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Joaquin Phoenix was born Joaquin Rafael Bottom in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Arlyn (Dunetz) and John Bottom, and is the middle child in a brood of five. His parents, from the continental United States, were then serving as Children of God missionaries. His mother is from a Jewish family from New York, while his father, from California, is of mostly British Isles descent. As a youngster, Joaquin took his cues from older siblings River Phoenix and Rain Phoenix, changing his name to Leaf to match their earthier monikers. When the children were encouraged to develop their creative instincts, he followed their lead into acting. Younger sisters Liberty Phoenix and Summer Phoenix rounded out the talented troupe.

The family moved often, traveling through Central and South America (and adopting the surname "Phoenix" to celebrate their new beginnings) but, by the time Joaquin was age 6, they had more or less settled in the Los Angeles area. Arlyn found work as a secretary at NBC, and John turned his talents to landscaping. They eventually found an agent who was willing to represent all five children, and the younger generation dove into television work. Commercials for meat, milk, and junk food were off-limits (the kids were all raised as strict vegans), but they managed to find plenty of work pushing other products. Joaquin's first real acting gig was a guest appearance on River's sitcom, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1982).

He worked with his brother again on the afterschool special Backwards: The Riddle of Dyslexia (1984), then struck out on his own in other made-for-TV productions. He made his big-screen debut as the youngest crew member in the interstellar romp SpaceCamp (1986), then won his first starring turn in the Cold War-era drama Russkies (1987). In the late '80s, the Phoenix clan decided to pull up stakes and relocate again--this time to Florida. River's film career had enough momentum to sustain the move, but Joaquin wasn't sure what lay in store for him in the Sunshine State. As it happened, Universal Pictures had just opened a new studio in the area and he was cast almost immediately as an angst-ridden adolescent in Parenthood (1989). His performance was very well-received, but Joaquin decided to withdraw from acting for a while--he was frustrated with the dearth of interesting roles for actors his age, and he wanted to see more of the world.

His parents were in the process of separating, so he struck out for Mexico with his father. Joaquin returned to the public eye three years later under tragic circumstances. On October 31, 1993, he was at The Viper Room (a Los Angeles nightclub partly-owned by Johnny Depp) when his brother River collapsed from a drug overdose and later died. Joaquin made the call to 911, which was rebroadcast on radio and television the world over. Months later, at the insistence of friends and colleagues, Joaquin began reading through scripts again, but he was reluctant to re-enter the acting life until he found just the right part. He finally signed up to work with Gus Van Sant (who had directed River in My Own Private Idaho (1991) and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1993)) to star as Nicole Kidman's obsessive devotee in To Die For (1995). The performance made Joaquin (who had dropped Leaf and reverted to his birth name) a critics' darling in his own right.

His follow-up turn in Inventing the Abbotts (1997) scored more critical kudos and, perhaps more importantly, introduced him to his one-time fiancée Liv Tyler. (The pair dated for almost three years.) He returned to the big screen later that year with a supporting role in Oliver Stone's U Turn (1997), then played a locked-up drug scapegoat in Return to Paradise (1998). He and "Paradise" co-star Vince Vaughn re-teamed almost immediately for the small-town murder caper Clay Pigeons (1998), which Joaquin followed with a turn as a porn store clerk in 8MM (1999). The film that confirmed Phoenix as a star was the historical epic Gladiator (2000). The Roman epic cast him as the selfish, paranoid young emperor Commodus opposite Russell Crowe's swarthy hero. Determined to make his character as real as possible, Phoenix gained weight and cultivated a pasty complexion during the shoot. He received international attention and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor for that role.

Later that year, he appeared in two indies, playing a dock worker in The Yards (2000) (which he counts among his favorite experiences--and one of the only films of his that he can sit through) and the priest in charge of the Marquis de Sade's asylum in Quills (2000). He received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor as the legendary musician Johnny Cash in the biography Walk the Line (2005). He also recorded an album, the film's soundtrack, for which he received the Grammy Award for Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media.

