Selenis Leyva (born May 26, 1972)[1] is an American actress. She began her career appearing in Off-Broadway productions and had supporting roles on television, before her breakthrough role as Gloria Mendoza in the Netflix comedy-drama series, Orange Is the New Black (2013–19). She later starred in the Disney+ comedy-drama series, Diary of a Future President (2020–21), and the NBC sitcom Lopez vs Lopez (2022–). Leyva also appeared in films Custody (2016), Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Breaking (2022) and Creed III (2023).
Leyva was raised in The Bronx.[2] She is of Cuban and Dominican descent.[3] She has appeared in a number of Off-Broadway productions.[4] Her professional debut was in the 1995 production of Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre's Simpson Street.[5] She later acted in New World Stages' production of Celia in 2007,[6] and Cherry Lane Theatre's Basilica in 2013.[7][8] On television, Leyva co-starred in the 2001 Nickelodeon teen sitcom Taina and had a recurring role of Detective Mariluz Rivera in the NBC police drama series, Law & Order from 2004 to 2006, and also appeared in different roles on the show and on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. She has guest-starred on Third Watch, The Sopranos, The Good Wife, Girls, and Elementary. In film, she had secondary roles in Maria Full of Grace (2004), Illegal Tender (2007) and Sex and the City 2 (2010).
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.[9][10] 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.[11] 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,[12] and played Monica Warren in the 2017 superhero film Spider-Man: Homecoming.[13] 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.[14] The series premiered on January 17, 2020 and was cancelled in December 2021. She starred in the 2022 drama film, Breaking, the film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival and received Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Ensemble Cast.[15] Later in 2022 she was cast in the NBC sitcom, Lopez vs Lopez playing George Lopez's ex-wife.[16] In 2023, Leyva appeared in the sports drama film Creed III.[17]
Leyva has one daughter, Alina.[18] She is a supporter of the LGBT community and revealed in June 2015 that her sister Marizol is transgender.[18][19][20][21] 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.[22]
Actor Selenis Levya was born on this day in 1972.
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