# Victoria Cartagena

Victoria Cartagena is an American theater, film, and television actress. Cartagena is known for her role as Zoe Lopez in The Bedford Diaries, and for portraying Renee Montoya as series regular in the first season of Gotham and the third season of Batwoman. She is additionally known for her recurring role as Lourdes in the NBC-turned-Netflix drama Manifest.

## Early life

Cartagena was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Victor and Lucy Cartagena. She attended Penn State University. Cartagena has starred in numerous theater productions and participated in various plays and workshops for New York's Lark Theater.

## Career

   I keep saying the word 'fascinating', because I can’t really find another word. I think Renee is absolutely just the most fascinating character I’ve ever had the privilege to play. She has so much to admire and yet she’s really flawed. She’s quite reserved in many ways, which is a big challenge, acting-wise. It’s always great, as an actor, to try to tackle a challenge, because it keeps you on your toes. The characterization of her, in the comics, it informs pretty much all of the characters in Gotham, so I’m able to draw from there; it’s an additional source to help me with my choices. It’s like I’m doing homework, which I love. And just the opportunity to be on a show like Gotham is like catnip for any actor. Just the caliber of the production, and the writing and the talent on the show, so I would say that it was the whole package that attracted me to the role.
Cartagena appeared on the WB television series The Bedford Diaries, NBC's Kidnapped, and the 2008 season finale of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. She has appeared on several different TV shows throughout her career.
Cartagena appeared as Renee Montoya in the FOX TV series Gotham. In the first episode she was credited as recurring. Cartagena would have a contract role starting in the second episode. She said in an interview with Lucia I. Suarez, “I’ve seen them all,” the actress told Fox News Latino, adding that she loved that there was a character Vicki Vale in the comics. “Everyone knows Batman.” In an interview with Graeme McMillan, "I feel lucky to be playing someone who’s so important," the actress tells THR. “She’s pretty amazing,” she tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m playing such an iconic character, and I feel lucky to be playing someone who’s so important to the [LGBTQ] community.” She states to Leeds in an interview, "I never read a comic before the show! But now, because I’m on the show, I really want to know everything about her. So I find myself reading comic books more and really enjoying them." Cartagena states about her gay character on Gotham, "I guess both. It’s definitely a straight-up fact of who she is as a person — she’s a woman, she’s a cop, she’s Latina, she’s gay. But that said, her perspective on things adds a voice to the conversation by virtue of her background that wouldn’t necessarily be there, or expected to be there." She states in the interview with Leeds, "I believe that Renee really did break it off because of her sobriety. And I believe that she really, really loves Barbara. But I think that Renee is at a point in her life where she is more self-aware than she ever was — and I don’t know if that’s because she’s gone through recovery — and she’s just willing to step away from the person that she loves in order to save herself. Because she’s been there with Barbara before, and it ended badly. So at least, at this point, she has the benefit of hindsight." In August 2015, it was reported that Cartagena would not be returning as a member of the main cast for season two.
Cartagena later made 2 guest appearances in Jessica Jones and had a recurring role in Manifest.
Cartagena later reprised Renee Montoya in season three of Batwoman. This depiction of Montoya is a former Gotham City Police Department member who left due to the corruption in some of its members.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2004 | Baby Fat | Feisty Latina |
| 2006 | Sorry Ain't Enough | Lillian |
| 2010 | Salt | Portico Checkpoint Agent |
| 2016 | The Pastor | Mercia Alvarez |
| 2016 | Blowtorch | Rita |
| 2019 | 21 Bridges | Yolanda Bell |
| 2021 | Come Find Me | Christina |

### Television

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 2006 | The Bedford Diaries | Zoe Lopez | Main role |
| 2006 | Kidnapped | Diane Weaver | "Special Delivery" |
| 2007 | Protect and Serve | Anita Esparza | TV film |
| 2008 | Law & Order: Special Victims Unit | Cecelia Cruz | "Cold" |
| 2009 | Army Wives | Carmen Richards | "Fire in the Hole" |
| 2009 | The Good Wife | Teresa Reyes | "Crash" |
| 2011 | Unforgettable | Maria Ortiz | "Check Out Time" |
| 2011 | A Gifted Man | Maria | "In Case of Memory Loss" |
| 2013 | Blue Bloods | Letitia Williams | "Warriors" |
| 2013 | Elementary | Hope | "Déjà Vu All Over Again" |
| 2014–2015 | Gotham | Renee Montoya | Main role; season 1 |
| 2016 | The Path | Evelyn Hernandez | 3 episodes |
| 2018 | Jessica Jones | Sonia Arocho | 2 episodes |
| 2018 | Deception | Anne Rojas | "Loading Up" |
| 2018 | You | Claudia | Recurring role |
| 2018 | Manifest | Lourdes | Recurring role |
| 2019–2020 | Almost Family | Amanda | Main role |
| 2019–2023 | Servant | Stephanie Reyes | 2 episodes |
| 2021–2022 | Batwoman | Renee Montoya | Main role; 7 episodes (Season 3) |
| 2024 | Chicago P.D. | Detective Emily Martel | 2 episodes |
| 2024 | Law & Order | Defense Attorney Yolanda Matos | "Report Card" |