Roselyn Milagros Sánchez Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican singer-songwriter, dancer, model, actress, producer, and writer. On television, she is best known for her roles as Elena Delgado on the CBS police procedural Without a Trace (2005-09), as Carmen Luna on the Lifetime comedy-drama Devious Maids (2013-16), and as Elena Roarke on the new Fantasy Island (2021-present). In film, Sánchez has appeared in Rush Hour 2 (2001), Boat Trip (2002), The Game Plan (2007), and Act of Valor (2012).

Raised in the backstage wings of Las Vegas hotels by his Cuban father, Puerto Rico-born Kamar de los Reyes knew the second he was hoisted onto the stage to dance with Lola Falana at the age of 8, that he not only wanted to perform, but he wanted to be out front.

Kamar's father, a Cuban drummer and percussionist, would see two of his three sons follow in his footsteps: one a world-renowned drummer, the other a world-renowned percussionist. Kamar, the youngest of the brood, chose to go another route. While in high school, he discovered the arts as a singer and dancer. During his senior year, a stage role as El Gallo in "The Fantastiks" marked his acting debut. Shortly thereafter, Kamar would go to Los Angeles, to visit his brother Daniel, who was playing percussion for the Cher video "We All Sleep Alone." Kamar landed a dancing role and subsequently went on to work with Kenny Ortega in the feature film Salsa (1988) and the television series Dirty Dancing (1988). Later in 2001, Kamar would work again with Ortega in the VH-1 movie The Way She Moves (2001). Only this time, he would work as the lead actor.

In 1989, Kamar began to focus only on his acting career; "I was baptized by fire," he likes to say. With very little professional experience as an actor, he landed a role in the critically acclaimed Off Broadway play "Blade to the Heat" and rose to critical attention for his portrayal of gay Irish-Mexican boxer Pedro Quinn. The rest, I guess you can say, is history.

Kamar has steadily performed alongside a virtual Who's Who in television, movies, stage, and music for more two decades, including projects such as The Gifted (2017)), Sleepy Hollow (2013), One Life to Live (1968), Shooter (2016), and Blue Bloods (2010), to name just a few. He would star in the made-for-television movie The Way She Moves (2001); in Nixon (1995), directed by Oliver Stone; and in the feature film Salt (2010), starring Angelina Jolie. You might also recognize him as the face and voice of Raul Menendez in the most successful video game franchise in history, Call of Duty: Black Ops II (2012), Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 (2018), and Call of Duty: Vanguard (2021).

Joining forces with his actor wife Sherri Saum, they created MaPá Productions and recently starred in and produced their first short film, First Strike Butcher Knife (2017), which premiered at the Los Angeles Short Film Festival to critical acclaim.

An avid gym rat and self-professed weekend warrior, Kamar resides in Los Angeles with his wife and twin sons, Michael Luis and John Rubén. Kamar is also very active in helping with the recovery efforts of his beloved island Puerto Rico. To date, Kamar and his brother Daniel de los Reyes, along with Day Glow Relief, have made five trips to the hurricane-ravaged island. "We want to make sure that the relief aid makes it into the hands of the people who need it most, but also create awareness so that the people of Puerto Rico aren't forgotten," he has said

Raul Julia was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Olga Arcelay, a mezzo-soprano singer, and Raúl Juliá, an electrical engineer. He graduated from Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola High School in San Juan. Here he studied the rigorous classical curriculum of the Jesuits and was always active in student dramatics. Julia was discovered while performing in a nightclub in San Juan by actor Orson Bean who inspired him to move to the mainland to pursue other projects. Julia moved to Manhattan, New York City in 1964 and quickly found work by acting in small and supporting roles in off-Broadway shows. In 1966, Julia began appearing in Shakespearean roles, creating a deliciously conniving Edmund in "King Lear" in 1973 and a smoldering Othello in 1979. Julia also made his mark on the musical stage playing one of the "Two Gentlemen of Verona" during its run in 1971, and a chilling role of Mack the Knife in "The Threepenny Opera" in 1976 and as a Felliniesque film director in "Nine" in 1982. The stage successes led to his movie works where he is better known.

