Tessie Santiago
Encyclopedia
Tessie Santiago is an American actress of Cuban
and Spanish descent.
She attended Miami Coral Park High School
graduating class of 1993
A May 1999 graduate from the University of Miami
, she earned a double major in film and theater arts and was able to study Shakespeare in London, England and Film Production with the Faculty of Film and Television of Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU)
in Prague
, Czech Republic. She has always immersed herself in creative endeavors. At university she starred in the independent film Echo and became the resident “It Girl,” acting in many student films.
An avid reader of Henry Miller
, Anaïs Nin
and Milan Kundera
are among her favorite authors, she also aspires to work behind the camera, both as a writer and a director.
, playing Lucia Rojas-Klein; and in episodes of Kitchen Confidential
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
, and One on One
. In 2001, Santiago landed a co-starring role in the VH1
TV-movie The Way She Moves, playing Christina Juarez, a Latina
dancer with the dream of winning a dance exhibition. Santiago then played Sarah Marshall in the independent film The Way Back Home
. In 2009, she starred in the movie The Cell 2
, a direct-to-video
spin-off of the 2000 film The Cell
, playing psychic investigator Maya Casteneda.
for "Outstanding lead actress in a syndicated drama series" for Queen of Swords together with Tia Carrere
and the winner Gina Torres
.
She was ranked #50 on the Maxim
Hot 100 Women of 2001 list.
Cubans
Cubans or Cuban people are the inhabitants or citizens of Cuba. Cuba is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...
and Spanish descent.
Family and education
Tessie Santiago has two younger siblings, a brother and a half-sister. She also owned a pet dog named Zion she rescued while working in Spain on the Queen of Swords.She attended Miami Coral Park High School
Miami Coral Park High School
Miami Coral Park Senior High School is a secondary school, located at 8865 S.W. 16th Street in the Westchester neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. The school was opened in 1963. It was the first school with A/C in south Florida. The principal is Dr. Nick JacAngelo...
graduating class of 1993
A May 1999 graduate from the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
, she earned a double major in film and theater arts and was able to study Shakespeare in London, England and Film Production with the Faculty of Film and Television of Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU)
Academy of Performing Arts in Prague
The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague is a university level school of music, dance, drama, film, TV and multi-media studies.- Faculties :*Film and TV School - FAMU*Music Faculty - HAMU*Theatre Faculty - DAMU-Notable alumni:...
in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, Czech Republic. She has always immersed herself in creative endeavors. At university she starred in the independent film Echo and became the resident “It Girl,” acting in many student films.
An avid reader of Henry Miller
Henry Miller
Henry Valentine Miller was an American novelist and painter. He was known for breaking with existing literary forms and developing a new sort of 'novel' that is a mixture of novel, autobiography, social criticism, philosophical reflection, surrealist free association, and mysticism, one that is...
, Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin
Anaïs Nin was a French-Cuban author, based at first in France and later in the United States, who published her journals, which span more than 60 years, beginning when she was 11 years old and ending shortly before her death, her erotic literature, and short stories...
and Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera
Milan Kundera , born 1 April 1929, is a writer of Czech origin who has lived in exile in France since 1975, where he became a naturalized citizen in 1981. He is best known as the author of The Unbearable Lightness of Being, The Book of Laughter and Forgetting, and The Joke. Kundera has written in...
are among her favorite authors, she also aspires to work behind the camera, both as a writer and a director.
Career
Santiago made her television debut in 2000 in the syndicated action/adventure television series Queen of Swords, playing Tessa Alvarado/The Queen. She went on to appear on television shows including the first 11 episodes of the first season of the sitcom Good Morning, MiamiGood Morning, Miami
Good Morning, Miami is a sitcom which ran from 2002 to 2004 on NBC. Created by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, the show focused on the personal and professional life of Jake, the executive producer of the lowest-rated morning show in the country, based in Miami.Though unsuccessful and unacclaimed,...
, playing Lucia Rojas-Klein; and in episodes of Kitchen Confidential
Kitchen Confidential
Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly is a New York Times bestselling non-fiction book written by American chef Anthony Bourdain....
, Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Curb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
, and One on One
One on One (TV series)
One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...
