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Wanda De Jesus

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Wanda De Jesus
De Jesus at the 2013 Imagen Awards
Born (1958-08-26) August 26, 1958 (age 66)[1]
New York City, U.S.
OccupationActress
Years active1986–present
PartnerJimmy Smits (1986–present)

Wanda De Jesus (born August 26, 1958) is an American character actress.[1]

Early life

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De Jesus was born and raised in New York City,[2] a Little Italy neighborhood of Lower Manhattan, the daughter of first generation from Puerto Rico.[3] She attended the High School of Performing Arts and earned a degree in performing arts in 1981 from the City College of New York.[3]

Career

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In 1986, De Jesus made her both, stage and television debuts: starring opposite Robert De Niro in Broadway play Cuba and His Teddy Bear, and playing a recurring role on the NBC daytime soap opera Another World.[4] In 1987, De Jesus starred in the short-lived ABC prison drama series, Mariah.[5] She later made guest starring appearances on L.A. Law, Tales from the Darkside and Matlock.

In 1990, De Jesus had supporting roles in the action comedy film Downtown and the science fiction film RoboCop 2. She was the fourth actress to portray Santana Andrade in the NBC soap opera Santa Barbara from 1991 to 1992. In 1994 she returned to big screen starring in the crime drama The Glass Shield and appeared alongside Jimmy Smits in the Death and the Maiden at the Mark Taper Forum.[6] The following year was regular cast member in the short-lived drama series, Live Shot. She guest-starred on Babylon 5, Touched by an Angel, NYPD Blue and Nash Bridges. She later appeared in films The Insider (1999), Flawless (1999), Once in the Life (2000) and Ghosts of Mars (2001). In 2002, De Jesus starred opposite Clint Eastwood in the mystery thriller film Blood Work playing Graciella Rivers, a Latino woman still enraged over the murder of her sister.[1] From 2002 to 2003 she had a recurring role on the CBS crime series CSI: Miami as MDPD Detective Adelle Sevilla. In 2007, De Jesus starred in the crime drama film, Illegal Tender.[7][1]

In 2010, De Jesus had a recurring role as Iris Blanco, the mayor of Pine Valley in the ABC soap opera, All My Children. Later in 2010, De Jesus was cast as the head of the police squad on the NBC series Law & Order: Los Angeles, but the role – which had already been changed significantly before De Jesus joined – was changed again and reshot with a different actress after two episodes had been filmed.[8] In 2012 she had a recurring role in the FX crime drama series, Sons of Anarchy.[9] In 2022 she had a recurring role in the Paramount+ psychological thriller Fatal Attraction.[10]

Personal life

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De Jesus has been in a relationship with actor Jimmy Smits since 1986. They live together in Los Angeles.[11]

Filmography

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Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1990 Downtown Luisa Diaz
1990 RoboCop 2 Estevez
1994 The Glass Shield Carmen Munoz
1995 Captain Nuke and the Bomber Boys Leslie Moore
1997 Executive Power Debra Skelly Video
1999 Time to Pay Magdalena Scanlon Video
1999 Flawless Karen
2000 Once in the Life Jackie
2001 Ghosts of Mars Akooshay
2002 Blood Work Graciella Rivers
2007 Illegal Tender Millie De Leon
2009 The Ministers Capt. Diaz
2013 Water & Power Officer Siler

Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1986 Another World Gomez TV series
1987 Mariah Leda Cervantes Regular role
1987 L.A. Law Ms. Santiago "The Wizard of Odds"
1988 The Pursuit of Happiness Mrs. Lopez "That Pair of Eyes"
1988 Tales from the Darkside Telephone (voice) "Payment Overdue"
1990 Singer & Sons Mary Garza "Our's Not to Reason Why Shmy"
1990 Lucky Chances Suzita TV miniseries
1990 Lifestories Dr. Duran "Frank Brody"
1990 Matlock Alana Leon "The Fighter"
1991 Equal Justice Suzanne Garner "Opening Farewell"
1991 Fatal Friendship Darlene TV film
1991-1992 Santa Barbara Santana Andrade Main role
1992 Civil Wars Linda Rodriguez "Tape Fear"
1995 Babylon 5 Sarah "Hunter, Prey"
1995 SeaQuest DSV Comm. Pamela Lopez "Chains of Command"
1995 Live Shot Liz Vega Regular role
1996 Touched by an Angel Sue Cheney "Jacob's Ladder"
1996 NYPD Blue Det. Martina Escobar "Girl Talk"
1996 Spider-Man Dr. Sylvia Lopez (voice) "Sins of the Fathers Chapter 12: The Spot"
1996 Diagnosis: Murder Det. Emma Lopez "Murder in the Family"
1996 Profiler Catherine Evers "Cruel and Unusual"
1997 Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales for Every Child Xochitl (voice) "The Shoemaker and the Elves"
1997 Gold Coast Vivian Onzola TV film
1997 Brooklyn South Det. Marina McConnell "A Reverend Runs Through It"
1997 Nash Bridges Agent Janet Reynolds "Bombshell"
1998 Vengeance Unlimited District Atty. Rosalie Hanson "Dishonorable Discharge"
1999 Promised Land Nina Charles "Finale"
2000 Pensacola: Wings of Gold Ali "At Poverty Level"
2002 Almost a Woman Mami TV film
2002 Thieves Katrina Epstein "The Green and the Black", "Home Is Where the Heist Is"
2002-2003 CSI: Miami Det. Adell Sevilla Recurring role
2005 Detective Sanchez TV film
2010 Law & Order: LA Lt. Arleen Gonzalez "Hollywood"
2010 All My Children Iris Blanco Recurring role
2012 Sons of Anarchy Carla Recurring role
2013 Blue Cynthia "Everything Is a Test"
2015 Letter Never Sent Edith TV film
2020 Gentefied Delfina Recurring Role
2023 Fatal Attraction Marcella Levya Recurring Role

Awards and nominations

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Year Group Award Result Film/Show
1996 NCLR Bravo Award Outstanding Actress in a Drama Series Nominated Live Shot
2003 Imagen Award Best Actress in a Television Film Won Almost a Woman
2007 Best Actress in a Film Nominated Illegal Tender

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Wanda De Jesús | Biography, Movie Highlights and Photos". AllMovie.
  2. ^ "Wanda De Jesús". TVGuide.com.
  3. ^ a b "Wanda De Jesus | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  4. ^ Gussow, Mel (May 19, 1986). "THEATER: 'CUBA AND HIS TEDDY BEAR'" – via NYTimes.com.
  5. ^ O'Connor, John J. (April 15, 1987). "TV REVIEWS; 'MARIAH,' PRISON DRAMA" – via NYTimes.com.
  6. ^ Shirley, Don (January 25, 1994). "Q&A; WITH JIMMY SMITS AND WANDA DE JESUS : Taking a 'Maiden' Voyage". Los Angeles Times.
  7. ^ "Illegal Tender | Rotten Tomatoes". www.rottentomatoes.com.
  8. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (10 September 2010). "Wanda De Jesus Departs 'Law & Order: LA'". Deadline.com. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  9. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 29, 2012). "Zuleikha Robinson To Recur On 'Homeland', Wanda De Jesus On 'Sons Of Anarchy'".
  10. ^ Petski, Denise (July 8, 2022). "'Fatal Attraction': Wanda De Jesus Joins Paramount+ Series As Recurring".
  11. ^ "Jimmy Smits - Movies, Family & Facts". Biography. May 25, 2021.
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