One of his best movie roles is a passionate political prisoner in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985). Julia also appeared as dramatic heroes and memorable villains in a number of films and made-for-TV-movies. His later roles included the crazy macabre Gomez Addams in two Addams Family movies. With his health declining from 1993 onward after he underwent a surgical operation for stomach cancer, Julia kept on acting, where he traveled to Mexico during the winter of 1993-1994 to play the Brazilian Amazon forest activist Chico Mendes in The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story (1994), for which he posthumously won a Golden Globe and an Emmy Award. His last theatrical movie was filmed shortly after The Burning Season: The Chico Mendes Story (1994) when he traveled to Australia to shoot all of his scenes for Street Fighter (1994), based on the popular video game where he played the villainous General M. Bison. His last role was a supporting part in another made-for-TV movie titled Down Came a Blackbird (1995).

On October 16, 1994, the weakened and gaunt Raul Julia suffered a stroke in New York City where he fell into a coma a few days later and was put on life support. He was transferred to a hospice in nearby Manhasset, Long Island where his weakened body finally gave up the struggle on October 24, at age 54. His body was flown back to Puerto Rico for burial where thousands turned out for his state funeral to remember him. Two honoring ceremonies were held at Colegio San Ignacio de Loyola High School, and at the Headquarters of the Institute of Puerto Rican Culture prior to his burial.

Paola Lázaro is a Puerto Rican actress and dramatic writer who portrayed Juanita Sanchez, better known as "Princess," in Season 10 of the AMC horror drama series The Walking Dead.

Paola was born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She holds an MFA in Playwriting from Columbia University.

Her play Tell Hector I Miss Him at Atlantic Theater was nominated for a Drama League Award for Best Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Play and for an Outer Critics Circle Award for the John Gassner Playwriting Award. In 2017 she was selected as a Sundance Theatre Lab writer with her play There's Always the Hudson (2017 Relentless Award finalist) and as a Sundance Institute Time Warner Storytelling Fellow. Paola is Atlantic Theater Company's 2016-2017 Tow Playwright-in-Residence. In 2015 she was nominated for a Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play for her role in To the Bone. She was recently selected for the Van Lier Playwright Residency at the Public Theater 2018-2020.

Charlotte Ayanna was born on 25 September 1976 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is an actress, known for Training Day (2001), Love the Hard Way (2001) and Jawbreaker (1999).

Ari Meyers was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico on Sunday, April 6, 1969. She began an acting career at age 12, with her role as Al Pacino's stepdaughter in Al Pacino's Author! Author! (1982) and hasn't looked back, since. Ari dictated her first play, "The Super Magic Show," for her nursery school class to her mom, actress Taro Meyer, when she was 5. She directed, came up with the scripts, and choreographed the dancers! At age 5, Ari became a child model but took a hiatus when she decided she would rather play than go to auditions. Her most famous role to date is that of "Emma Jane McCardle," which she portrayed on the 80s sitcom, Kate & Allie (1984) for six years, until 1990. In 1991, Ari Meyers graduated from Yale with honors and a double major in philosophy and theatre arts, and she was also an honor student throughout her high school years. As a narrator, she released several audio books: for example in 1995 "Earth Angel - A Kitten's Tale," a traditional story written and directed by her mother and produced by Ari and Taro, too. With her mother, she acted in Memories of Midnight (1991). Since 2016, she started working as a postpartum nurse and a lactation consultant in a hospital in Los Angeles, California.

Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Ricky initiated his singing career in the Latin all boy-band group Menudo. After leaving the group, he moved to New York to study acting. After finishing his studies, he relocated to Mexico where he performed as actor in "Mama ama el Rock", "Alcanzar una Estrella II". In 1991, he began to focus his career as a soloist singer, eventually becoming an international superstar with the release of his self-titled English language album in 1996.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Ortiz grew up in Orlando, Florida. An early love of dancing led to roles in local theater productions. As her interest in theatre and acting grew, Valery eased out of dancing and began focusing on acting. Eventually, she enrolled in the University of Central Florida to obtain a Bachelor's in Fine Arts Degree.

