Diane Guerrero (born July 21, 1986) is a Colombian-American actress who portrays Maritza Ramos in Orange is the New Black. She appears in the film Emoticon ;) and can be seen in The CW's TV Series Jane the Virgin and films Peter and John, Beyond Control and My Man is a Loser'. Guerrero grew up in Boston and remained there after the rest of her family was deported to Colombia. She is an advocate for immigration reform. Guerrero is the author of In the Country We Love: My Family Divided, a memoir about her parents being detained and deported when she was fourteen. She also played Kay Challis/Crazy Jane in the DC Universe series Doom Patrol.
For Disney, she voiced Vestia in Disney Channel/Disney Junior's animated series, Elena of Avalor and Isabela Madrigal in the film, Encanto.
Early Life[]
Guerrero was born in New Jersey to Colombian parents and raised in Boston, MA. She was the only American born in her family, so when her family got deported back to Colombia when she was 14, she stayed in the United States and lived with other Colombian families.
She always expressed an interest in acting as a child. Guerrero attended the Boston Arts Academy - a performing arts high school, where she was heavily involved with the school's music department. After pursuing a degree in political science and communications in college and a job at a law office after, she moved to New York City at age 24 to pursue her acting dream.
Career[]
Guerrero starred in many short films or had small roles in 2011-2012. She was a reoccurring character in TBS's comedy Are We There Yet? during its third season.
In 2013, she originally auditioned for a role in Lifetime TV show Devious Maids, but ended up getting the role of Maritza Ramos in Orange is the New Black.
Since then, she has made appearances in CBS's Blue Blood, Person of Interest, EuropaCorp's Taxi Brooklyn, and the film Emoticon ;).