. In 2001, Santiago landed a co-starring role in the VH1
VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
TV-movie The Way She Moves, playing Christina Juarez, a Latina
Latina
Latina is the feminine form of the term Latino.Latina may also refer to:*Province of Latina, a province in Latium , Italy**Latina, Lazio, the capital of the province of Latina**Latina Nuclear Power Plant*Latina , a district of Madrid...
dancer with the dream of winning a dance exhibition. Santiago then played Sarah Marshall in the independent film The Way Back Home
The Way Back Home
The Way Back Home is the third studio album by American country music artist Vince Gill. It was released in 1987 on RCA Records and it produced four chart singles on the Billboard country charts. In order of release, these were "Cinderella" , "Let's Do Something , "Everybody's Sweetheart" , and...
. In 2009, she starred in the movie The Cell 2
The Cell 2
The Cell 2 is a 2009 direct-to-video spin-off from the 2000 film The Cell.-Plot:A serial killer calling himself "The Cusp" murders his victims and then revives them, until they beg to die. His first victim, psychic investigator Maya Casteneda , survives and is bent on revenge...
, a direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
spin-off of the 2000 film The Cell
The Cell
The Cell is a 2000 science fiction psychological thriller film directed by Tarsem Singh, and starring Jennifer Lopez in the lead role.-Plot:...
, playing psychic investigator Maya Casteneda.
Accolades
Santiago was nominated for a 2001 ALMA AwardAlma Award
The American Latino Media Arts Award, or ALMA Award is a distinction awarded to Latino performers who promote positive portrayals of Latinos in the entertainment field...
for "Outstanding lead actress in a syndicated drama series" for Queen of Swords together with Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere
Tia Carrere is an American actress, model, voice artist, and singer, perhaps most widely known for her role as Cassandra Wong in the feature films Wayne's World and Wayne's World 2, Queen Tyr'ahnee in Duck Dodgers, and as Sydney Fox in the TV series Relic Hunter.-Early life:Carrere was born in...
and the winner Gina Torres
Gina Torres
Gina Torres is an American television and movie actress. She is known for her roles in science fiction and fantasy. She has appeared in many television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys , Xena: Warrior Princess , the short-lived Cleopatra 2525, as well as Alias , Firefly Gina...
.
She was ranked #50 on the Maxim
Maxim (magazine)
Maxim is an international men's magazine based in the United Kingdom and known for its pictorials featuring popular actresses, singers, and female models, sometimes pictured dressed, often pictured scantily dressed but not fully nude....
Hot 100 Women of 2001 list.
Television
- Queen of Swords (2000–2001) TV Show – Tessa Alvarado/The Queen
- Good Morning, MiamiGood Morning, MiamiGood Morning, Miami is a sitcom which ran from 2002 to 2004 on NBC. Created by David Kohan and Max Mutchnick, the show focused on the personal and professional life of Jake, the executive producer of the lowest-rated morning show in the country, based in Miami.Though unsuccessful and unacclaimed,...
(2002–2003) TV Show - Lucia Rojas-Klein (11 episodes) - Curb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your EnthusiasmCurb Your Enthusiasm is an American comedy television series produced and broadcast by HBO, which premiered on October 15, 2000. As of 2011, it has completed 80 episodes over eight seasons. The series was created by Seinfeld co-creator Larry David, who stars as a fictionalized version of himself...
(2004) HBO Series - Chambermaid - Kitchen ConfidentialKitchen ConfidentialKitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly is a New York Times bestselling non-fiction book written by American chef Anthony Bourdain....
(2005) TV Show - Donna the waitress - One on OneOne on One (TV series)One on One is an American sitcom that aired on the now-defunct UPN from its September 3, 2001 premiere until May 15, 2006. The series stars Flex Alexander as a single sportscaster, who becomes a full-time dad when his ex-wife decides to accept a job out of the country and his teenage daughter...
(2006) TV Show - Hannah - One Hot Summer (2009) Made-for-TV Movie - Anabel Aguilera
Film
- The Way She Moves (2000) Video Hits One TV Movie - Christina Juarez
- The Way Back Home (2005) Independent Movie - Sara Marshall
- Break-In (2006) LifeTime TV Movie - Joannie
- The Cell 2The Cell 2The Cell 2 is a 2009 direct-to-video spin-off from the 2000 film The Cell.-Plot:A serial killer calling himself "The Cusp" murders his victims and then revives them, until they beg to die. His first victim, psychic investigator Maya Casteneda , survives and is bent on revenge...
(2009) direct-to-video - Maya Casteneda - Angel CamouflagedAngel CamouflagedAngel Camouflaged is a 2010 film directed by R. Michael Givens. It stars James Brolin, Dilana, Warrick Grier, Carlos Bernard and Patty Smyth.-Cast:*James Brolin as Salt*Dilana as Scottie Ballantyne*Warrick Grier as Morgan...
(2010) - Desdemona