Lauren Velez

Lauren Velez or Lauren Luna Velez or Luna Lauren Velez (born 2 November 1964) is an American actress and producer.

She played Maria LaGuerta, a police lieutenant and later captain in 84 episodes of the Showtime series DEXTER.

Career[]

Her most notable roles include Detective Nina Moreno on Fox's New York Undercover (her first major television role), Dr. Gloria Nathan on HBO's prison drama Oz, and Elena on ABC's comedy-drama Ugly Betty.

Vélez landed her first job performing in the national touring company of the musical Dreamgirls. Vélez also played understudy for actress Phylicia Rashad in Into the Woods, and she performed Off-Broadway in the productions of Much Ado About Nothing. In 1995, she made her film debut as Lisette Linares in the movie I Like It Like That and was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award and The Desi Award for Best Lead Actress. She also acted in the feature film City Hall (1996), with Al Pacino. In 1997, Vélez starred in Buscando un Sueño, the first Spanish language film sanctioned by SAG.

Film

Her film credits include roles in Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023); Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse ( Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018, vo2023, voice); Rogue Hostage (2021); Ana (2020); Shaft (2019); Swallow (2019); Windows on the World (2019);ice); The First Purge (2018); America Adrift (2016); Officer Downe (2016); Rosewood Lane (2011); Serial (2007); Prison Song (2001, uncredited); Prince of Central Park (2000); The LaMastas (1998); In Search of a Dream (1997); I Think I Do (1997); City Hall (1996); and Like It Like That (1994).

TV Movies

Her TV movie credits include roles in New York Undercover (2019); Murder (2018); Love and Treason (2001); and Thicker Than Blood (1998).

Shorts

Her shorts include Break In Barely Buzzed (2005); and Taino (1999).

Television

Her TV credits include roles in East New York; Power Book II: Ghost; Blue Bloods; MacGyver; How to Get Away with Murder; Madam Secretary; Elementary; South of Hell; Unforgettable; Hawthorne; Breakout Kings; Ugly Betty; Law & Order: Criminal Intent; Numb3rs; Medium; Wanted; Strong Medicine; Law & Order: Special Victims Unit; Dragnet; Oz; Law & Order; Profiler; The Pretender; St. Michael's Crossing; Strange World; New York Undercover; and The Cosby Mysteries.

Awards[]

In 2006, she won the Best Supporting Actress award at the 2006 Long Island International Film Expo for her performance as Roseanne Crystal in the independent feature film, Serial. In 2010, she received the Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).

Personal Life[]

Lauren's parents moved from Puerto Rico in the early 1950s to Brooklyn, NYC, where she was born. Her family later moved to Far Rockaway, Queens. She is the twin sister of actress Lorraine Vélez. The twins have five other sisters and one brother. After graduating from high school, she received a scholarship to attend the Alvin Ailey Dance School.^[1]