After a hosting gig for Nickelodeon's Splat! ended, Valery took a road trip to Los Angeles for a two-week vacation and ended up relocating permanently when she quickly started working on a local television show called LATV Live as a VJ. She was next cast in one of her most memorable roles to date in the cult comedy hit 'Date Movie' as Jell-O, a Jennifer Lopez impersonator.

Over the years, Ortiz has worked on several popular television series. She starred as Raquel on VH1's one-hour scripted series 'Hit the Floor', Madison Duarte, on the groundbreaking teen drama 'South of Nowhere', and more recently, Dina Duran on the live action-comedy series 'Gabby Duran and The Unsittables' on Disney Channel.

Valery completed production on the feature film 'Skeletons In The Closet' starring opposite Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding, Jr. & Clifton Powell along with a starring role in the Lifetime movie 'Cloudy With A Chance Of Christmas' directed by Jake Helgren. She recently won Best Supporting actress for her role in the indie feature 'Isabel's Garden' directed by Kit Rich. Off screen, Valery gives fans some unpaid therapy girl talk on her podcast, 'Your Unpaid Therapists' with friend Alikona Bradford. She is also enthusiastically working on sharing her love of fitness on her new YouTube Channel.

In her free time, Valery enjoys reading, decorating, writing and pushing herself to new heights in fitness. She also enjoys lending her time to different charities and organizations. Ortiz currently resides in Los Angeles.

Vico Ortiz (They/Them) is a proud Latine/x non-binary/gender fluid actor/activist born and raised in Puerto Rico. They received their education at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles. Their first breakthrough role was in the hit Amazon series, "Transparent" which opened their career to the LGBTQ+ entertainment community and paved the way to more recognized TV appearances in shows such as "The Fosters", "Lucifer" and "Criminal Minds'' among many others. More recently, Vico has had guest starring roles in "American Horror Story: 1984 ", the Starz award winning series "VIDA" and a recurring role in the GLAAD nominated Freeform comedy "Everything's Gonna Be Okay", returning for its second season in 2021. Vico also received a 2021 Queerties Award nomination for their series regular role in the award winning digital series "These Thems". In the next year (2021) Vico will also star as a series regular in the upcoming Amazon Prime Video original post-apocalyptic horror "Narcos vs. Zombies" playing U.S. Military Sgt. Valencia set for release in the fall of 2021.

Vico Ortiz is also a rising star in the world of drag performers creating the original and dynamic Drag King "Vico Suave'', a character that was created by mixing their Hispanic/Caribbean and American culture while exploring their own gender fluidity and sexuality. Their character of "Vico Suave'' is most recognized for their performance in "VIDA" on Starz. They also made a commitment to use their character of "Vico Suave" as an advocate for the LGBTQ+ community. Some of the LGBTQ+ organizations they're committed to supporting are The Dru Project and the Los Angeles LGBTQ Center to name a few. Vico's mission is Visibility. To showcase diversity in the Latine/x culture on Stage, TV and Film. They want young queers and people around the globe to see characters on screen that are relatable no matter their background, their sexual orientation or gender identity. Their passion is to educate society on gender, inclusive language, and join the stream of voices within the entertainment industry that is constantly pushing and advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and their positive portrayals in the media.

Most Canadians would know Bruce Gray as the star of the TV series Traders (Gemini Award), but most Americans would recognize him as the Father of the groom in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Although he began his acting career on stage in the 60s, he quickly moved into daytime dramas: contracted to Somerset, High Hopes and the Edge of Night in the 70's. A move to Hollywood in the 80s led to guest star roles on hundreds of TV shows, recurring on Murder She Wrote, Medium, Tour of Duty, Falling Skies, How I met your Mother. Bruce gained notoriety in the gay community as "Shickle The Pickle" on Queer As Folk, then for football fans by playing a team owner on Playmakers for ESPN.

