Andrea Navedo is an American actor and singer, best known for her portrayal of ‘Xiomara Villanueva’ in the widely popular comedy–drama series ‘Jane the Virgin.’ Raised in a low-income household in New York, Navedo’s passion for acting was fueled by her grandmother’s love for telenovelas. She made her debut in the soap opera ‘One Life to Live’ while still in college and went on to play significant roles in shows like ‘Law & Order’ and ‘Damages.’ Navedo’s relatability to her character in ‘Jane the Virgin’ earned her tremendous recognition. She actively engages with her fans through social media and currently resides in New York with her husband and children.
Quick Facts
- Age: 46 Years
- Family: children – Ava Pietronuto, Nico Pietronuto
- Born Country: United States
- Occupation: Actresses
- Nationality: American Women
- Height: 5’6″ (168 cm)
- Notable Alumni: State University Of New York At Old Westbury
- U.S. State: New Yorkers
- Education: State University Of New York At Old Westbury
Early Life & Childhood
Navedo was born on October 10, 1977, in the Bronx, New York, to Puerto Rican parents. The second-generation Puerto Rican actor and her sister were raised in New York by a single mother on welfare. She began to learn Spanish when she was 11, after she spent a month in Puerto Rico with her grandmother as a kid, unable to communicate with anybody else due to the language barrier. She graduated from ‘DeWitt Clinton High School’ in 1995, and attended the ‘State University of New York (SUNY) at Old Westbury’ to pursue a bachelor’s degree in communicative and creative arts, with a concentration in theater. She was later featured in a ‘DeWitt Clinton Notable Alumni’ article, along with other famous alumni, such as Stan Lee.
Career
Navedo began her career in 1995, when was cast as ‘Linda Soto,’ a series regular, in the ‘ABC’ soap opera ‘One Life to Live.’ She was nominated for the ‘Soap Opera Digest Award’ for ‘Outstanding Younger Lead Actress’ 2 years later. In 1996, she made her film debut with a small role of a “phone girl” in ‘Girl 6.’ The following year, she guest-starred as a clerk in a ‘New York Undercover’ episode, titled ‘Is It a Crime?’ In 2000, she appeared in the ‘pilot’ episode of ‘The District’ (as ‘Debbie’). She was cast as ‘Maque Sanchez’ in the action–comedy ‘Double Take’ the following year. From 2001 to 2004, Navedo appeared as ‘Detective Ana Cordova’ in 24 episodes of ‘Law & Order.’ During that period, she also appeared in two films: as ‘Maggie’ in ‘Washington Heights’ and as ‘Lucy Sanchez’ in ‘Porn ‘n Chicken.’ In 2006, she appeared as ‘Zaida’ in a biographical film named ‘El Cantante,’ starring singers Marc Anthony and Jennifer Lopez. The film was based on the life of the late salsa singer Hector Lavoe. From 2008 to 2009, she appeared in a few guest roles. She was seen as ‘Adele’ in an episode of ‘Law & Order: Criminal Intent’ (the third series of the ‘Law & Order’ franchise), titled ‘Vanishing Act.’ She was also seen in ‘Damages,’ as ‘Gabriella’ in the episode ‘New York Sucks.’ The following year, she appeared as a teacher in the romantic coming-of-age drama film ‘Remember Me.’ From 2010 to 2011, she appeared in ‘Blue Bloods’ (as ‘Lydia Gonsalves’ and ‘Yolanda Gonsalves’) and ‘How to Make it in America’ (as ‘Debbie Dominguez’ in seven episodes). In the next few years, she continued to make guest appearances in various series. She appeared as a doctor in ‘White Collar,’ as ‘Lorraine Arroyo’ in ‘Golden Boy,’ and as ‘Cynthia Mancheno’ in ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.’ During this period, she was also seen as ‘Anna Vasco’ in ‘Once Upon a Time in Queens’ and as ‘Lydia Maldonado’ in the short film ‘Stereotypically Me.’ In 2014, Navedo made an appearance as a field hockey coach in the pilot episode of ‘The Leftovers.’ The following year, she played ‘Michelle’ in ‘Superfast!,’ which was a parody of ‘The Fast and the Furious’ film series. In 2017, she lent her voice to the character of ‘Queen Lucia’ in the American animated series ‘Elena of Avalor,’ which premiered on ‘Disney Channel.’ The same year, she appeared in the ‘Netflix’ original film ‘Bright,’ as ‘Captain Perez.’ She has contributed to the soundtrack of ‘Jane the Virgin.’ She has directed and produced a video titled ‘Love Spoken.’
Major Works
In 1999, she was cast as series regular ‘Theresa Sandoval’ in the American soap opera ‘Guiding Light.’ The show has been listed in the ‘Guinness World Records’ as the longest-running drama in American TV history. It was broadcast on ‘CBS’ for 57 years, from June 30, 1952, to September 18, 2009. It overlapped a 19-year broadcast on radio, from 1937 to 1956, making its total running time 72 years. In 2014, she was cast as ‘Xiomara “Xo” Villanueva,’ a series regular, in the hugely popular romantic “dramedy” and satirical telenovela ‘Jane the Virgin.’ The show has received critical acclaim for its writing throughout its run. It has also been acknowledged by the ‘People’s Choice Awards,’ the ‘Critics’ Choice Awards,’ the ‘Primetime Emmy Awards,’ the ‘Image Awards,’ and the ‘Television Critics Association.’ It has also been honored by the ‘American Film Institute’ and the ‘George Foster Peabody Awards.’
Awards & Achievements
In 2015, Navedo won the ‘Imagen Award’ twice in the ‘Supporting Actress-Television’ category. She also won the ‘Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA) Award’ for ‘Breakthrough Performance’ for ‘Jane the Virgin.’ The same show helped her win the ‘Impact Award’ for ‘Outstanding Performance in a Television Series’ in 2016.
Family & Personal Life
Navedo is married to a non-celebrity, with whom she has two children, daughter Ava and son Rico. While she has remained tight-lipped about her husband, she regularly posts about her children on social media.
Trivia
Navedo is only 6 years older than Gina Rodriguez, her co-star, who plays her daughter in ‘Jane the Virgin.’