Valerie Cruz (born July 18, 1976) is an American actress.
Cruz was born in Elizabeth, New Jersey of Cuban ancestry. She attended Florida State University and received a BFA theatre degree.
She has appeared in films such as Cellular and played Grace Santiago in Nip/Tuck. She played a main character in Nip/Tuck, but she left the show just after the first season.[1] She has made guest appearances in series such as Grey's Anatomy and Las Vegas. In 2007, she appeared as Connie Murphy, a tough Chicago police detective, in SciFi Channel's adaptation of The Dresden Files. The show lasted for one season.
She has also played Maria Nolan on the CW's Hidden Palms. In 2008, she appeared in season three of Dexter, playing Sylvia Prado, the wife of Assistant District Attorney Miguel Prado (Jimmy Smits).
In 2009, she appeared in the horror film The Devil's Tomb and the HBO series True Blood, in which she played the part of Isabel. In 2009, she also played Olivia in the film La Linea. In 2010 she became part of the cast of the ABC drama Off the Map, which was canceled by ABC On May 13, 2011 . In 2011 she had a recurring role as a Homeland Security agent in the Syfy series Alphas. In 2012, she played a doctor in the "Organ Grinder" episode of Grimm; the wife of a dictator in the "Enemy of the State" episode of Scandal; and an investigator for the football league in the episode "Spell It Out" of Necessary Roughness.
Awards [edit]
- 2008 Alma Awards Nomination; Best lead actress in a drama series for The Dresden Files on SciFi Channel
- 2009 Screen Actors Guild Award Nomination; Best ensemble cast in a drama series for Dexter on Showtime Networks
Filmography [edit]
Television
| Year |
Title |
Role |
Notes |
| 2002 |
Strong Medicine |
Almira |
Episode: "Precautions" |
| 2002 |
American Family |
Officer #1 |
Episode: "La Llorona: Part 1" |
| 2002 |
Agency, TheThe Agency |
Ms. Constanza Diaz |
Episode: "Heartless" |
| 2003 |
Nip/Tuck |
Grace Santiago |
Recurring role (12 episodes) |
| 2004 |
Missing |
Karen Moore |
Episode: "Delusional" |
| 2004 |
Crossing Jordan |
Madeline Pillsbury |
Episode: "What Happens in Vegas Dies in Boston" |
| 2004 |
Las Vegas |
Madeline Pillsbury |
Episode: "Two of a Kind" |
| 2005 |
LAX |
Carla |
Episode: "Mixed Signals" |
| 2005 |
Grey's Anatomy |
Zona Cruz |
Episode: "No Man's Land" |
| 2005 |
Inconceivable |
Vanessa Calder |
Episode: "The Last Straw" |
| 2006 |
Invasion |
Col. Sabrina Lopez |
Episode: "Re-Evolution"
Episode: "The Last Wave Goodbye" |
| 2007 |
Hidden Palms |
Maria Nolan |
Recurring role (5 episodes) |
| 2007-2008 |
Dresden Files, TheThe Dresden Files |
Lt. Connie Murphy |
Recurring role (13 episodes) |
| 2008 |
Street Warrior |
Maggie Kuerner |
TV film |
| 2008 |
Dexter |
Sylvia Prado |
10 episodes |
| 2009 |
Eleventh Hour |
Coco Delgado |
Episode: "Olfactus" |
| 2009 |
Dollhouse |
Selena Ramirez |
Episode: "A Spy in the House of Love" |
| 2009 |
True Blood |
Isabel |
Recurring role (5 episodes) |
| 2010 |
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit |
U.S Attorney Camilla Velez |
Episode: "Shadow" |
| 2010 |
Criminal Minds |
Brooke Sanchez |
Episode: "Parasite" |
| 2011 |
Off the Map |
Dr. Zita Alvarez |
13 episodes |
| 2011 |
Glades, TheThe Glades |
Dr. Sophie Perez |
Episode: "Dirty Little Secrets" |
| 2011 |
Alphas |
Kathy Sullivan |
Recurring role (4 episodes) |
| 2012 |
Grimm |
Dr. Levine |
Episode: "Organ Grinder" |
| 2012 |
Scandal |
Carolina Flores |
Episode: "Enemy of the State" |
| 2012 |
Necessary Roughness |
Vera Dade |
Episode: "Spell It Out"
Episode: "Double Fault" |
| 2012 |
Homeland |
Major Joy Mendez |
5 episodes |
| 2013 |
Secret Lives of Wives, TheThe Secret Lives of Wives |
Alyse |
TV film, post-production |
References [edit]
External links [edit]
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| Main cast |
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| Special guest stars |
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Supporting cast
(actors with 6+ appearances) |
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| Persondata |
| Name |
Cruz, Valerie |
| Alternative names |
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| Short description |
American actor |
| Date of birth |
July 18, 1976 |
| Place of birth |
Elizabeth, New Jersey, USA |
| Date of death |
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| Place of death |
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