Wanda De Jesus, an American-born actress is widely popular for portraying the main cast Santana Andrade in the Soap Opera Santa Barbara (1991-1992). She became the 4th actress to portray the role after Ava Lazar, Margaret Michaels, and Gina Gallego. Turned professional since 1986, Wanda, throughout her career journey of 3 decades already records 51 acting credits.
From 2002 to 2004 she played the recurring cast Det. Adell Sevilla in CSI: Miami, and has made notable TV appearances in Mariah, Live Shot, All My Children, and Sons of Anarchy.
What Is Wanda De Jesus' Nationality? Age and Height?
Born on August 26, 1958, in Manhattan, New York City, New York, Wanda De Jesus is an American by nationality. Her parents are immigrants from Puerto Rico; she has Hispanic-American ancestry.
As of November 2020, De Jesus is 62 years old and has a height of 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm).
Graduation From University and Early Career
Interested in acting since her childhood, Wanda went to the High School of the Performing Arts in New York. Thereafter, to sharpen her acting skills, she enrolled at The City University of New York and graduated in 1991 with a degree in performing arts.
Upon graduation, De Jesus, along with her pa s sion for acting branched to music as well. She joined the New York-based punk band Coney Island White Fish, concurrently working on stage productions. Later, the actress would turn her full attention to on-screen acting.
TV Debut and Career Breakthrough
In 1986, Wanda De Jesus got her on-screen acting debut through an episode of Another World. A year later, she would portray Leda Cervantes in the TV series Mariah (1987, 7 episodes) that followed her guest roles in TV series: L.A. Law (1987), Pursuit of Happiness (1988), Lifestories (1990), and Matlock (1990).
De Jesus then was cast in the role of Santana Andrade in NBC soap opera Santa Barbara (1991-1992, 99 episodes) starring Constance Marie, Christopher Norris, Eileen Davidson, and Nancy Lee Grahn. As for a fact, she became the 4th actress to play the role in the series, with the legacy pa s sed down from Ava Lazar, Margaret Michaels, and Gina Gallego.
CAPTION: Wanda got breakthrough during the 90s after playing Santana Andrade in Santa Barbara SOURCE: Santa Barbara OnlineShe worked as Liz Vega in 13 episodes of the TV series Live Shot in 1995 and then made brief appearances in Babylon 5 (1995), NYPD Blue (1996), Diagnosis Murder (1996), Nash Bridges (1997), Vengeance Unlimited (1998) and Promised Land (2000).
In 2002, the American actress earned the recurring role of Detective Adell Sevilla in CSI: Miami; there she appeared in 10 episodes until 2003 featuring David Caruso, Emily Procter, and Adam Rodriguez.
Having guest-starred in Law & Order: LA (2010), Wanda notably portrayed Iris Blanco in All My Children (2010, 9 episodes) and appeared as Carla in Sons of Anarchy (2012, 5 episodes ).
Works In Films
Although it is undeniably true that Wanda is yet to land in any prominence roles in films, she did work in a bunch of movies that backed up her fame as well as fortune.
In 1990, the actress made her feature film debut in Downtown; the same year, she worked in another movie RoboCop 2. After working in The Gla s s Shield (1994) and Flawless (1999), the New York native worked in further 6 films, the 2013 film Water & Power being her most recent movie credit.
- Once in the Life (2000)
- Ghosts of Mars (2001)
- Blood Work (2002)
- Illegal Tender (2007)
- The Ministers (2009)
- Water & Power (2013)
What Is Wanda De Jesus Doing Now?
After working in a brief role in the series Blue (2013), the American actress did not appear in TV series until 2019 in an episode of The Bay. Then, she made a guest appearance in Gentefied (2020) and yA (2020). At the moment, Wanda is yet to talk about her upcoming projects.
Relationship Status: Dating or Married?
Wanda De Jesus is never married but shares a longtime relationship with her boyfriend Jimmy Smits. Reportedly, they began dating in 1986, a year before Smits divorced his wife of 6 years, Barbara Smits.]
De Jesus met Smits in New York in the early 1980s, later their relationship turned into a romantic relationship. The duo currently lives together in California.
CAPTION: Wanda De Jesus and her boyfriend Jimmy Smits SOURCE: Zimbio Despite all the years of togetherness, no news of their engagement came. None of them ever made comments on plans to get married. Their strong relationship of over 3 decades arguably already defines them as husband & wife, although they are yet to make it official.
The couple shares no children.
Net Worth In 2020
Online sources estimate that Wanda De Jesus has over $2 million net worth in November 2020. The majority of her fortune came through TV series; with notable roles in Santa Barbara, CSI: Miami, All My Children, and Sons of Anarchy. The actress in her early 60s allegedly earned a salary of tens of thousand dollars per episode.
As per Celebrity Net Worth, her actor boyfriend Jimmy Smits owns $25 million net worth. Best known for his works as the main cast in L.A. Law, NYPD Blue andThe West Wing, Smits reportedly made $150,000-an-episode.
by chandra, 05 Nov, 2020