Miguel Arteta was born in 1965 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is a director and producer, known for Beatriz at Dinner (2017), Succession (2018) and Enlightened (2011). He is married to Justine Arteta.

Marcel has been in front of the cameras since his home birth in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico, among a family of filmmakers. His career-launching role in the critically acclaimed Netflix sitcom One Day at a Time (2017) got him an Imagen Award for Best Young Actor and a Teen Choice Award nomination. He debuted on the big screen as the lead of the 20th Century Fox film Breakthrough (2019) and that same year was listed on Variety's Top 10 Latinxs to Watch. Marcel's latest film Summer of Three shows that in addition to acting, he is now also writing and producing his own film projects.

Michelan (Michael) was born in San Juan, PR, where his US Army family was stationed at the time. He is known for his film, television, and theatrical work. Micha's films include, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: The Secret of the Ooze (1991), The Muppets (2011), and Muppets Most Wanted (2014). His television work includes, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Babylon 5, and The Muppets TV series. These performances, and all Micha's other film and television roles, came after his twenty year in the New York theatre, where he played in many Broadway productions including, "Fiddler On The Roof", "Cabaret", and "Raggedy Ann". A new live show with the Muppets played the Hollywood Bowl and the O2 Arena in London.

Tony Oliver was born on 12 May 1958 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He is an actor and producer, known for Lupin the 3rd: The Mystery of Mamo (1978), Akira (1988) and Mighty Morphin Power Rangers (1993). He has been married to Barbara Oliver since 7 July 1979. They have two children.

Shalim Ortiz is a Puerto Rican artist that has been one of the few Latino actors of his generation to successfully establish himself both in the English and Spanish markets. Working throughout the arts, Shalim has received critical acclaim in acting (television & film), theatre & as a recording artist.

At a young age Shalim joined the Thespian Society of Performing Arts and developed an intense passion; theater has played a key role in his life ever since. As an adult, he landed the lead in Oliver Mayer's much acclaimed cabaret musical entitled 'Rocío In Spite Of It All'. The L.A. Times praised Shalim's performance proclaiming: "silken-voiced Shalim steals several scenes as a dazzled fan who befriends these dueling divas".

Shalim has starred in some major television series such as "CSI: Miami," and "Cold Case," with one of his most memorable acting roles on NBC's "Heroes," where he played "Alejandro Herrera." In addition, Shalim has built strong and long-term relationships with the Lifetime and Hallmark channels staring in the mini-series "Maneater" (Sarah Chalke, Judy Greer) and the feature film "Expecting a Miracle" (Teri Polo, Cheech Marin).

In addition to his love of theater, Shalim has enjoyed success in another of his passions; music. Produced by Emilio Estefan, Shalim has written and recorded two albums (Sony Records). Combining his Spanish roots with Latin beats he used influences from rock and ballads to create a unique sound that has led to gold album record sales in both Spain and Latin America.

Perhaps his most significant achievement has been breaking into the Hollywood mainstream market. Shalim has starred and played acting roles in "The Wingman" written by academy award nominee Jose Rivera, and "Bad ass" which premieres this year in which he shares credits with Danny Trejo and Ron Perlman. In the Spanish language market, Shalim is debuting as the lead in two Mexican films: "Sangre de Familia" which world premieres at the 2012 Guadalajara Film Festival, and "Abril y Mayo" which is expected to premiere in the second half of 2012.

Felipa Gómez was born on 10 September 1870 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She was an actress. She died on 15 April 1967 in Pacheco, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Alberto Morin was born on 26 December 1902 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. He was an actor, known for Two Mules for Sister Sara (1970), Tripoli (1950) and The Green Hornet (1966). He died on 7 April 1989 in Burbank, California, USA.

