L Word fans everywhere were overjoyed when news that the series would be making a comeback broke out. The popular show, which aired from 2004 to 2009, focused on the lives of a group of lesbians living in Los Angeles. The reboot, which aired in 2019, garnered tons of positive reviews and fan excitement.
One of the reasons was the newcomer, Rosanny Zayas, who played Sophie Suarez on the show. Zayas‘ character is vibrant, young, funny, and smart, and she was definitely a fan favorite. But what’s the story about the actress herself? Keep reading for five things you didn’t know about Rosanny Zayas.
1. Born And Raised In New York
Zayas’ character on The L Word: Generation Q may have the Los Angeles swag down to a science, but Zayas herself is a native New Yorker. She was born in Brooklyn and raised in Ozone Park, Queens, where she spent a lot of time watching TV. It was during her time in Queens that she first saw The L Word back when she was in high school.
2. Graduated From Juilliard
Rossany Zayas may seem like a newcomer to the scene, but she’s not new to the world of acting. In fact, she is a professionally trained actress who attended Juilliard. According to Zayas, “After I finished undergrad, I applied to Juilliard for grad school. While I was there, I did a bunch of programs intermittently. I was in the second class to graduate with a Masters. After graduating, I was in New York on the acting grind, and I came across the show. This is my first real big acting gig.”
3. She Made An Appearance In Orange Is The New Black
Orange Is The New Black is often considered the series that put Netflix series on the map. The show, which ran from 2013 to 2019, thrust many young stars into the spotlight. Although Rosanny Zayas didn’t catch her big break from OITNB, she did make an appearance on the show in episode two of its final season. Zayas’ character on the show was named Daisy, Maritza’s friend (Diane Guerrero).
4. She Is Dominican American
Zayas is a Dominican American woman who takes pride in her culture. In fact, she is the first Dominican-American character to be featured in The L Word. Altogether, she was excited about the opportunity to bring an extra layer of diversity to the screen.
Zayas believes representation is important and hopes her character can shine some light on the complexity of intersectionality. She told The New York Post, “I‘m really excited to show parts of that on television, especially details like hair and hair texture and food and speaking Spanish and portraying a Dominican family. I hope people in the community can really see that and feel like they have a place on television as well.”
5. A Former Teacher Inspired Her To Get Into Acting
Unlike some people in the entertainment industry, Rosanny Zayas didn’t fall in love with acting as a child. She actually didn’t discover her passion for acting until her senior year in high school. However, it wasn’t until she took a theater course at Queens College that she truly discovered just how interested she was in acting.
The star credits her professor, Claudia Feldstein, for unlocking her passion for the performing arts. She says, “It was because of her (Claudia) that I felt like I could do something. There’s nothing else I want to do — there’s nothing else I love more than acting.”
Read Next: Meet The Cast of The L Word: Generation Q
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