Jackie Cruz

Sensual and steamy Dominican-American singer, songwriter, actress, former model, activist and entrepreneur, Jackie Cruz, is a self-professed freedom fighter and wild feminist, and is best known for her role as Flaca in the hit Netflix series, Orange Is The New Black. She currently stars in NBC’s crime comedy-drama series, Good Girls. She is a three time SAG Award winner and was named one of the “Top Latino Powerhouses Under 40” by The Hollywood Reporter in 2013. She started up her own production company, Unspoken Film, with the aim of advocating for more representation of Latina women in Hollywood, and to create more diverse opportunities in film.

Born in New York, Cruz grew up between Los Angeles and Santiago being raised by her single mother. At the age of seven she was inspired to become an entertainer after watching Whitney Houston in the movie, The Bodyguard. She attended the Alexander Hamilton High School in LA, where she was a member of their music academy and joined a girl group, Krush Velvet, getting to work with will.i.am’s producers. Homeless at 16 and involved in a near-fatal car crash a year later that resulted in brain surgery, she then began modelling and waitressing. She made her acting debut in the TV crime series, The Shield, in 2007 and came to the public-eye in 2009 when she began making appearances on the E! reality TV series, Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami, the first Keeping Up with the Kardashians spin-off show. Despite being a natural actress, Cruz says that her first love was always music, and her singles and debut album are available through Spotify and AppleMusic, as well as on YouTube.

Cruz is always happy to connect with her adoring fans and followers via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, through which she regularly posts photos and videos about her professional and personal life. She also has her own official website, jackiecruz.com.