Ana Ortiz (born January 25, 1971) is an American actress. In the early 2000s, she starred in the short-lived NBC sitcoms Kristin (2001) and A.U.S.A. (2003), and had recurring roles on the action series Over There (2005) and the legal series Boston Legal (2006). She garnered widespread attention for her role as Hilda Suarez in the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty (2006–2010).
Ortiz appeared in the comedy films Labor Pains (2009) and Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son (2011). From 2013 to 2016, she starred as Marisol Suarez in the Lifetime television comedy-drama series Devious Maids, for which she received the Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television. From 2020 to 2022, Ortiz starred in the Hulu teen comedy series Love, Victor as Isabel Salazar, mother of the title character Victor.
Life and career
Early life and career in theatre Ortiz was born in New York City, and is the daughter of Angel Ortiz, a former Philadelphia City Council member of Puerto Rican descent, and Kathleen Kuhlman, who is of German and Irish descent. As a child, Ortiz studied ballet for eight years, until the pain of dancing en pointe forced her to pursue a different artistic discipline. Ortiz graduated from University of the Arts in Philadelphia.
Switching to singing, Ortiz attended the Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City and later the University of the Arts in Philadelphia before making her professional stage debut in a regional theater production of Dangerous Liaisons. Her additional stage credits include portraying Chrissy in a European touring production of Hair, regional theater productions such as Dog Lady and the Cuban Swimmer and in the South Coast Repertory Theater's production of References to Salvador Dalí Make Me Hot. After joining LAByrinth Theatre Company,LAByrinth Theatre Company she appeared Off-Broadway in In Arabia We'd All Be Kings, directed by Academy Award-winning actor Philip Seymour Hoffman and named one of the 10-best plays of 1999 by the magazine Time Out New York.
Ortiz appeared in several television shows including NYPD Blue, Everybody Loves Raymond, Commander In Chief, ER, and The New Adventures of Old Christine. She had her first series regular role in short-lived NBC comedy series Kristin (2001). She later starred in another short-lived sitcom, called A.U.S.A. in 2003, and later had recurring roles in the FX drama Over There, and ABC series Boston Legal.
2006–2010: Ugly Betty and other roles
In 2006, Ortiz was cast as Hilda Suarez, the lead character's sister, in the ABC comedy-drama series Ugly Betty. Originally, Ortiz had auditioned for the Betty Suarez role, saying in 2008, "I was super plain. I just put on some glasses and kept my hair kind of flat and layered on the clothing", describing what she wore when auditioning for the role of Betty. "I just wanted them to remember me, so that I could be involved in the future".Claustro, Lisa, "Ortiz Went 'Super Plain' for 'Ugly Betty' Audition, BuddyTV.com, January 5, 2008, reprinting quotes from Sheridan, Patricia, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article (no date or title given)
In addition to her role on Ugly Betty, Ortiz was active in films, which include starring roles in Tortilla Heaven and Labor Pains. She also had a voice role in Batman: Gotham Knight, and starred in the made-for-television movie Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story in 2008. Ortiz also had a guest-starring role on Army Wives during its second season, playing a waitress named Sandi. She also appeared in the 2010 music video for Enrique Iglesias and Juan Luis Guerra's "Cuando me enamoro".
2010–present: Devious Maids and later
After Ugly Betty ended in 2010, Ortiz was cast as the lead character in the ABC drama pilot True Blue about San Francisco homicide detectives reunited to solve the murder of one of their own. The pilot was not picked up to series. The following year she appeared in the comedy film Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son, and starred in another pilot, called Outnumbered for Fox, her second pilot not picked up to series. She later had a recurring role on the HBO comedy series Hung. Ortiz also starred in the independent films Sleeping with the Fishes, and Such Good People.
In 2012, Ortiz was cast as a lead character on the ABC comedy drama pilot Devious Maids. While ABC chose not to pick it up to series, Lifetime picked up the pilot with a thirteen-episode order. The series premiered June 23, 2013, on Lifetime with positive reviews from critics. In the show, she plays the lead role of Marisol Duarte (the alias of Professor Marisol Suarez). Also in 2013, Ortiz was special guest star in the ABC primetime soap opera, Revenge, as Bizzy Preston. In 2014, Ortiz guest-starred in episodes of two ABC shows: How to Get Away with Murder and Black-ish.
In 2014 Ortiz was cast in the gay-drama film Love is All You Need? (2016), based on the 2011 short film with the same name.
Devious Maids was canceled after four seasons, in 2016. The following year, Ortiz starred in her third unsold pilot, a comedy called Charlie Foxtrot. She did voice over work in the 2018 film Ralph Breaks the Internet.
In 2019, Ortiz appeared in the main cast of the comedy drama Whiskey Cavalier, playing FBI profiler Susan Sampson.
In 2020, Ortiz starred in the acclaimed Hulu series Love, Victor as Isabel Salazar, mother of the title character Victor Salazar. Her role is acclaimed by critics.
Personal life Ortiz married musician Noah Lebenzon on June 7, 2007, in Rincón, Puerto Rico. Their daughter Paloma was born June 25, 2009. Their second child, son Rafael, was born on September 24, 2011.
Ortiz is active in raising awareness against domestic abuse, citing her own experiences when she was in her 20s and involved in a romantic relationship that turned physically abusive. In an article for USA Today, Ortiz notes that the final scene from the Ugly Betty episode "How Betty Got Her Grieve Back", in which Hilda sat on her bed staring at the bathroom after realizing that Santos had died, was drawn from that experience: "I used some of that subconsciously ... It's something that is always with me".
Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1995 Condition Red C Block Inmate 2000 King of the Korner Isabel 2002 Mr. St. Nick Lorena 2002 Lehi's Wife Kelly Short film 2003 Carolina Christen 2007 Tortilla Heaven Chicana 2008 The Winged Man Wanda Short film 2008 Batman: Gotham Knight Anna Ramirez (voice) 2009 Labor Pains Donna 2011 Big Mommas: Like Father, Like Son Gail Fletcher 2011 The Last Generation Diner Chick Short film 2012 Noah's Ark: The New Beginning Tier (voice) 2013 Sleeping with the Fishes Kayla Fish 2014 Such Good People Detective Diane Kershman 2016 Love is All You Need? Susan Miller 2017 The Keeping Hours Janice 2017 Trust Fund Meredith 2018 Ralph Breaks the Internet Ballet Mom (voice) 2019 Princess of the Row Magdalene Rodriguez
Television Year Title Role Notes 1999 Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman: The Movie Pregnant Woman Television film 2000 NYPD Blue Maria Alvarez Episode: "A Hole in Juan" 2001 Kristin Santa Clemente Series regular, 13 episodes 2001 Everybody Loves Raymond Natasha Episode: "Raybert" 2002 NYPD Blue Luisa Lopez Episode: "Dead Meat in New Deli" 2002 Strong Medicine Elena Delgado Episode: "Family History" 2002 Do Over Mrs. Rice Episode: "Rock 'n' Roll Parking Lot" 2002 ER Laura Episode: "Hindsight" 2003 A.U.S.A. Ana Rivera Series regular, 13 episodes 2003 Greetings from Tucson Angela Episode: "Eegee's vs. Hardee's" 2003 Life on Parole Loretta TV pilot 2004 North Shore Ana Green Episode: "Secret Service" 2004 Foster Hall TV pilot 2005 Blind Justice Letitia Barreras Episode: "Past Imperfect" 2005 Freddie Gina Episode: "Rich Man, Poor Girl" 2005 Over There Anna Recurring role, 7 episodes 2006 Commander in Chief Isabelle Rios Episode: "Wind Beneath My Wing" 2006 Boston Legal A.D.A. Holly Raines 4 episodes 2006 The New Adventures of Old Christine Belinda Episode: "Some of My Best Friends Are Portuguese" 2008 Army Wives Sandy Episode: "Loyalties" 2008 Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story Valerie Valleja Television film 2006–10 Ugly Betty Hilda Suarez Series regular, 84 episodes 2010 True Blue Maureen Minillo TV pilot 2011 Outnumbered Sue Tulley TV pilot 2011 Hung Lydia Recurring role, 5 episodes 2013–16 Devious Maids Marisol Suarez Lead role, 49 episodes 2013 Revenge Bizzy Preston Episode: "Resurgence" 2014 How to Get Away with Murder Paula Murphy / Elena Aguilar Episode: "Smile, or Go to Jail" 2014–17 Family Guy Cinnamon, Maid (voices) 2 episodes 2015 Black-ish Angelica Rodriguez Episode: "Black Santa/White Christmas" 2015 Marry Me Hailey Recurring role, 4 episodes 2016–18 Home: Adventures with Tip & Oh Lucy Tucci (voice) Main role 2016–19 Elena of Avalor Rafa (voice) 3 episodes 2016 Elena and the Secret of Avalor Rafa (voice) Television film 2017 Charlie Foxtrot Angelina Torres TV pilot 2017 Angie Tribeca Betty Crocker Episode: "If You See Something, Solve Something" 2017 The Mindy Project Dr. Mary Hernandez Recurring role, 4 episodes 2019 Whiskey Cavalier Susan Sampson Series regular, 13 episodes 2019 Superstore Claudia Lankow Episode: "Sandra's Fight" 2020–22 Love, Victor Isabel Salazar Series regular, 28 episodes 2019 Special Susan Recurring role, 4 episodes 2022 Undone Tia Monse (voice) 2 episodes 2023 Monster High 2 Zamara Prue Television film 2024 Futurama Marquita (voice) Episode: "Beauty and the Bug" 2025 Goosebumps Jen Main cast (season 2) 2026 Imperfect Women Detective Ganz 4 episodes
Awards and nominations
Year Work Award Category Result 2007 Ugly Betty ALMA Awards ALMA Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress - Television Series, Mini-Series or Television Movie 2007 Ugly Betty OFTA Television Award Outstanding Supporting Actress 2007 Ugly Betty Imagen Award Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television 2007 Ugly Betty Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 2008 Ugly Betty Ewwy Awards Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2008 Ugly Betty Screen Actors Guild Award Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series 2008 Ugly Betty Imagen Award Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television 2009 Little Girl Lost: The Delimar Vera Story Imagen Award Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress 2009 Ugly Betty Imagen Award Imagen Award for Best Supporting Actress – Television 2009Ugly Betty ALMA Awards ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in Television - Comedy 2010 Ugly Betty NAACP Image Awards NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series 2013 Devious Maids ALMA Awards ALMA Award for Outstanding Actress in Television - Comedy 2014 Devious Maids Imagen Award Imagen Award for Best Actress - Television 2021 Love, Victor Imagen Awards Best Supporting Actress – Comedy
References
External links