Iglesias was a prolific supporting actor found in many Hollywood westerns of the 50s and 60s. He was born Eugene Luis Francisco Iglesias Carrillo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, said to have come from a distinguished family with connections to José Luis Alberto Muñoz Marín, the first elected governor of Puerto Rico. Iglesias arrived in California as a student, was signed by Columbia and made his debut as Mel Ferrer's determined younger matador brother in The Brave Bulls (1951). Thereafter, he found his niche in westerns playing an assortment of colourful characters, sometimes outlaws (perhaps his best-remembered tole as Johnny Sombrero in The Duel at Silver Creek (1952)), often Native Americans (Chibiabos in Hiawatha (1952), Gray Eagle in Jack McCall, Desperado (1953), Chato in Taza, Son of Cochise (1954) and Walk the Proud Land (1956)). Other roles cast him as Italians (the impassioned patriot Rollo D'Anterras in Mask of the Avenger (1951)), Hispanics (Don Manuel Arriega in Cowboy (1958)) or Portuguese (Paulo in East of Sumatra (1953)). Iglesias segued into TV work from the mid-60s and retired from acting in 1970.

In the beginning, he tried to enter the musical group Menudo, but didn't make it. Later he entered the University of Puerto Rico in Rio Piedras, completing his studies in the Department of Drama. He moved to Mexico in 1999. He continues academic study with Patricia Reyes Spindola and Art Studies Center of Televisa (CEA).

Priscilla Delgado was born on 31 March 2002 in San Juan, Puerto Rico. She is an actress, known for Julieta (2016), Los hombres de Paco (2005) and Desaparecidos (2020).

He was the son of a Puerto Rican seaman. He was self-educated and spent much of his childhood in Brazil singing on the streets to raise money for food. He became an actor after having been a circus performer, radio actor, and vaudeville performer. He worked in the chorus of the 1927 stage production of the musical "Show Boat". Black American film historian Donald Bogle considers Hernandez's early success in films during the early twentieth century to have been an event that paved the way for the high visibility and success of Black actor and Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier.

Elmer Figueroa de Arce, better known as Chayanne, was born in Puerto Rico, the third of five siblings. He is married to Venezuelan Mariana Elizabeth "Marilisa" Maronesa de Figueroa, with whom he has a son, Lorenzo Valentino and a daughter, Isadora Sofia. Chayanne debuted as a singer at ten years of age, becoming a part of a Menudo-type group "Los Chicos." His recording career includes 14 albums/CDs, 5 of these with Los Chicos and 9 others as a solo performer; all in Spanish. As an actor for television he worked on the popular soap opera "Pobre Juventad, " he was also the star of "Tormento," "Sombras del Pasado," "Provocame" and "Gabriel". As an actor in films he was featured in the Jacobo Morales film Linda Sara, opposite ex-Miss Universe Dayanara Torres. "Dance With Me" was his first English acting job where his undeniable charm and expertise on the dance floor served him well. Additionally, he guest-starred in various episodes of "Ally McBeal."

Shawn Elliott (born Eliezer Santiago) grew up in New York performing as both an actor and singer. He has two sons, Roland and Russell Santiago from his first marriage to Gloria Fernandez. He also has an adopted daughter and possibly two more children. His current wife and fellow actor is Donna Murphy, to whom he has been married since 1990.

Born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Marisé has been working in theatre, film, television, music and radio for the last 15 years. Her first notable role was Neyshalí in the award winning feature film Lovesickness (2007) of Executive Producer Benicio Del Toro. Soon after, she played Cuban revolutionary Vilma Espín in Che: Part One (2008) and Che: Part Two (2008) directed by Steven Soderbergh. Later she played Elisa in the award winning British short film Lover (2009). In 2013 she was nominated for Best Actress at the NBCUniversal Short Film Festival for her role Lita in Mi corazón (2014) directed by Marielle Woods. Most recent appearances include Nelly in the NBCUniversal TV series Crossbones (2014) staring John Malkovich, Mariela in the feature film The Vessel (2016) of Executive Producer Martin Sheen, Tanya Ibar in the Spanish mini series En el corredor de la muerte (2019) co-staring with Miguel Ángel Silvestre, and Leticia Ozuna in the Showtime pilot Hombre directed by Jonás Cuarón co-staring with Gael García Bernal.