekly. April 10, 2013. Retrieved 2013-06-10.
  17. ↑ "Devious Maids - Season 1 Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  18. ↑ ' + data.results.personName + ' (2013-09-27). "‘Revenge’: ‘Devious Maids’ Ana Ortiz will guest-star - Zap2it". Blog.zap2it.com. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  19. ↑ Michael Ausiello (2013-09-26). "‘Revenge’ Season 3: Ana Ortiz to Guest Star". TVLine. Retrieved 2013-12-29.
  20. ↑ Vlada Gelman (August 8, 2014). "TVLine Items: Ana Ortiz Takes Stab at Murder, Helix Adds Matt Long & More". TVLine. Retrieved 9 August 2014.
  21. ↑ Philiana Ng (22 October 2014). "'Black-ish': Ana Ortiz to Guest Star - Hollywood Reporter". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
  22. ↑ "Jeremy Sisto & More Join ‘Love Is All You Need,’ Kea Ho Gets ‘Urge’". Deadline. 22 October 2014. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  23. ↑ "Casting Net: Meg Ryan boards 'Fan Girl,' Jacki Weaver signs on for 'Zeroville;' more". EW.com. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  24. ↑ Baida, Aiyana (November 9, 2013). "Devious Maids' First Season 'Played It Safe,' Actress Ana Ortiz Says". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
  25. ↑ Actress Ana Ortiz married in Puerto Rico 11/06/2007
  26. ↑ Ugly Betty's Ana Ortiz is Pregnant! People.com, January 8, 2009
  27. ↑ Ana Ortiz Expecting a Girl! Celebrity Baby Blog, February 10, 2009
  28. ↑ "Ana Ortiz of 'Ugly Betty' let her pain fuel Hilda's, from USA Today (September 24, 2008)". Retrieved 23 October 2014.

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