Jaina Lee Ortiz, born Jessica Ortiz, is an American actress and dancer.

Biography

Jaina Lee Ortiz was born in California and raised in The Bronx, New York. She began her dance training at the age of nine by taking Salsa / Mambo classes, and at the age of 15, she began teaching. By the next year, Ortiz was traveling internationally as a professional instructor and performer.

Ortiz got her start in acting by appearing in student films. She then studied for two years at Maggie Flanigan Studios, where she learned the Meisner technique. In 2009, Ortiz auditioned and was cast on the second season of VH1’s reality show Scream Queens, where she and nine other aspiring actresses competed in challenges based on acting for the opportunity to win the prize of a role in an upcoming movie. The show premiered on August 2, 2010 and on the season finale, Ortiz was named first runner-up.

In 2013, Ortiz landed the role as a series regular in The After, produced by X-Files creator, Chris Carter. The pilot, which began airing via Amazon Video in February 2014, received positive feedback and was ordered to series. However, on January 5, 2015, Amazon Studios announced they would no longer move forward with the show. Two months later, Ortiz was cast as the female lead in a pilot tentatively titled Rosewood, playing opposite Morris Chestnut. The pilot was greenlit to series in May 2015. Rosewood premiered on September 23, 2015 on Fox.