Selenis Leyva Biography
Selenis Leyva is an American actress who rose to fame for playing Gloria Mendoza in a famous Netflix comedy series known as Orange Is the New Black (from 2013 to 2019). She also gained more fame for playing a major role in Disney’s comedy series called Diary of a Future President from 2020 to 2021. Selenis’s other famous roles are in Tainsa, Sex and the City 2 (2010), Trouble Child (2010), Epic (2013) and Living with the Dead (2014).
Leyva was born in Guantanamo, Cuba but brought up in the suburbs of The Bronx, New York City by Cuban-Dominican parents. She attended and graduated from LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This was where Leyva made her acting debut at off-broadway plays before making her on-screen debut.
Selenis made her first on-screen appearance as Detective Nariluz on Law & Order. She then played various roles in its sequel Tv series Law & Order: Special Victims. Leyva then played guest roles in Third Watch, The Sopranos, The Good Wife, Girls and Elementary. In 2013, she landed her big breakout role on Orange Is the New Black and played recurring roles in the show’s first and two seasons. Her role earned her a Screen Actors Guild award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a comedy series. Selens’s most recent film and television series like Shadows (2020), Breaking (2022) and Creed III (2023).
Selenis Leyva Age
How old Selenis Leyva? Leyva is 51 years old as of 2023. She was born on May 26, 1972, in Baracoa, Guantanamo Cuba but grew up in The Bronx, New York, United States. In addition, Selenis celebrates her birthday on May 26th every year. Her zodiac birth sign is Gemini.
Selenis Leyva Height
How tall is Selenis Leyva? Leyva stands at an approximate height of 5 feet 4 inches(1.63 m). She also weighs about 60 kilograms (132 lbs). Additionally, Leyva’s hair color is dark brown and her eye color is dark brown. His other body measurements are 32-20-31 inches respectively.
Selenis Leyva Parents | Family
Leyva was born and raised by a Cuban father and a Dominican mother. However, she has managed to keep the identity of her mother and father away from the public. Nevertheless, Selenis grew up alongside one sister named Marizo. Her sister is the author of a famous book called My Sister: How One Sibling’s Transition Changed Us Both and other books.
Selenis Leyva Sister
Selenis has one sister named Marizol Leyava. Her sister currently works as an American author known for authoring books like Transition Changed Us Both. She is a transgender who transitioned from a very young age. Selenis and her sister are very close. Marizola was the one who inspired Selenis to be an active supporter of the LGBTQ community.
Selenis Leyva Husband | Partner
Is Selenis Leyva Married? No, she is currently believed to lead a single life. However, Leyva has managed to be secretive about her personal dating life. Thus, there are no records of her past boyfriends and partners. Selenis now lives alone with her family in Los Angeles, California.
Selenis Leyva Daughter
Leyva has one daughter named Alina. However, the identity of her father is not yet known. More information about Selenis’ daughter will be shared once it is available.
Selenis Leyva Taina
Taina is a famous American teen drama that aired on Nickelodeon back in 2001. The fictional teen sitcom follows the life of a young Puerto Rican Teenager who has a dream of becoming a succesful singer and actress called Tian Morales. The show also showcases the kind of situations she and Renee Jones her best friend go through while they are studying at Manhattan hIgh School. Selenis played the lead role of Taina Morales in the film.
Selenis Leyva SWU
In 1999, Selenis made her acting debut by playing various roles in the first Law & Order series. She then landed the main role of Lorinda Gutierrez in various episodes of Law & Order’s second sequel called Law & Order Special Victims Unit. She left the show in early 2001.
Selenis Leyva’s Net Worth
Selenis has an estimated net worth of around $2.5 million dollars. Her primary source of income is her career as a film and television actor.
Selenis Leyva Movies
- 2000 Debutante
- 2002 Apartment #5C
- 2004 Maria Full of Grace
- 2007 Illegal Tender
- 2007 Ben’s Plan
- 2009 Don’t Let Me Drown
- 2009 Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
- 2010 Sex and the City 2
- 2010 Trouble Child
- 2011 Man in the Mirror
- 2012 Ice Age: Continental Drift
- 2013 Epic Additional Voices
- 2014 Living with the Dead
- 2015 Chapter & Verse Yolanda
- 2016 Custody Jackie
- 2016 I Can I Will I Did
- 2017 Spider-Man: Homecoming
- 2020 Shadows Pamela
- 2022 Breaking
- 2023 Creed III
Selenis Leyva TV Shows
- 2006 The Sopranos
- 2007 Dirty Sexy Money
- 2008 New Amsterdam
- 2010 The Good Wife
- 2010 The Whole Truth Claudia
- 2011 Law & Order: Criminal
- 2011 Person of Interest
- 2011–2012 Blue Bloods
- 2012 Girls
- 2012 Elementary
- 2013 The Following
- 2013–2019 Orange Is the New Black
- 2015 Madam Secretary
- 2015 Veep
- 2018–2021 DuckTales
- 2018 Dietland
- 2018 Maniac
- 2018 Murphy Brown
- 2019 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
- 2020–2021 Diary of a Future President
- 2020–2021 Saved by the Bell
- 2022 Our Flag Means Death
- 2022–present Lopez vs Lopez