Fans of Orange Is the New Black and Jane the Virgin love Diane Guerrero, and it’s not hard to see why. The lovely Latina has so much heart and talent to go with her good looks that it’s hard to find a fault. We certainly didn’t when we started looking into the star. What we did find were ten facts about her that you might not have known.
1. Diane Lost Her Parents
At the tender age of fourteen, Diane went through something most of us don’t begin to dread until we’re much older. She lost her parents. There’s a small silver lining to the story, but only sort of. You see, they were deported for being undocumented immigrants in America while their American born daughter was left here on her own as a citizen. Even her older brother was taken even though the family had sought legal immigrant status. We can’t imagine how terrifying and sad that must have been for her to come home from school one day and be alone. She even lectured at Brown University on the topic.
2. Boston Columbian
Guerrero was raised in Boston, Massachusetts though she was born in Passaic New Jersey. That’s not a big move, and indeed, nothing like her family coming all the way from South Americas most notorious drug cartel filled country. We’re not going to take sides on the issue of legal vs. illegal immigration, but we can understand why someone might not want to raise their family in the cocaine-producing capital of the world. The loss of her family wasn’t the end for her. Other Columbian families took her in and helped her finish school.
3. Singer
Diane sings, though not professionally, or at least she did at one point. One of her high school extra curriculars was singing with a jazz ensemble. It’s not too hard to see the smart and sultry actress in a sequined gown at the sort of smoky nightclub where you typically find great jazz. She did not pursue it further as far as we can tell. Still, jazz’s loss was TV’s eventual gain.
4. Big Plans
Diane’s first post-college job was at a legal office. That’s a world away from the theater, and much more serious, if still quite dramatic. In college, she studied political science and communications. In fact, it wasn’t until 2010 that she decided to take up acting. While it’s no surprise that she’d be interested in the law and politics given her personal history, we’re still glad she changed course.
5. Published Author
Dianne didn’t just walk away from her early experiences. She wrote about them. Certainly, that may have helped her to handle the trauma, but it also helped to get the word out about something we don’t ever see on the news. At the time it happened to her, there were very few stories about what thousands of underage American citizens like Diane went through. Outdated policies still leave children homeless and without support. Her books “In The Country We Love” and “My Family Divided: One Girl’s Journey Of Home, Loss, And Hope,” are all about her experiences. As a young teen who came home to a dark house, her family’s cars, an unfinished meal on the stove and a missing family, she has plenty to share. She does so with a characteristic heartfelt style all her own.
6. Activism
More than just writing books, and lecturing to a college crowd, Diane has remained vigilant about her causes. She’s a volunteer ambassador for the Immigration Legal Resource Center which educates people about issues faced by immigrants in America today. She’s also on the board at Mi Familia Vote to help engage people in the social justice issues and of course in voting to help change policies.
7. More Than You Know
As for her acting career, people obviously know her from the two shows we already mentioned. However, this actress has been in over a dozen movies including Detour and Justice League vs. the Fatal Five. Though she hasn’t always been the lead, Diane has been in at least ten tv series. She played Sofia in Season Two of Superior Donuts, Carmen in the Blue Bloods episode titled This Way Out, Crazy Jane on Doom Patrol, and voices Vestia in Elena of Avalor, to name just a few.
8. #QueridaFamilia
Dianne continues to use her fame and influence to promote immigrant and Latino/Latina causes. She is “Proud to be a signatory of the #QueridaFamillia letter,” that is currently making the rounds raising awareness and support. Beyond that, it’s also showing a lot of love for friends, family, and neighbors we all live with each day.
9. Yes, She Models Too
For those who want to see more of her outer beauty, she’s got you covered there too. In addition to her other pursuits, this busy, brilliant woman makes time for a career as a model. You can find pics from all her latest adventures on her Instagram page: DiannexGuerrero. After all, the world could always use more beauty, even if we admire her brains and drive most of all.
10. Active
Staying thin is (almost) always a priority for women in the spotlight, but staying healthy isn’t necessarily as much of a concern as it should be. Fortunately, this gorgeous brainy beauty likes to keep her body in shape the old fashioned way, by doing things. You can catch her paddleboarding in a bikini, or at least see the pictures at The Blast. She certainly deserved the R&R considering how hard she works.
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